The Haiti Micah Project

The Rev. Joseph Murrenz Constant is a priest in the Anglican/Episcopal Church. Currently, Rev. Constant serves as the Director of Ethnic Ministries and Coordinator for Recruitment at Virginia Theological Seminary. In addition to his work at the Seminary, Rev. Constant, along with the Rev. Rosemari Sullivan, has just been appointed by Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, to serve as special coordinator for Haiti. The task of the special coordinators for Haiti is to facilitate the multiple efforts among Episcopal churches, dioceses, networks, and organizations committed to the rebuilding of the Diocese of Haiti.

Rev. Constant holds a Bachelor's of Engineering from Northeastern University and a Master of Divinity from Virginia Theological Seminary. He served as the Assistant Rector at St. Timothy's Episcopal Church in Washington DC for almost two years, before assuming his current position at the Seminary. In 2005, he established, Haiti Micah Project, Inc. Rev. Constant has also recently published a book entitled No Turning Back: The Black Presence at Virginia Theological Seminary. Rev. Constant and his wife Sarah have two daughters, Claire and Christiana. 
 

 

Dr. Ruth I. Quartey is a health scientist and has held clinical and research appointments including Senior Research Program Coordinator (2009-2010: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine); Research Assistant Professor (2008-2010: Howard University College of Medicine); Research Director/Co-investigator (1996-2008: Howard-Hopkins Center for Reducing Asthma Disparities); Pulmonary Rehabilitation Specialist (1986-1992: National Rehabilitation Hospital); and board-certified Licensed/Registered Respiratory Care Practitioner (1982-1986: Washington Hospital Center). She has a PhD in Community Health from Walden University, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
 

Dr. Quartey has a special expertise in Pathophysiology of Asthma and Allergic Diseases and her research has focused on National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s sponsored studies. She is a long-standing member on NIH’s National Asthma Education and Prevention Program’s Coordinating Committee on developing National Asthma Management Guidelines (1992-2010), has served on the DC and Maryland Asthma Coalitions and speaks nationally and internationally on issues concerning the management of inner-city asthma.
 

Dr. Quartey and her Asthma research team at Howard University, in collaboration with the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing and the School of Public Health at George Washington University, have developed asthma training modules for community physicians, school and community nurses, as well as community health workers. She has authored/co-authored research papers, journal articles, manuscripts for publication and presentation at scientific conferences.

Born and raised in Accra, Ghana, Dr. Quartey’s religious background is steeped in the Anglican faith tradition. She has been an active member of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Region (1972-2010) where four generations of her family have worshipped for 38 years.

Her involvement at St. Timothy’s include serving as Vestry Member, Chorister, Mission and Outreach Committee Chair, Jubilee Ministry Representative, Urban Ministry Liaison, and member of the Episcopal Church Women, Stewardship and Senior Ministries Committees.

Dr. Quartey met the Reverend Joseph M. Constant, President of the Haiti Micah Project (HMP), in 2003 while she (Dr. Quartey) was serving on the vestry and Rev. Constant was serving as an assistant to the rector (Reverend Canon Dalton D. Downs), in preparation for his ordination into the priesthood.
 

In 2005 after a series of devastating hurricanes in Mirebalais, Haiti, had rendered several children abandoned and homeless, Rev. Constant had a foresight to establish the Haiti Micah Project to address the basic needs of these impoverished and uneducated street children. His invitation to Dr. Quartey to serve on the HMP Board was received wholeheartedly and Dr. Quartey has remained a staunch board member since its inception.
 

 

 

 

Richard Frazer was employed as a civilian engineer at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren, Virginia and retired in 2006 after 41 years of government service. He holds an Electrical Engineering degree from Duke University. Richard and his wife Patricia reside in King George, Virginia – about one mile from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church where they attend regularly and sing in the St. Paul’s Choir. Richard recently served on the St. Paul’s Vestry and Patricia is in charge of the St. Paul’s Altar Guild. They were introduced to the Haiti Micah Project by neighbor, William Taczak, a relative of Rev. Constant, and a long-term HMP Director.

As Vestryman, "Dick" was a strong advocate of the Haiti Micah Project, and helped make HMP a major part of the St. Paul’s Mission and Outreach Program. He assisted Director Taczak in soliciting foundations and institutions for donations and grants. He did the “groundwork” and prepared required application materials for the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC). The CFC then accepted HMP as a worthwhile charity. HMP was given the Charity Code 86354, and deemed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) as suitable for presentation to all government workers, nationwide.

In April 2008, the Frazers' daughter, Robyn Bauer, presented a concert at St. Paul’s featuring herself on violin and Michael Konieczny on piano. They played "Praeludium and Allegro" by Fritz Kreisler, "Violin Sonata No.3 in D" by Johannes Brahms, "Etude Op. 10, No. 9" by Frederic Chopin, "Summertime" by George Gershwin, "Song of India" by Rimsky-Korsakov, and "Concerto No.1 in G minor” by Max Bruch. Encores were "Deep Purple" and "Ashokan Farewell." The Rev. Joseph Constant was present and spoke about the Haiti Micah Project during intermission. More than $3,000 was raised – all for HMP.