Home

Earthquake Relief

Mission

Trips

Projects

Friends in Haiti

CINCH

Pendus Chapels

Pendus Area Map

Want To Get Involved?

MORE ABOUT HAITI

The People

The Land

The History

The Language

Places of Interest

Chapels Of The Pendus Area

St. Joseph Church is located in Pendus, Haiti, which is located in the north central mountains of Haiti.  Pendus is located approximately 120 miles from Port-au-Prince and about 10 miles northwest from Gros Morne.  There are six chapels that are connected with St. Joseph Church in the surrounding mountain areas.  There are not enough priests for each of these areas to have a full time church.  People in these villages will come to Pendus for Mass whenever a priest is in Pendus -- and whenever the terrain and weather permit the travel to and from Pendus.  The entire area of "greater Pendus" is less than a typical county in Indiana, but given the mountains and rivers and lack of good roads, the travel can be nearly impossible at times.

If you are at Pendus (which is the last place a vehicle can travel up that mountainside), you must hike for two hours toward the northeast to reach Mayombe.  Another two-hour hike from Pendus toward the northwest will get you to Massacre.

Berard, Kayimit, and Savanne Carre are all accessible from Pendus by vehicle.  Berard is the closest as it it located about half way from the turn off of the Gros Morne to Port-de-Paix road -- an area called Tou Bwa Dom -- and Pendus.  It is just south of the Pendus River and just up the steep incline as you head south.  This incline is the only stretch (about 75 yards total) of this entire road that is paved. It is paved because it would be nearly impassible in good weather, let alone when it is wet and muddy.

Once you reach Tou Bwa Dom, you turn right -- or northwest toward Port-de-Paix -- to get to the remaining three chapels -- Kayimit, Savanne Carre and Montbayard.  The first one you reach is Kayimit as it is located only a few minutes from the Tou Bwa Dom turnoff. Another four miles or so past Kayimit you will arrive at Savanne Carre.  Just before reaching Savanne Carre, the road nears Twa Rivierie (Three Rivers).  You must cross the river either by vehicle -- if the water level is not too high -- or on foot.  It is another 3-hour hike on foot to reach Montbayard.  The road on the far side of river is presently impassible by vehicle and is in major need of repair.  To see a map of Pendus and its surround area and chapels, click here.

Each of the chapels has a sacristan to help facilitate worship in that area.  Since there are not priests enough to visit regularly at each of these places, the sacristan is responsible to help organize services on Sundays and holy days, to lead scripture reading and conduct "homilies" or reflections when priests are not present, and to help with funerals and other activities.  He cannot celebrate Mass or hear confessions or do weddings like a priest, but he is integral to the community's faith life.