Monthly Archives: October 2012

As you recall on Saturday we reached out to Caritas and CRS to get assistance for displaced people in the Sarazin mountains because of the rains and flooding. On Sunday evening Caritas arrived with a truckload of personal hygiene and kitchen kits, and 100 tarps for those who lost their tents (their homes) due to the rains. Mildreade, who is director of communications for Caritas brought the goods herself with her crew of workers. She had beed traveling for two days getting these items for other people in great need.

This was a strong experience of how God hears the cry of the poor. We are grateful to Caritas and CRS who are great Catholic organizations working for the people of Haiti.

On Saturday we went with Yvon to Kaville, a camp for displaced persons since the earthquake, January, 2010. Twice a month Yvon delivers drinking water to the tent dwellers. From the moment we arrived we felt like we were in the right place and where we were needed.

Kaville is located on a public soccer field, located behind a gated community. They have no running water and depend on outside help. Many of the children suffer from malnutrition. When we first arrived we tried to introduce ourselves in our simple Creole, and walked around speaking to everyone. Very quickly we were accepted by everyone, especially the children. They took us by the hand and wanted to take us to their (home), they said: “vin lakay mwen.” Which means “come to my home.” The children led us carefully through the mud since this was the day after a week of heavy rain. Mostly women were in the tents who welcomed us with great joy. It was a moving experience of hospitality and simplicity.

There was an elderly woman who came up to us and said: “Mwen grangou!” Which means “I am hungry!” We did not have anything to give her.

In one of the tents we met a family who looked very happy. In the midst of them was a tiny new born baby, we felt like we were in Bethlehem. Next to the baby was a live chicken, pots and pans, and other simple necessities.

There is something moving us to do more…

Today we went together with Yvon to Caritas to ask for food for those who have been effected by the terrible rains and floods. One of Yvon’s schools located in the Sarazin mountains has become a shelter these last few days for 103 displaced people whose homes have been destroyed because of the heavy rains and flooding. They were in need of food and clothing. In the name of all our benefactors who have been generous to us we bought food for them for the next two days: rice, beans, cooking oil, bread, and cookies.

Traveling through the city today we had to drive through water and saw people wading through high waters. We prayed to the angels to carry us on their wings as we saw a car under water. People are on rooftops with their belongings. It is still raining as we write this blog tonight. Please keep praying for the people of Haiti. 🙏

We sre sure you are reading and hearing the news about the terrible hurrricane and rains here. We are safe under shelter but those in tents and in the city are being devasted by the rains. We are trying get some food to those who have lost everything. We will try to take some pictures. Please keep us all in prayer.

“There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.” Luke 16:19-21

This is the reality we see here in Haiti. There are the rich and the poor, and no in between. On the hills above the city are beautiful huge mansions that overlook the poor slums and tent cities below. Big thick walls surround these mansions that protect them from outsiders. It seems as though there is no bridge that connects these two different worlds that are so close yet so far away from each other.

This is a very sad reality, but there is hope in Jesus Christ. “For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.” Ephesians 2:14-16

Dayenu (Hebrew:דַּיֵּנוּ) is a song that is part of the Jewish holiday of Passover. The word “Dayenu” means approximately, “it would have been enough for us”, “it would have been sufficient”, or “it would have sufficed” (day in Hebrew is “enough”, and -enu the first person plural suffix, “to us”). This traditional up-beat Passover song is over one thousand years old. The song is about being grateful to God for all of the gifts he gave the Jewish people, such as taking them out of slavery, giving them the Torah and Shabbat, and had God only given one of the gifts, it would have still been enough. This is to show much greater appreciation for all of them as a whole. The song appears in the haggadah after the telling of the story of the exodus and just before the explanation of Passover, matzah and the maror. This song is sung by those who are in the Neocatechumenal Way.

“Dayenu, dayenu…it would be enough, it would be enough.” As we walk on our way in Haiti we are meeting many people who are walking the Neocatechumenal Way. It is a joy for us to meet them and to share with them. What we are hearing from the Synod the “Essentiality of the Kerygma in Preaching the Gospel” must be a clear sign of confirmation from the Church for the neocatechumenal communities that the Lord is leading us in the right direction. At our last meeting at the Papal Nuncio we met Sister Julissa from the Dominican Republic who is on the Way. We hope to share with Neocatechumenal communities in the future here in Haiti our enthusiasm and experiences of proclaiming the Gospel.

On Monday we tried to make an appointment with the Papal Nuncio, Archbishop Bernardito Cleopas Auza. We learned that the only way to do this is to go to his residence in Petion-ville. We were advised by Bishop Launay Saturne, the Bishop of Jacmel to present ourselves to the Nuncio.

When we arrived at the Nuncio’s residence we met a few Sisters from the Dominican Republic who work there and his secretary who will make an appointment for us next week. We had an opportunity to see the house, pray in the chapel, and walk the beautiful grounds that overlook the city of Port-au-Prince.

🎸 Moise Clermont received a guitar from us to use in school where he is the principal. This school is one of those founded by Yvon. Yvon runs three schools that are located in the mountains that are for poor children who cannot afford to go to school. This year all the schools opened in October, one month later due to lack of funds. We had a chance to visit two of these schools. They are up high and steep mountains. It is a challenge to get there. Yvon depends on financial and material donations from the generosity of people.🎼🎶✂✏📌📎📐📕📓📚🔭🎨⚽

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In Celebrating the Year of Faith we are walking in the footprints of Jesus Christ in Haiti being in relationship with our brothers and sisters.
We know we need humility to recognize the gifts of our brothers and sisters to live in solidarity with them. We are aware that we all have different gifts that we can share with one another. We are discovering more and more what a gift it is to live in simplicity. We learn anew to appreciate the gifts of water, electricity, safe shelter, and the natural fruits of the earth.

We have learned that we cannot take for granted the gift of the Holy Eucharist. In our present situation we cannot receive this gift everyday. God in His mercy is giving us food and strength in the Word of God. Our daily personal reflection and sharing on His Word calls us to conversion in many aspects of our lives. This is an on-going invitation to conversion. We experience how the Word is made flesh and alive in our midst.

Let us pray, live by faith, and allow ourselves to be led by the Word and the Holy Spirit during this Year of Faith.