Author Archives: Felician Mission: Haiti

“Give aid to all without exception; your vocation obliges you not to exclude anyone, for everybody is our neighbor.” These words written by our foundress, Mother Mary Angela, were seen in action on Monday, September 7, when the Mother Angela Clinic team accepted its latest invitation to “serve where needed.”

At the request of the pastor from St. Anthony’s parish in Lavaneau, the Mother Angela Clinic team responded with joy as they heard the needs of the poor. Fr. Guy-Robert Gabaud had come with a request to visit his parish community, which was in need of medical care. Many suffer from high blood pressure and diabetes. They have no help, especially since March when COVID-19 struck.

Another community of Sisters near the parish had been running a clinic, but they needed to return to their motherhouse in the Dominican Republic in order to care for their own Sisters. This left the community at Lavaneau without any medical assistance or care since the Sisters left in late March/ early April. We made the commitment to serve the community until the Sisters return.

Sr. Marilyn assists with medications.

When we first arrived in Haiti 8 years ago, we never saw any birds. Slowly, here on our property, and especially now after tropical storm Laura, we are hearing birds sing. Today we found what we think is a mother and child.

They were different from what we had ever seen. We were curious, so we did some research and found out they are the Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo (Coccyzus longirostris), a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It is found in the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.

An impressive long-tailed species of wooded habitats, including shade coffee plantations. Typically found foraging in dense vegetation from understory to canopy; can be found sunning in the open at first light with its tail spread. Note this species long straight narrow bill, brilliant red eyering, gray chest, and buff-orange belly. The Bay-breasted Cuckoo is similarly shaped but is larger with a maroon chest and short curved bill. The Mangrove Cuckoo is smaller, with a smaller curved bill and a black mask. Secretive, but not shy, this species is often first detected by its voice: a long, rapid, ratcheting “keh-keh-keh…” Also gives a low “craaa” and a sharp “chek.”

Sister Marilyn works on preparing the Mother Angela Clinic for the new ministry year. Plans for a spiritual retreat day are in place during Mission Week in October.

There is another request from St. Anthony’s Parish in Lavaneau to bring medical assistance and health care. Before COVID-19, the Merciderian Sisters from the Dominican Republic ran a clinic in the area; but they were asked to return to their motherhouse because of the Coronavirus. They have not yet returned. We will do what Mother Angela has taught us to do and “serve where needed.” The Mother Angela Clinic will respond to this need and serve the community, visiting the area twice a month, starting in September.

One of the first activities that we resumed since the pandemic was the continuation of the preparation for the sacraments. We have 12 children for First Holy Communion. Ten of them will also receive the Sacrament of Baptism one week before their First Holy Communion.

Sister Inga works with the youth who have been helping us as catechists. We want to be sure that the children learn more than just reciting prayers, but that they understand and experience the love of God that comes to them through the Sacraments of Baptism, Reconciliation and Holy Communion. It is not an easy task in Haiti. To move beyond teaching children prayers is difficult, even for our seminarian that was helping us in the name of the parish. To memorize and recite what they learn seems to be a goal that most of the schools here set before themselves. However, to pass the parish exams, the children must learn all that is demanded. And they are ready.

Next to us is the school which was built by Poland, and it is finally finished! It took them over five years to finish the school. Children will be there for the new school year, starting in November. This is the first time the Catholic school in Jacmel has a real school building. The school is next to our complex, but we cannot see it because of the wall built between us. However, here is a picture taken from our roof. The presence of so many children close to us will change our lives for sure.

This year we had a lot of confusion related to school in Haiti. At the beginning of August, children and youth restarted school; but it is the continuation of the old school year. During the 2019-2020 school year, the children and youth only attended school for a few months because of very unstable situations at the beginning and the Coronavirus at the end.

Right now, many of the children do not have what they need to return to school. Some do not have notebooks or books.  Many don’t have shoes because they used them during the year.  Some are without complete uniforms and backpacks. Not having these items means they cannot go to school, which means they will not pass the school year.

Of course, our return from the States was great news! Our sisters went to work immediately! Sister Inga is busy buying notebooks and shoes — everything she can do to send the children back to school so they can finish the old school year. At the same time, she is thinking about the new school year.

Sister Izajasza is repairing torn pants and shirts so they can survive to the end of the school year that will finish in October for most of the schools. Sister Izajasza’s is also checking our computers to see what survived tropical storm Laura.

The new school year is scheduled to start on November 9. No one knows if this will happen because the teachers continue to strike since they have not been paid.

The heavy rains started in the middle of the night with thunder and lightening. As we awoke, we took our usual Sunday morning time for solitude. But then we entered the kitchen and noticed water all over the floor. The rains were coming down so strong we needed to check the whole complex. Water was coming from everywhere.

Sisters Inga and Izzy, as well as Annette, started immediately mopping up water from the convent and the Mother Angela Kitchen.

Sr. Marilyn and Jean Philippe went to the computer lab and clinic buildings. The rains by this time were coming so quickly and with such heavy winds that we saw a flood of water flowing into the computer lab. We were ankle deep in water, and the computers on the tables were soaked. They were all plugged into the wall and power surges which were under the water. Jean Philippe quickly turned off the electricity in the building. Then everyone joined us to dry off the computers as quickly as we could, putting them in plastic boxes. Take a look at what was happening…

Then we went to the clinic building, moving boxes and desks and again cleaning up the water that was leaking through the vents of the roof. Thank God the medications were saved. As we were cleaning, the lights began to flicker so Jean Philippe again turned off the electricity.

The rains stopped about 3:30 p.m., but the winds were still pretty strong. The water everywhere was subsiding.

We have much to clean up, and some of our fruit trees were pulled from the ground; but, hopefully, they can be saved. We pray for our people who do not have strong homes and firm foundations.

On Wednesday, August 19, our local home gathered in prayer before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament to respond to the call to BE TRANSFORMED; LIVE HOPE, sharing community and ministry, residing at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Convent, Jacmel, Haiti, for 2020-2021. Our community is not just the three of us, but includes Annette and Jean Philippe who share community and prayer and assist us in the Felician Haiti Mission.

Jesus says to us: “Love your neighbor as yourself. Do unto others as you would want them to do for you.“ The Mother Angela Mobile Clinic embodies this call as they go from place to place throughout the Diocese of Jacmel, serving the sick and those who don’t have access to healthcare. These days have been difficult due to the unseen enemy of the Coronavirus. But this is not stopping the Mother Angela Clinic. We have been so blessed to have received needed supplies from the Felician Sisters with the help of Sr. Janet Marie Adamczyk and Helen Lee; Dr. Zbyszek Purzycki, MD, and his wife, Małgorzat;, Dr. John Paul Bonnet, MD; and many other Felician friends who helped us get the needed medications and supplies. God bless you all for healing God’s poor with us.