Our young kids have been getting some extra help from our teens as they prepare for their “compose” exams. The teens that come to us, asking us to help them pay for school, are given the opportunity to “pay it forward” by helping a child or two with their studies. Soon the semester will be finished and vacation will begin. They will not return to school until January 7, 2016.
Every night at 5 p.m., those who want to do so, join us for a 15-minute Advent break at the end of the day to listen to the Gospel of the day. This is our little way with our kids to prepare the way for the Lord. We process from downstairs into the stillness of our chapel and gather around our Advent wreath. Everyday we sing a popular Advent song in Creole that translates: “We are waiting for you, Lord, for your light to appear to us. Others say to us we are crazy, but we respond: we are waiting!”
After our family of 🐝🐝🐝🐝left the room that we have for kids to eat in, we were able to serve meals again. We have more kids coming to eat; now we think the number is up to 70. Thank you so much for helping us keep these faces smiling 🤗.
When we returned to Jacmel, we were welcomed by a swarm of bees 🐝that had made their home in our kids’ dining room. After a week of wondering what we should do, we finally found out that Daniel, the gardener and worker for the Bishop, was a trained Beekeeper. We asked if he could come and take care of the swarm of bees.
On Friday, November 27, Daniel came in the morning, ready to do his work. He had learned how to be a beekeeper from a Canadian. He put on his beekeeper suit and started to work. He took down the wall since the beehive was inside it. When he found the honey comb, he placed them into a large white box. For 24 hours, he left the box on the side of our grounds so all the bees would come into the box and leave our area. On Saturday evening, Daniel returned for the bee box. He told us that this box would be put in the Bishop’s garden where he has plenty of beehives that produce honey. We never thought here in Haiti we would have been making our own honey.
So we thank God that these bees have moved to a new home, and now we can reopen the Mother Angela Kitchen where kids can safely eat and also study. Maybe we should call it the 🐝 room? 🐝🐝🐝
After all our meetings, our doctor visits and surgeries, we are ready to return to Jacmel– home! Alleluia!
We thank our doctors for helping us to see again 👀 and to stay well that we might return to the mission. 😎
We have been extraordinarily blest by all those who have donated to our mission in many different ways. There are so many people who have shared from their abundance, out of the generosity of their hearts. We are overwhelmed and stand humbly before God with gratitude as they accompany us with God’s poor.
To all of you we say: Thank you! May God bless you and all your loved ones. 🙏🏽
On Sunday, October 18, we were invited to celebrate World Mission Sunday in the Diocese of Metuchen. All took place at St. Francis Cathedral, Metuchen, NJ. We were asked to give witness to the Felician Haiti Mission. Youth were invited throughout the diocese to participate in a mission walk-a-thon, walking about a mile and praying the rosary. Then we gathered for the World Mission Sunday Mass Celebration. After communion, students and schools were recognized for their missionary activity and efforts in supporting the missions. Our Sr. Mary Charles, principal of St. Helena’s, Edison, NJ, was awarded for the efforts of her school. A special Missionary Childhood Recognition for the Annual Christmas Artwork Award went to Alyssa Sierra, Grade 8, from Perth Amboy Catholic School, Perth Amboy, NJ, where our Felician Sisters Rebecca and Dorothy are missioned.
Proclaim the Good News of Christ at home and everywhere!
Our Sister Rena, who teaches theology at St. Pius X High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico, had been inviting us to share the Felician mission in Haiti since last year. Finally, we had the opportunity to do so. We began the day at 7:15 a.m. with a communion service. We spoke to 16 groups of students in 8 classes. The students were attentive, and it was a joy to spend the day with them.
We truly miss our kids in Haiti after talking about them all day!
On Wednesday, October 14, in the morning, Sister Paula invited us to see St. Felix Panty, our Felician-sponsored-ministry in Rio Rancho. She has been serving the poor with a joyful heart for the past few years. Felician Sisters began this ministry to the poor many years ago, distributing food and clothing to the poor. This ministry has grown over the years and now has many volunteers and other programs that assist the poor in the area. We are so proud of our sisters as we see God being made known, loved, and glorified! It is truly a response to love.
After our retreat, on Tuesday, October 13, Sisters Dorothy and Lucy came to pick us up in Pecos. On our journey back to Rio Rancho, we stopped in Sante Fe to visit St. Francis Basilica, the new life-size Stations of the Cross, and the famous Loretto Chapel where tradition says St. Joseph built stairs from wood using no nails. We stopped at a famous Mexican restaurant in the town and met Guadalupe, who just happened to be the owner. She gave us our lunch for free! This was a blessing and true celebration after our retreat, because we had just finished a whole week at Our Lady of Guadalupe Monastery, praying in Our Lady of Guadalupe chapel.
