While Sister Inga was in Detroit, MI, she met a few friends through the Neocatuchumenal Way. On Sunday, May 8, we were invited for the an outing. They were very interested in the Felician Mission in Haiti. After our visit, we have been invited to speak to their parish in the Fall on our next return to the States.
On Monday, May 9, we gathered at Madonna University Nursing building in Livonia, MI with students and faculty members who have come to Jacmel in the past. It was a great reunion of sharing memories and the gift of mission. New volunteers will be with us at the end of the month.
During the month of May we returned to the USA for meetings and some mission appeals. On Thursday, May 5, in Pittsburgh, PA we participated in an event sponsored by our sisters. Sisters represented various areas where our sisters are present and shared our mission. What made this event so much fun was that each region shared the food from the area. We too were able to share the Haiti mission as well as some of our Haitian food.
There is a saying credited to our Mother Angela: ” I wish I could multiply myself a thousand times…” We think we may know now how she felt. There are so many places where the Mother Angela Clinic is being invited to respond to the medical needs of the poor in the Diocese of Jacmel, especially those who live in the mountains. On Saturday, April 30, the Mother Angela Clinic team made its way to Decouze. Father Lesley, the new pastor at St. Michael’s in our area, asked if our clinic could come at least once a month to visit his eight chapels. We met with the chapel leaders to talk about the spirit and legacy of Mother Angela, the clinic, and the community’s health needs. The journey through the mountain is beautiful, but the roads are not easy to travel.
Taking a break from the many activities we have been doing, today we began to celebrate Sister Adrianna’s birthday, which is actually tomorrow, on the 25th. We went for a ride to see the beautiful Caribbean Sea and then had delicious chocolate cake with chocolate-pudding icing that we made for her yesterday. Happy Birthday, Sister Adrianna!
Every Friday evening at 5 p.m., our kids know that it is movie night. It is just like being in the theater with popcorn and candy and clean, filtered water for drinking. We thank you for your donations that make it possible for us to have a movie, complete with popcorn and candy.
Sister Nancy has just finished her first week working with the Mother Angela Clinic. She is very impressed with our doctors who are Haitian and do not have access to the modern diagnostic testing we have in the United States. They totally rely on their clinical skills of listening, feeling and intuitive wisdom. She recognized how they really care for the people.
On Friday, April 15, Sister Nancy made home visits to some of our elderly people. The people are always happy to the see us, especially when we have visitors. 😀
Presence is very much a part of our mission here in Jacmel. We all have the gift and the need to share it with one another. Sisters Adrianna and Nancy are doing that in various ways as they share conversation with our teens, treat wounds or babysit while one of our mothers is working in the Mother Angela kitchen to feed our children.
On Monday, April 11, we started to make rosaries that will be distributed at World Youth Day in Kraków, Poland. Our young ladies enjoy making them. They have even discovered their own way of making these rosary bracelets.
On Friday, April 8, Sister Nancy Marie, from Enfield, Connecticut, arrived in Jacmel to join us in the Haiti Mission. She will be assisting in the Mother Angela Clinic since she is a nurse.
Sister Nancy has already embraced the Art of Accompaniment by embracing our people and walking with them as she responds to the needs that come to our door. It didn’t take long for that to happen. The father of one of our teens had a heavy bucket of water fall on his foot and cut his toe very badly. We immediately went to make a house call, which meant we needed to crawl through a hole to get there. Sister Nancy was bit surprised to meet the goats and chickens along the way. Akeyi an Ayiti, Sè Nancy! Welcome to Haiti, Sister Nancy!
Felician Sisters of North America Mission: Haiti 