Chiraque
A small mountain village above Jeremie.
A 20 minute climb up the mountain brings you to a small Methodist school and church.
This mountain village is about a one hour drive from Jeremie and a twenty minute walk up a steep incline to the summit where the Methodist Church and School are located. Over 300 people attend church and approximately 300 children attend the school. The school is crumbling and bursting at the seams with kids. A new two-room school building is completed, alleviating the classes that were previously held outside, under tarps. Phase two of this project is to demolish and rebuild the existing school building.
2016 brought the first Solar Power array to Chiraque. Solar panels were installed on a portion of the church roof to providing electricity for lights and power strips to the church and to the new two-room school building. Laptops and projectors can now be reliably recharged for school room use and the church can now be available for use for evening choir practice and other activities.
While the sounds of construction surround the church, the interior is used as a medical and dental triage area. Clients are assessed, notes taken, and treatments provided. Simple cases are treated on the spot and more serious cases are sent to Gebeau Clinic for further care. Dental flouride treatements are given to the children. And much needed clothing is distributed.