Daily Archives: January 12, 2013

“They seemed, in the view of the foolish, to be dead;
and their passing away was thought an affliction and their going forth from us, utter destruction.
But they are in peace.
For if to others, indeed, they seem punished,
yet is their hope full of immortality;
Chastised a little, they shall be greatly blessed,
because God tried them
and found them worthy of himself.
As gold in the furnace, he proved them,
and as sacrificial offerings he took them to himself.” Wisdom 3:2-6

Yesterday, on January 11 in the afternoon, there was a fatal car accident on the road that leads to Jacmel. We have driven on this road many times. A medical mission team was on their way from Grand Rapids, MI. when 4 people from the team were killed in the crash. The group has been here many times before. It is impossible in a human way to understand how such a tragedy can happen, so we look for some consolation in God’s Word.

This morning we heard that the remaining members of the team spent the night here in Jacmel at the CLUNY Sisters retreat house, we wanted to go and extend our sympathy, prayers and presence. But we got word that they left for Port au Prince at 7 a.m. Our thoughts and prayers accompany them and their families.

On January 12, 2010 there was a 7.0 magnitude earthquake that struck the country of Haiti and hundreds of thousands of people died. Today, three years later the country struggles from the aftermath of such a natural disaster. There are many people who still do not have homes and living in very poor conditions.

Today we participated in the Celebration of the Eucharist with Bishop Launay Saturne in a small village called Light in the mountains. We remembered those who died in the earthquake and also celebrated the blessing of new homes that were built by Caritas funded by Ireland. Before the final blessing the people who received new homes presented gifts of gratitude and appreciation to the members of Caritas and to the Bishop, the gifts were the fruits of the earth. After Mass there was a ceremony where the homes were blest and people were given keys to their new homes. You will see in one of the photos a couple who now have a new home of their own. Being present for this was better than watching the Extreme Makeover!