The engineer from Poland, Karolina, showed us the new John Paul II school for kindergarten and primary grades that is still under construction. Foundation Polska Haiti is funding the project that is taking more time than expected. But this is the reality of Haiti. Architects and engineers from other countries are not able to perceive what it is like to build in Haiti. The cost is more than the Foundation funding the project expected and projected. This is a challenge.
Our friend, Dr. JeanPaul, who has been engaged in our Felician mission in Haiti from the beginning, visited our home in Jacmel from November 7-14. This was the first time he has been back to Haiti in two years. Everyday he accompanied our doctors and nurses in the clinic and visited people in their homes. JeanPaul knows French so this made it a little easier for him as he made his visits. His love and compassion for the poor was seen in everything he did. He was especially touched when he visited a single mother with three young children who live in the bushes without running water and electricity. To get them some help has become one of his goals as he returns back to the States.
Ten years ago, St. John Paul II approved the statutes of the Neocatechumenal Way when he wrote: “I recognize the Neocatechumenal Way as an itinerary for Catholic formation, valid for our society and for our times.”
Yesterday, the Responsible, Cuquito, from the Dominican Republic was invited to present the Way before the priests who gathered for a meeting with Bishop Launay Saturne. He shared the purpose of the Way and the invitation to come to a personal renewal of faith and renewal of the faith community, the Church. This can only happen through evangelization. The Way stands upon three legs: Word, Eucharist, and Community.
After the meeting, the group visited our home.
Today we celebrated Blessed Mary Angela with our kids and their parents. It was truly a celebration with the poor. Everyone came dressed very nicely, and we could not recognize them. We were in shock knowing the conditions in which they live.
The altar was prepared by some of our teens who picked beautiful flowers. The chairs and other liturgical item were set up by many helping hands.
The liturgical dance was beautiful, and Fr. Elicien’s homily amazed us as he shared the charism of Mother Angela and her love for the poor as she served all who were in need. He found her life and charism on the internet in French!
Before the Mass began, Sr. Marilyn spoke about the Congregation and our spirit, after which Sr. Inga shared the life of Blessed Mary Angela. We did a reading and intercessions. All was done in Creole. The children sang beautifully, especially Beni Angela limye ou nou vle ye, Blessed Angela, your light we want to be! We know Mother Angela was rejoicing in Heaven!
After Mass, we invited everybody for popcorn, chocolate cupcakes, ice cream and soda.
It was a month ago that we began our preparations for the feast of Mother Angela. We asked our teacher Omanie if her daughter, Deborah could teach 4 of our young girls liturgical dance. This is very common here in Haiti whenever there is a big celebration there is always dance for the Kyrie, Gloria, and Thanksgiving after Communion. Thina, Edwina, Fabiola and Mona worked with Deborah for weeks learning 3 dances to praise God. Omanie, made their white robes out of white sheets.
Omanie spent time with our kids preparing them for the liturgy teaching them new songs for the Mass. Fr. Elicien taught our boys how to play the tambou (drum).
Truly the spirit of Mother Angela was experienced in the preparations.
“To love is to give.” MM Angela
As Franciscans, we know the story of what perfect joy is for St. Francis.
If we would be able to give everyone a place to live and make it so that no one would be hungry in Jacmel, this is not perfect joy.
If we would have the gift to perform a miracle so that every single mother has the support of a loving husband, this is not perfect joy.
If we could change the education system so that every child would have the opportunity and freedom to go to school in order to get a good education and that all teachers would be certified, this would not be perfect joy.
If we were able to preach the Gospel in such a way that all the hearts of the people who come to our door and who we meet on the streets would experience a conversion of heart and fall in love with Jesus Christ, this would not be perfect joy.
But if we have very hot weather and high humidity; and suddenly we find we have no water for washing dishes, taking a shower or using the toilet; and then we have no electricity from the city to charge the inverter we use for electricity, which means we do not have lights, fans, use of the refrigerator, or charge for cell phones; and no one besides us feels responsible for finding a solution for the above problems…if, in this situation, we go to bed in the dark, dirty from being sweaty, with no fans to offer a slight breeze, and our cell phone dies; if we DON’T COMPLAIN, this is PERFECT JOY!
Well, we failed at perfect joy today…St. Francis, pray for us!
Schnieder, Michelin, and Yolandez are 6, 4 and 2 years old respectively. They live across the street from us in a banana tree garden in a little one-room hut. They have one bed, without a mattress; it is just cardboard on top of the box springs. They have a few dishes and clothes stuffed in a basket. There is no father. They all had a bad cold and respiratory infections. We asked our clinic physician, Doctor Wanitha, to take a look at them. Each of them needed medication. Schnieder, the oldest, has a hernia and needs an operation. We are praying and hoping to help him.
Fr. Lesley, the pastor of St. Ann’s in Kap Wouj, has four chapels that he serves in the area. He has asked us to bring Klinik Manman Angela to these places. Because each day we go to a different place and Wednesdays are reserved for Kap Wouj, we will visit each of these chapels on a Wednesday.
Last Wednesday, we went to St. Rock Chapel. Not many cars are in this area and only foot paths have been made. It is a very poor area, and the road to get there is difficult. Thirty-eight patients were waiting for us. Sister Giovanni from Livonia, MI, is with us for a few weeks and is helping us work in the clinic.
Felician Sisters of North America Mission: Haiti 