In Haiti, over 600 participants, mostly boys and girls, celebrated the Day of Prayer and Action for Children.

Due to the Cholera epidemic, we had been told a week earlier that we would not be able to hold the ceremony for Day for Prayer and Action for Children at the “Sugar Cain Historical Park.” We were obliged to rush to find another site, along with all the consequences that this implied. A GNRC meeting was immediately convened. In the end, the second DPAC in Haiti, 2010 edition, was celebrated on the grounds of the Bahá’í Anis Zunuzi School, in Lilavois. Various important religious groups were present: Catholics (122), Protestants (496), Voodoo (6), Muslim (2), and Bahá’í (27). There was a total of six hundred and fifty-three persons: 182 girls under 18 and 28 over 18; 290 boys under 18 and 80 over 18; 73 adults included 26 women and 47 men.

Following the words of welcome by GNRC coordinator Br. Francklin Armand, Vice-coordinator Pastor Rene Joseph lead the opening prayer to officially start the ceremony. Sister Anne Franck, GNRC Secretary General, spoke briefly on the history of GNRC and praised the minors for their involvement in GNRC activities. She spoke movingly of the need to have mutual respect among religions.

A Bahá’í child was the moderator for the ceremony. Eleven boys and girls from different religions were called to come up one after another to pray for all children, in front of the attendants who numbered over 600. Then, a young police officer sang a wonderful hymn of praise and honor to God, the Creator of the universe.

During the cultural portion, young musicians from the “Petite Place Cazeau” Center invited all the kids to dance and sing with them in a joyful atmosphere. Another group presented a drama. We divided the Convention’s forty-two articles in parts, and each boy and girls from different religions read four or five articles each. There were games with prizes for the winners. The boys played a game of soccer. We gave out t-shirts with the DPAC logo and a refreshment. There was a space for awareness-raising on Cholera with specialists. Then, we arose to participate in planting six-hundred (600) trees after an explanation of the significance of this action. The national television was present at this uplifting event. Following the earthquake, the tornadoes, the hurricane, and now the Cholera outbreak, this second DPAC can be called the RAINBOW DAY for the participating children!

Submitted by Anne Franck, Secretary General of GNRC Haiti