Remembering and Response

Remembering 

A memorial to Sr. Maureen

Maureen 

On Saturday, we celebrated the life of Sister Maureen.  When I arrived in Haiti in September of 2014, she along with another Canadian sister of Holy Cross met me at the airport in Port-au-Prince and made the journey with me to Cap-Haitian.  English was her first language and she told me many stories and shared information about Haiti and her life here.  She had come as a young sister just after first vows to work in a hospital since she had studied to be a lab technician and there was a need for her skill set at that time.  Her stories included challenges as well as courageous acts during the difficult days of dictatorship in Haiti.  Later, she directed the construction at many of the sites where the Sisters of Holy Cross live and work.  There were times during the past few years when I saw her infrequently at regional gatherings and periods when I encountered her regularly like when she directed the construction of a room at the orphanage.  On more than one occasion during that time I was playing with the babies when Maureen’s pick-up truck pulled into the orphanage gate and the two-year-olds would literally jump with joy knowing she would come to greet them.  Maureen died in Canada on New Year’s Eve.  The official funeral took place in Canada last week, but on Saturday the sisters, and delegations of students and faculty from all of the sisters’ schools, and many others from Cap-Haitian gathered for what was described as “symbolic” (since the body is not here) funeral mass.  After the mass when all of the sisters gathered at a particular convent, I recalled that the previous time I was in that dining room for a celebration I had sat at the same table as Maureen and had enjoyed our conversation.  She is and will continue to be greatly missed.  The buildings she helped to construct will continue to stand for a long time to come; her kindness and spirit will continue to touch the Sisters of Holy Cross, the people of Haiti and many others. 

Earthquake 

Friday was the eighth anniversary of the Earthquake.  Yesterday, I heard someone who was living in the capital eight years ago spontaneously share with me and others about her earthquake experiences.  I am reminded that healing takes time.

  Here is a link to a beautiful memorial video that was created for the earthquake anniversary last year.  Since I found it to be very touching and powerful I decided to share it.     https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=youtu.be&v=yDOO55vctD4&app=desktop

May we continue to remember and pray for those who were affected.  

Response

On Friday morning, which happened to be the anniversary of the earthquake, the other American sister that I live with brought to my attention that she had heard a quick blurb on a French language news program, that the president of the country of our birth had spoken in a vulgar fashion about the country in which we are residing (as well as about African nations and El Salvador.)    When the school day was over and I was waiting to eat lunch at the school convent where I work on Fridays, I was actually able to get a good enough internet signal on my intelligent telephone to find an article and learn more details about the situation.

It is a strange and even embarrassing time to be an American living in Haiti.   It took a couple of days before it became the topic at the dinner table.  The following day, a driver asked me about it; I was glad that during a previous Monday morning commute when he brought up American politics, I had mentioned that I am not a fan of the current US president.  This morning on my way home from teaching an English class in the city, I heard a radio commentator in a mixture of Creole and French, tell the whole story in great detail about what the President of the United States said.   It was at times painful to listen.  It is one thing to read about it online in English and another to hear it spoken of in the presence of Haitians in their language.   When the commentator many minutes into his monologue explained that Donald Trump had stated that he has a good relationship with the Haitian people, it seemed especially humorous.  Overall, though the situation for me has brought many more tears than laughter.  My hope is that my presence will somehow through the grace of God, communicate to people that there are Americans who are in complete disagreement with the words spoken by the president, that there are American people who value them and appreciate their country and culture.  

 I want to believe that the world is moving in the direction of being less racist, less systemically unjust, and more equal and inclusive.  Evidence to the contrary can at times feel discouraging, but I will not allow myself to truly become discouraged.  There are many people who have directly experienced constant racism, systemic injustice, inequality, and exclusion in ways that I can’t even begin to accurately imagine who have not lost heart; they inspire me to have hope and courage.

Everday I encounter, hardworking, kind, good, resilient people.   Very recently I have been touched by the kindness of strangers here in Haiti.  On Friday morning, when a woman I don’t know saw that I did not have the exact change for the tap-tap, without my asking she offered to exchange a 10 goud bill for two 5 goud coins.  Recently, a stranger helped me to get across a puddle that was as wide as the road, without my falling in. Of course, there are a variety of people here and in every country, of varied temperaments and motivations.  I am not trying to romanticize or deny the challenges of living in Haiti, or pretend that people are perfect, but certainly, it is not as the president supposedly described.  During the past eight years, I have come to deeply love this country, I have an ever-growing appreciation for the people of Haiti who are living here as well as for Haitians living in the US, like those who I got to know in New Orleans when I attended the Creole liturgy regularly.  Certainly, this can not be easy for Haitians in the US. Kenbe la zanmi mwen yo!  

 Just over a year ago I had the pleasure of visiting Burkina Faso, and about ten years ago I had the privilege of visiting Tanzania.  They too are beautiful places where I met many wonderful people.  How sad to think that someone, who would appear to have everything (in terms of power, possessions, prestige) might actually be so lacking in vision and wisdom that he is unable to recognize the beauty of these countries and the gifts of their people. 

Many blessings!