Jakmel

At noon on Friday all of the sisters currently residing at Leocaide Convent, the postulants, including the postulant who is currently living and working at a different location, and our driver loaded the convent mini bus and headed to Port-au-Prince.  I found the drive to be enjoyable, we passed through mountains, through busy town centers, and at times got beautiful glimpses of the sea.  It took us six and a half hours to reach the Holy Cross convent in the capital where we were warmly welcomed with wonderful Holy Cross hospitality.  

Early the next morning, we set out for the city of Jakmel which is in the South of Haiti.  When we passed through the village of Fondwa I happily announced that I had been there before ( in  Sept 2011  and April 2011. ) Our first stop in Jakmel was the promenade by the beach.  The walkway along the beach is relatively new and I was quite impressed with the view as well as the mosaics and other art forms that adorn the path.  The pictures do not capture the true beauty.    I was grateful to walk the beach for a few minutes with my feet in the ocean.        

We spent a lot of time driving through Jakmel and some neighboring towns along the coast enjoying the scenery until we reached a river at which point we decided to turn around and head back towards Jakmel.  Early in the afternoon, we stopped at a convent and asked a sister who lives there, if we could eat our lunch in their yard.  The sister was very gracious and allowed us to sit on their porch, use their tables and chairs and showed us to the restroom.   

After lunch, we visited a rural area outside of Jakmel, where several years ago for a few years Sisters of Holy Cross lived and worked with and among the people.  One of the sisters I live with had lived there and she spoke fondly of her memories.  People  were so happy to see her and they asked for sisters by name who had lived there many years ago.  We saw the house, which was next to a chapel, which was beside an even smaller and older chapel.  When the sisters were there they provide for the spiritual needs of the people as the closest parish church is a distance and a priest would come only periodically.  There were people in the chapel joyfully singing Haitian hymns while we were there.            

Later that afternoon, in Jakmel we met a priest, who is the brother of a Holy Cross sister.  He showed us the inside of the cathedral which has not been operating since the 2010 earthquake when it was significantly damaged.  After that,  he was happy to show us a brand new church on the outskirts of the city.  The new parish church is very modern and looks to me like it could be in any US suburb; he did not have the church key with him but we peeked in through a window.     

We returned to Port-au-Prince that evening.  The next morning after attending Sunday liturgy and eating breakfast we made the journey back to Cap-Haitian.  We stopped  a couple of times along the way, once to greet the family of one of the postulants as we passed through her hometown.  We arrived, grateful for our adventure, for the experience and for the gift of community.    

Orphanage Update

Last week we welcomed a new baby boy to the orphanage.  We had said that we were full and the sister in charge had no intention of accepting any new children before the start of the new school year in September, but upon hearing the story and reflecting upon his situation, he was welcomed.  Everyone already loves the little guy.


Many blessings!  

 

Tree and Community

The tree in our yard which I wrote about in a previous blog entry continues to fascinate me.  link to blog from Feb 9th  The tree had lost most of its leaves when the flowers began to bloom.  Now that the flowers have all fallen to the ground, leaves are returning.  This tree seems to concentrate on only one activity at a time as it grows.  It relinquishes the flowers for the leaves to come and in time, releases the flowers allowing for leaves to be born, trusting that the flowers will come again in due time.  In each stage of its cycle, there is great beauty despite dramatic differences in its appearance.  

This picture was taken on February 2nd when flowers were beginning to bloom and there were still some leaves on the tree.

In this picture, taken a week after the other, you can see more flowers and fewer leaves.

By late February, there were a few new leaves when the flowers were passed their peak.

On March 22, there was one branch that had developed large leaves, but the others were mostly bare; I took a picture of one(perhaps the last) flower that day too.

Here is the tree today. In the photos below you will see some other views of its leaves all taken today.

Looking up from under the tree

Reflections on Local Community 

On Saturday, we had a local community meeting, for the sisters and postulants who live in the house.  The sharing of others and my personal reflection increased my gratitude for the experience of residing here at Leocaide Convent.  The eight people living here were born in four different countries, so we bring four different cultures, and think in different languages.  Each brings her own gifts, history, challenges, perspectives, skills and experiences.  It is truly a positive experience for me and I appreciate each of the women residing here.  I am grateful for all that they teach me, for their presence and for their varied expressions of our shared faith, and simply for people they are.  It is a great place to come home to at the end of the day; not living and working at the same location has been very helpful for me this year.  We have planned a community outing for the upcoming weekend, which I am looking forward to, and may write about next week.             

Thank you to all who take the time to read this and all who are supportive and encouraging. of my ministry here in Haiti.  Many blessings!  Take care!   

Peanuts and Passengers

Recently, I have found myself reflecting on how harm can be done even when people have the best of intentions.

Last week I found myself surrounded by a group of very well intentioned, kind Americans while on the flight from Miami to Cap Haitian.  There are often large church groups that come to Haiti   They are easy to spot in airports because they often having matching t-shirts with Bible quotes on the back.  From the conversation I had with him, it seemed that the guy sitting next to me during the flight understood the importance of building relationships with people during his short mission trip, which is very good; although personally, I am not sure how one manages to build meaningful relationships during a 10 day trip without being able to communicate in the language of the people.  He shared with me what he appeared to consider a great accomplishment  by the group (convincing what he referred to as " two witch doctors" to leave a neighborhood) during a previous mission trip which in my mind seemed to undermine the culture and traditions of the people.   Sometimes I catch myself thinking negatively of such groups,although I do acknowledge that they have good intentions and that they are no doubt for the most part genuinely very good people.

Another such example is the United States' plan to "dump" a surplus of peanuts into the local market here in Haiti.  There have been previous examples of this kind of so-called donation ultimately causing more harm than good.   You can read more about the peanut situation and if you feel called to do so, sign the petition, as I did to advocate for the Haitian peanut growers who have much to lose if this becomes a reality.  https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/halt-planned-usda-dumping-us-peanuts-haitian-market-and-future-surplus-dumping-there-procure-locally


When I reflect on these situations, I realize that despite my good intentions I too am capable of doing harm even as I strive to do good.  Certainly I recognize that any resistance or negative feelings that arise within myself towards the church groups who come here on mission trips have to do with my own fear that what I see in them exists within myself.

By the way, Haitian peanut butter called "manba" is quite good!

Take care!  Have a good week!  Many blessings!


 

A Brief Update about my Quick Trip

Since last week's update, I traveled to the US and returned to Haiti.

During my 5 1/2 hour layover in Miami, my parents who spend much of the winter in Florida and my grandmother who was visiting them picked me up at the airport and took me to a restaurant .  It was a wonderful visit!   It made the long layover delightful.  Mom, Dad, and Grandma, thanks for making the long drive and for dinner; I love you!

It was a full weekend.  The sisters in my congregation gathered for an important meeting on Friday. The meeting concluded with a moving prayer/ritual around the sale of the property in New Orleans where our congregational center is located which also is where I lived while in New Orleans.  The next day we had a joyful celebration for sisters celebrating jubilees this year (anniversaries for sisters who have been in religious life for 50 and 60 years.)  I am grateful that I was able to see so many of our sisters over the weekend, grateful for conversations, connections and celebrations.  I had time to connect with a couple of friends as well, although certainly I did not get to see or talk with everyone I would have liked to as my time was short.

Yesterday, I returned safely and happily to Haiti.

Here are a few pictures I took while walking in a park by the Mississippi River in New Orleans.

Take care.  Many blessings!  

Easter, comings and goings

On Sunday during the Easter liturgy at the orphanage seven children were baptized.  We had a wonderful celebration with delicious food that afternoon.  It is always a gift to see the children enjoying themselves.  

Orphanage chapel before Easter Liturgy

There have been many comings and goings here in the convent, and they continue.  We were all very happy to welcome back two sisters who spent a couple of months studying in Canada to enhance the work that they do at Piti Men.  A group of over 40 young women spent a couple of days here; they are all discerning the possibility of entering religious life.  We had a special Passover meal and prayer with them on Thursday evening.  One of the postulants is leaving this afternoon to have an experience at one of the sisters' other missions.  She will be greatly missed.  I am going to be leaving tomorrow so that I can attend an assembly in New Orleans on Friday; I'm really looking forward to seeing many of my Marianite sisters over the weekend.  I will return early next week.


On Holy Saturday, while I was helping to clean the orphanage chapel in preparation for Easter, the crucifix on the chapel wall caught my attention.  Here is a close-up photograph of it for your own reflection.

Hopefully, you are experiencing  joy, new-life and resurrection during this Spring and Easter season.  Happy Easter!  Many blessings!

         

Pilat Pictures

View of mountains from the second story of the school  

School in Pilat

From the second story of the main school building., the preschool yard

Catholic Church in Pilat

This bird was seen in the large tree in the middle of the school yard.  I think it slept in the tree.  

Finally, I successfully uploaded a few Pilate photos for you to see and enjoy!

It was great to see the children at the orphanage when I resumed my work there on Sunday.  I have a bit of a cold, so I am resting today.  I hope that you are well.  Many blessings!        

Pilat

Sisters had mentioned that the road to Pilat was not good, and now I understand what they meant. At times it looked more like a dry rocky river bed rather than a road.  At moments, it was hard to believe that such a path would lead to a town with a school, church and hospital.  In the town itself there are  roads that are well paved, at least near the church and between the school and the hospital.

The sisters' school is Pilat is a National School, which means it is funded by the government, and it is free, or at least almost free.   It is a girls school through 6th grade and and classes are co-ed in 7th and 8th.  Somewhere else in the town there is a National School for boys.  The preschool, where I spent much of my time, is new this year.  In the class there over 50 three-year-old girls.  Classes will be added next year and the following year.  I was very impressed that the director of the school, a Haitian Sister of Holy Cross, understands the importance of play and is discouraging the preschool teachers from focusing too much on academics.  With the help of Ti Tòti, my turtle puppet, I did some basic psycho-education lessons with the children.  I also met with the preschool teachers to hear their concerns and share basic information with them regarding how people in general and young children in particular respond to traumatic and violent events.  Yesterday afternoon the parents of the preschool children came for a meeting with me. I talked with them, asking them about how the events have affected their children, explained some of the lessons I had done with the children and shared information about trauma and how they can support their children emotionally in the aftermath of community violence.

One afternoon I had a chance to visit the hospital in Pilat where four sisters of Holy Cross are currently ministering.  At one time, many years ago, Marianites of Holy Cross (my own congregation) worked in that very hospital.  I was given the grand tour.  Passing the Cholera room, where there were several patients reminded me that Cholera still is in fact here (when I worked in Tabarre after the earthquake I was very conscious of Cholera; see my blog entries from December 2010.)  The hospital has many program and strives to serve the health needs of the people of the area.

Walking with one of the sisters, between the school and hospital I was struck by the friendliness of the people and I experienced a sense of peace.  It was hard to believe that such a lovely town experienced politically motivated violence in recent months.  

This week there was a retreat at the parish church in Pilat.  I attended the evening liturgies which were lively and entirely in Creole.  They were longer than typical daily masses, actually they were longer than most American Sunday liturgies, but they were lively and energizing with people dancing in their pews at times.  Yesterday evening there were prayers for the Stations of the Cross.  I found myself reflecting upon the people of Pilat who have experienced violence in their community and how there and in so many other places in our world the crucifixion, in the form of injustice, unnecessary suffering, and violence continues to take place in our world today.  I don't know if my presence really made any difference for little children, their teachers or their parents.  Sometimes when faced with people's suffering and pain, I feel somewhat helpless, but I suppose this is how Mary felt as she stood at the foot of the cross.  At the same time, it felt like a privilege to be there to experience the hospitality of the sisters, the faith of the people, and the laughter of the little children.  I left Pilat feeling grateful for my experience.  Easter is coming, hopefully for the people of Pilat and all people experiencing modern day crucifixions it will come quickly, not only in the form of a holiday, but as true transformation, joy, healing, peace, resurrection, and new life.


I spent over an hour trying to upload pictures without  success, even though I am back in Okap, so perhaps I'll post some Pilat pictures at some point in the future.

May you experience many blessings and graces as we enter into Holy Week.
  

Time

 

Haiti is not participating in daylight savings time this year.  It seems some years we spring ahead and fall back and some years we don't here.  Not changing the hour seemed to cause some confusion as did changing it last year.  I am now an hour behind my friends and family on the east coast (of the US.) I am now on the same hour as my friends and community members in New Orleans.

My experience during the past few days is one I really want to share and am looking forward to writing about.  Know that I am well.  I am very much enjoying my work and experience here in Pilat.  I will write more when I have the time to write well and a will post when I have an adequate internet connection, hopefully even good enough to upload a couple of pictures.  

Take care.  Many blessings!  

Plaj,Bèt, Semèn Pwochèn

BEACH/ Plaj

On Sunday we had our annual day at the beach with the children.  They were so excited to be going to the sea.  Some of the youngest children were excited just to go for a ride in the machin (the orphanage mini bus.)  It was a joy to be with them playing in the water, teaching a few to float on their backs, and just seeing them enjoy themselves.  For the children who arrived at the orphanage in September, this was their first beach day.  We brought with us all of the food and fixings for a delicious Haitian Sunday dinner which everyone enjoyed.  It was partly cloudy, but did not rain while we were at the beach and only a few drops of water fell when we were all in the machins on our way back to the orphanage.    

Animals/ bèt

Recently there have been animals in places where they are typically unwelcome.  This includes the mosquitoes in my bedroom, the tarantula in the play therapy room, the rat in the metal cabinet of the play therapy room, and the adorable little goat that wandered into church during morning liturgy at a nearby parish one morning last week.   I never expected that a rat would chew through the play dough containers.    They really do have sharp teeth!

Next Week/ Semèn Pwochèn   

Next week I am going to spend a week working in a different town where there are Sisters of Holy Cross.  I will work with preschool children who have recently been exposed to significant violence.  Please pray for the children and pray that the Spirit will guide me to know how to be a healing presence to them, their teachers and families.  

Thank you.  Take care.  Many blessings!  

Bwa Kayiman and Batay Vètyè

Several days ago, I asked one of the sisters for ideas of places I could go historical or touristy, on a Tuesday since that is my day off, and by myself if necessary since everyone else is working or busy on that day.  She said that there were two places close enough that the convent chauffeur would be available to take me in between his normal Tuesday responsibilities.

Yesterday morning the chauffeur and I visited Bwa Kayiman, which is the site where the planning as well a a Voodoo ceremony occurred which began the Haitian Revolution.  (here is a the Wikipedia link for more information https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bois_Ca%C3%AFman )We drove up the mountain and then walked a short distance to a hidden cave; two men showed us where to find it.  They showed us an old bridge nearby that they said had been built by slaves.

Then we spent some time in the yard, below.  There was a school group standing under a tree and a man was talking to them.  I listened to the end of his speech and as took questions from the youth,  grateful that he was speaking Creole (not French.)  His words seemed likely to inspire young people to embrace their culture, beliefs and traditions and not to allow the culture to be destroyed or repressed.        

Next we went to the monument of the Battle of Vètyè.   (Here is the Wikipedia link for more information:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Verti%C3%A8res )

As a result of my outing, I found myself thinking about history and how so many people have experienced such terrible oppression and discrimination like slavery and being denied the right to practice their religion.  I found myself reflecting upon the concept of freedom and how so much blood has been shed to obtain it.  As I read on-line articles about Super Tuesday results yesterday evening, I could not help but feeling disturbed by the reality that there are Americans voting for a person who speaks of building walls that exclude others and sending refugees away.  Until we are all free of  prejudices,  hatred, and fear of the "other", then I am not sure that anyone of us is truly free.

I was going to put captions under the pictures, include more details and include a couple of other updates, but I am already a day late (according to my self-imposed deadline) and want to publish this tonight before the electricity goes off.  

I hope that you are well.  Have a good week.  Take care. Many blessings!