Monthly Archives: November 2012

As we prepare for our new mission in Jacmel, we have been staying in Yvon’s home the past two months in Port au Prince. It is a house of hospitality and has many interesting guests, This week he housed five doctors from New York City, a medical team from ORSI Orthopedic Relief Services International, led by Dr. Ron Israelski, President and CEO of the organization. His parents were Holocaust survivors from Poland. Most of the members of his family died in concentration camps. He has a passion for humanity and shares that passion here in Haiti. His team of doctors work with resident doctors in the General Hospital in downtown Port-au-Prince. They perform surgeries and give lectures to the residents for the week. This hospital serves the poorest of the poor. Yesterday, we were in a conversation with someone from Haiti who said they would never go to this hospital because of its poor conditions. Dr. Israelski comes to Haiti with his team of doctors a few times a year to provide global educational infrastructural support. We invite you to check out the Youtube presentation he gave from the hospital last March.

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=hX7OVHmtbaw&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DhX7OVHmtbaw&gl=PL

Yesterday, Dr. Israelski asked Yvon to host a reception for the residents from General Hospital in his home. There were 20 doctors gathered here, 15 Haitian and 5 from the States. It was a joy to watch and listen to the sharing of people who want to help heal the broken in body.

Everyone, including us, enjoyed the delicious Haitian rice, chicken and goat prepared by Claudette and her helpers.

We give thanks to the Lord for he is good…the new Felician mission in Haiti will be established in December in Jacmel. We are preparing a container to be sent to Jacmel from Lodi, New Jersey. We want to let you know if you are planning to participate in the Advent project in sending items to Haiti you can send them to Lodi and we will place them into the container. It is important that packages arrive before December 15. The mailing address to Lodi, NJ is:
Attention Sisters Inga and Marilyn
260 South Main Street
Lodi, New Jersey, 07644

On Saturday evening, November 24, on the Vigil of Christ the King, we had the opportunity to participate in the Holy Eucharist with the Neocatechumenal communities in Petion-Ville. Sister Marilyn played guitar with the music ministry. The comment was made that she looked very comfortable as though she was playing with the group for many years.

“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.” Psalm 118:1
We were blest to celebrate Thanksgiving Day with the Sisters at the Ministry of Presence in Duval Roche. Sisters Dianne, Janet and Elizabeth welcomed us to their table. Americans, Polish, and Haitians gathered to give thanks for God’s abundant blessings. Even in Haiti we had turkey, but only the leg (see the picture below.)

After dinner when the guests left, we and the sisters sat on the porch a few hours sharing our missionary journeys in Haiti. Then we went to chapel to pray Evening Prayer. Again, we around the table, this time to share Polish turkey kielbasy that we brought. And to think, all of this was in the dark.

We are invited to celebrate Thanksgiving dinner with the Sisters of Charity in Duval Roche. We will also spend the night with them. On this beautiful feast we wish to express our gratitude for your kindness and support. This mission in Haiti could not exist without you. We thank God for you and for all the gifts He has abundantly bestowed upon us. Indeed “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord!”

What a joy it is to learn and understand in Creole the beautiful prayer: “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me.”

Even though there is rain everyday we still need to take our daily walk after class. Bondye mesi pou parapil a ( thank God for the umbrella)!

Do you really think we have time to play tennis? Absoliman pa (absolutely not)! This is a wonderful, useful invention made here in Haiti, it is a mosquito zapper! It is a battery operated racket that zaps the mosquitos on contact. For this kind of activity we always need to find time.

On Sunday, November 18 we were invited by our new friend, Clobert, to participate in the Eucharist with members of the Neocatchumenal Way. It was a joyous celebration and we look forward to joining the community again as we share in walking the way of the new evangelization.

On Friday, November 16 we met with Bishop Launay Saturne to discuss our coming to Jacmel. After our meeting with him he took us to various sites for our future living accommodations and mission. One of the sites was the youngest and poorest parish in the Diocese, called St. Yves. The worship space is a tent and the pastor lives in a small rented house. We saw many opportunities for Felician presence in this area that has many needs.

The Bishop showed us land that is owned by the Diocese that the Polish Haiti Foundation will be building a future school. It is was a special joy for Sister Inga to hear that her homeland has a generous heart for the people of Haiti.

On the way back Yvon met with a friend who owns a papaya plantation. We had never seen anything like this, papaya everywhere. They were very tasty.

On the way back to Port au Prince, young people were getting out of school at 5 p.m. It was already dark. These teens have to walk miles back to their homes. Joseph, who always offers those he sees walking someplace a ride in the back of his pick-up truck, told the kids to get in, we had 9 in all. As soon as we started up the mountain it began to rain. It was a downpour and these kids got soaked. But at least they did not have to walk in it.