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We were invited to join in prayer and solidarity for the intentions of the victims of violence in Haiti, especially directed towards the people of the Church. From November 2014 through March 2015, 25 religious communities have been attacked with some type of violence by thieves; some were wounded and killed. This violence has also touched many priests.

On Monday, March 9, all priests and religious men and women in Haiti gathered throughout the country for a day of prayer. The day began with adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and ended with Mass, celebrated by Bishop Launay Saturne in Sacred Heart Church. 

In Port au Prince, along with prayer, there was a march in solidarity with all those who were victims of violence.



On Friday, March 6, we went with Daniel to Port au Prince. Daniel is one of our artists, a talented young man who works with our teens in the Felician Haiti Art Program. Twelve years ago, he was involved in an accident, and he was shot in his left leg. With no medical attention, Daniel lost his leg. Through charity at the time, he was given a prosthesis that, from the beginning, really did not fit him; now it is broken at the knee. We found an organization that makes leg prosthesis, sponsored by the Knights of Columbus. We are now waiting for the doctor to come and take a look at Daniel and see what our next steps will be.

Dr. Thomas Illwala is originally from Kenya. He came to Haiti five years ago to work with Healing Haiti’s Children in making legs and arms for children who lost limbs From the earthquake and by accidents. The Knights of Columbus sponsor the program, which is run by Project Medishare.

The process took about two hours. Daniel was measured for a new left leg. With the help of the Knights of Columbus, he will be given a new leg. The prosthesis will cost $160 USD. It takes about 4-6 weeks to make the prosthesis.

So now we begin the wait for it to be made and prepared.

Sr. Victoria, professor of Nursing from Madonna University, is here in Jacmel for the third time. She is accompanied by her brother, John, and three Madonna University Nursing Students. Sr. Victoria has been giving lectures in the School of Nursing at the University Of Notre Dame of Haiti, while her brother and students have been helping in the Mother Angela Clinic. 

Sr. Victoria was touched by the poor situation and the lack of materials with which the nursing students have to deal here in Haiti. She has made it her mission, through fund raising, to purchase equipment to assist their program. We thank Sr. Victoria for bringing us medications for the Mother Angela Clinic and other needed items for our kids. 











Our first group of Water Women met for the third time, together with their children. They received a Water Woman coloring book that they shared with their children. This was time given for the women to teach their children the importance of having clean water. It is truly “Water with Blessing.”
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Today, March 2, we finished the formation of the second Water Women group. They received their filter and bucket to share clean water in their home and to share the filtered water with three other families. More and more people in our area have access to clean water. We are getting more and more experience in preparing the women. The other day, we received an invitation, asking us to prepare a group of women in another part of Haiti for a parish that wants to purchase the filters and buckets.
 





















On Tuesday, February 24, we had our first class for women who do not know how to read and write. Many of them are the mothers of our children. We know them personally, and we know that not being able to read or write has been a frustration for them. We have always wanted to begin a session like this. The other day we were blest to have our Creole teacher and friend, Omanie, start this new class for five women in our home. We want very much to help them. Some of them are very young, already with children. They never had the opportunity to go to school or finish school because of their difficult lives. They will be meeting twice a week.

As we sat there and watched these women, learning for the first time to hold a pencil correctly, to draw a circle, the letter “C”, or a straight line, was amazing but sad that they never had this opportunity. Watching their faces and their real desire to learn was humbling. How much we take for granted the gift of knowing how to read and write.

On Saturday, February 21, Clara, our nurse in the Manman Angela Klinik who finished Nursing School last June, had her graduation from Universite Notre Dame D’Haiti. The day began with a beautiful Mass, presided by Bishop Launay Saturne. Following Mass was the Graduation ceremony. May God be praised!

On Friday, February 20, we made our monthly journey to Port au Prince for Confession with Fr. Rick Frechette, CP, at St. Damien’s Hospice for Children. It is always interesting when we visit him. Last time we toured St. Damien’s, which is staffed by Haitians. It is a beautiful hospital that is funded by an organization that was begun by a Mexican priest who is known all over the world for the work he has done with the people. Fr. Rick, who is also a medical doctor, continues the mission.

Today we met Fr. Rick at the warehouse where he has built a bakery and a place for making macaroni. He also has a warehouse that makes school uniforms for the orphanages and schools that his organization has founded over the past 18 years that he has been missioned in Haiti. All these facilities are staffed by Haitians. Fr. Rick had one of his artist’s create a painting with people being taken up to heaven, commemorating the 5th anniversary of the earthquake, January 12, 2010.

We asked Fr. Rick where we could take one of our artist’s, Daniel, to get fitted for a new leg prothesis. He sent us next door to St. Germaine’s Rehabilitation Center for the Poor, especially for special needs children and stoke patients. There we learned about what this organization is doing for special needs children and their parents.

On Thursday, February 19, the “Water Women,” who are participating in our “Water with Blessing” project, met for the third time. During our time together, we shared God’s Word–the Gospel about the Samaritan Woman–and their personal experiences of being water women, sharing clean water with others. Most of these women are fulfilling their mission and commitment, sharing the purified water with at least three families, but others have their challenges.

Each Water Woman received a coloring book that teaches children about the use of clean water for drinking, cooking, and cleaning your body with purified water. The women all enjoyed coloring the first two pages. Next week they will return with their children to continue coloring the pages, while teaching them at the same time why we need to use clean water.