Author Archives: Felician Mission: Haiti

Notre Dame Church is the parish where we worship while we are in Port-au-Prince.

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On Friday, November 2 we went to the market to buy meat, vegetables and bread. This was a very interesting experience, especially in the meat section. Here you see and hear live animals, They are ready for the slaughter. The meat that Yvon purchased was goat, cow’s tongue, and chicken. We cannot find words to describe the smell of the place.

Then we went to the bakery where everyone buys their bread to sell on the streets, and the smell of the bread was a delight especially after being in the meat section of the market.

May God be known, loved and glorified everywhere we go!

“I had a vision of a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation, race, people and tongue.” Rev. 7:9

This morning we were blest to participate in the Eucharistic Liturgy in Notre Dame Church. It was a 2 hour magnificent celebration of prayer, praise and song that reminded us of the joyful celebration among the Saints in Heaven. It lasted for two hours. Here in Haiti it is a holiday, schools and public places are closed.

We continued our celebration with an international “manje midi,” lunch, of POLISH KIELBASA, ITALIAN PROVOLONE CHEESE, HAITIAN BREAD, AVOCADO, and BANANAS. All of this we bought in the Haitian supermarket. Put on our bread it made a great sandwich 🙂

On Wednesday, October 31 we met with the Apostolic Nuncio at his residence. He gave us his blessing on our new Felician mission in the Diocese of Jacmel.

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