By Doug Fletcher,Staff Writer

A desperate plea earlier this month from a Lewiston-born priest to help scores of Haitian orphans has had a heartwarming result.

Funds sent to the Rev. Marc Boisvert’s Project Hope in Les Cayes, Haiti, have allowed 30 of 65 children from a failed orphanage in Fonfrede to be relocated to his project’s Village of Hope in Castel-Pere.

Boisvert spoke of the relocation effort in a Web log linked to his Theo’s Work charity.

Dr. Cynthia DeSoi of Greene, a Lewiston-based doctor who volunteers at Project Hope’s clinic and other health centers in Haiti, shared the news from Haiti after learning about it this week.

“The true meaning of Christmas is this – that out of our abundance we have helped these little orphans find a safe and loving home at the fledgling Village of Hope in Haiti,” DeSoi wrote in an e-mail.

She wrote that the response from the Lewiston-Auburn community had been “tremendous” – nearly $14,000 in donations.

Boisvert had estimated it would take $17,187 to provide beds and bedding, food, clothing and medical needs simply to move the children from the abandoned school where they were living to his farming community.

He said another $4,000 would be needed each month to care for all 65 of the orphans.

International aid agencies weren’t able to offer the immediate help that was needed.

Boisvert, in blogging about the move, wrote this:

“While very trying emotionally, this morning was a powerful experience. Thirty of the kids from the failed orphanage in Fonfrede were moved to Castel-Pere. There was some bawling, many tears, nervous laughter and a few hopeful smiles. Wish we could have moved more but that was just too hard to do in the logistics department.

“May God bless you all for your kindness and concern.”