Meet Guilot

A brief description of Guilot could be that he is a stalwart, industrious contributor to the community of Petit Trou de Nippes. But Guilot’s story is so much more than that.

Guilot’s narrative begins with the founding of the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and School. Guilot lived on a plot of land bordering the school with his mother and aunt. As the school opened, Guilot enrolled right from the first grade. From that point on, he was part of the St. Paul’s community.

Guilot lost his mother when he was just 12 years old. Her ship capsized at sea. Only two years later, his father passed. Fortunately, St. Paul’s School gave him a family and a home. He moved on campus with two other young boys and was mentored and supported by the lay minister of the church. The church became the foundation for Guilot’s life, even to this day.

A dedicated student, Guilot attended St. Paul’s School all the way through primary school. He then plowed through high school, attending two different schools and enduring miles of bicycling through deep tracks of mud and bouts of heavy rains. After finishing high school, he earned an Associate’s degree in business. Finally, two years ago, he received a Bachelor’s degree in Business Accounting. After his schooling, Guilot returned to his roots as the administrator and accountant for St. Paul’s School.

Today, Guilot doesn’t just craft the character of the St. Paul’s community – he also shares his business acumen with the school’s students, heads the scholarship committee on campus, and teaches computer skills to students as young as the fourth-grade level. And, Guilot takes particular pleasure in pulling together the St. Paul’s community to celebrate holidays and special events. He plans musical performances, soccer tournaments, parades, and feasts throughout the entire year.

Managing and reveling in Haitian Independence Day (January 1st), in particular, is Guilot’s forte. On Independence Day, Guilot celebrated with extended family. Together with his aunt and stepmother, they made a holiday feast – the centerpiece being pumpkin soup.*

So as we bring in a new year, let’s wish all Haitians a Happy (belated) Independence Day and Guilot a prosperous 36th birthday, which was January 9th. We look forward to keeping you updated on the rest of his year at St. Paul’s!

*You may ask… why pumpkin soup? In 1804, when the Haitians fought and won their freedom, they all indulged in pumpkin soup, something previously reserved for the French. Pumpkin soup is therefore symbolic of freedom from French colonialism. The tradition has clearly endured, pumpkin soup being the main dish on everyone’s table January 1st.