Folks,
We often feel that Arbor Day – a day about planting trees – was especially created for the people of CODEP. May 1 is Arbor Day in Haiti, and it is a Big Deal.
As a run-up in these weeks approaching Arbor Day, we plan to feature one of our Animators, Réné Décime. He is a mainstay of CODEP, and we want you to know him better.
Réné has been part of CODEP for decades and has seen the impact of its work. He walks himself directly into your heart with his observations of his trees, his land, and his rural Haitian home.
If you want to know how much has changed over the years, he holds out the palm of his hand and says, “The mountainsides used to be white like this. The soil was so bad, it was bleached. Now it is brown, green, and healthy looking. And the children have food.”
It is a special moment to watch him turn and gaze with pride at the panorama of leaves, branches, and trees swaying in the breeze.
Michael Anello, Executive Director
