News - January 6, 2012
Haiti Update
Much has been happening in Haiti since our last update (June, 2011). Sisters Ann Crawley, CSJP and Maureen Boggins, CSJP began their ministry in Haiti in 2009 as a special project to mark the 125th anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace. Their presence in Haiti has been a gift to the people as they struggle to recover from the effects of the horrific earthquake which occurred January 12, 2010. As we read Sister Ann’s most recent letter, we realize that both Sisters feel their gift is reciprocal - they have received much more from the Haitian people:
Dear Coralie and Team Leaders,
We had a lovely Christmas here in Milot, quiet and peaceful, joyful and happy. The celebrations began with with Holy Mass at midnight and again at 8am. Great crowds attended the services and all sang the Christmas carols with tremendous joy in their hearts accompanied by their own local orchestra. One hundred and thirty First Holy Communion Children packed the front benches of the church all dressed in blue and white while a large number of children preparing for confirmation, dressed in an array of colour and streaming ribbons and with lighted candles danced at the offertory procession. Mothers with babies dangling on their knees rocked to the cheery tunes, radiant with joy. The mood this year was certainly up on last year and needless to say I was very happy to see them rejoice as the past two years have been a series of tragedy and heart ache for our people of Haiti between the terrible cholera epidemic and the earthquake.
In the afternoon on Christmas day we visited with the sisters of Holy Cross who live up by the church. I met many people along the way all gathered in small groups singing and dancing outside their little shacks of houses, painted and whitewashed for the big feast of Immaculate Conception Dec. 8th. The atmosphere was just wonderful. Little boys sat by the roadside making toy trucks out of plastic bottles with the tops for wheels; a little like ourselves when we were children we used to make trolleys with ball bearing wheels! Young girls played with the small un-ripe fruit that fell from the trees and made all kinds of toys from same. In the midst of all the fun a young boy presented me with a wonderful Christmas gift of three little eggs wrapped in the page of his copybook!! The children flocked around singing Christmas songs and carols as I distributed sweets and protein bars, which were donated by one of our doctors from the US. Like the miracle of the loaves and fish I prayed the supply would not run out and there was more than enough for everyone! Without doubt Miracles do happen and certainly happened on Christmas day in Milot!!
More joyful news seven new babies were born in the hospital on Christmas day, four boys and three girls! Thank God I had gifts of clothing for all which were donated by our wonderful volunteers and greatly appreciated by the mums and dads. The great news is that we are having the grand opening of our New Maternity unit on Wednesday 4th. January. The blessing ceremony will be given by Fr. Tijwa on Wednesday morning. The money for this new extension was donated to me by an Irish Priest in Florida and the new unit will be a tremendous help to our many mothers and babies as the hospital is small and very over-crowded.
A huge "thank you" to all our Sisters, Associates and Friends for their donations which contributed to a very wonderful Christmas for all our poor of Haiti. You have restored dignity and given great joy to many poor people. Lots of little children enjoyed good meals over Christmas and one day we had as many as 150 children in the Nutrition Center and, yet again, like the miracle of the loaves and fish, there was plenty for everyone including a little gift. We also distributed rice, beans and oil to a huge number of elderly people for Christmas. Thank you and God bless you all for your great generosity.
I will have Mass offered by our local priest, Fr. Tijwa, for your intentions.
Happy New Year. With my love and prayers. Ann
----
The Center for the Rural Development of Milot (CRUDEM) Foundation sponsors Hôpital Sacré Coeur, where Srs. Ann and Maureen minister. Periodically, the Foundation publishes Bon Nouvel (Good News in Creole), a magazine which keeps people informed about the progress of their mission: "Creating a Healthier Haiti, One Dignified Life at a Time". We received permission to use articles and pictures from The Fall, 2011 issue. (The entire magazine may be viewed by clicking here.) Following are excerpts from a couple of stories.
Sister Ann stopped me in my tracks with the story of 5 year old Magdalene. One of six children, Magdalene lives in suffocating, extreme poverty with her parents, five siblings and blind grandparents. If you have visited Haiti, you can imagine her world. Lumpy dirt floors too short for all the feet. Walls, with more holes than cobbled together bits and fronds, cane and moldy grasses, sag and shift in the winds. Dangerously spitting, open fires that cook more charcoal than food. And, all around, a jungle of vegetation and creatures ever determined to reclaim the small spot Magdalene's family calls home.
This past summer, Magdalene awoke to find that her mother, who was sleeping beside her, had died during the night, a victim of cholera. Unable to understand why her mother was taken from the bed, never to return home again, Magdalene went into depression, and would not speak or eat. A week later she too got cholera along with her baby sister of one and a half years. Sr. Ann met Magdalene after her admission to the HSC cholera unit. Under her compassionate care, eventually little Magdalene began to eat and talk. Before the child left the hospital, Sr. Ann arranged for follow up care and schooling for all the children.
On Monday, October 10th, after her very first day of school, Magdalene and her brothers made a surprise visit to Sr. Ann. Dressed in her spotless uniform, school bag slung on her back, tiny Magdalene brought Sister a huge avocado as a token of appreciation.
(Taken from and editorial written by Joni Paterson, M.Div. Ph.D. who serves as Director of Development & Administration for CRUDEM.)
----
New Community Center a Beehive of Activity
The new Community Centre that stands on the grounds of the Immaculate Conception rectory, adjacent to the Palace Sans Souci, has fast become a focal point in Milot….
The lower section of the community center houses six big classrooms and two large rooms where the women create gorgeous table linens, various crafts and the exquisite embroidered cards, made on locally recycled paper, that are much in demand by hospital visitors. The money earned from these enterprise provides food for the craftswomen’s families and the much needed tuition to send their children to school. ...
Hôpital Sacré Couer’s Sister Ann Crawley remains a pivotal player in the school’s development. “I went to see the children on their first day of preschool and was given a great welcome as the children know me so very well from the nutrition centre,” she recalls. “The class room was beautifully decorated by the new teacher and aides with colorful mobiles dangling from the ceiling and new tables and chairs, all made locally. The children looked very happy and so beautiful in their blue and white uniforms in honor of our Blessed Lady of the Immaculate Conception.”
With her eye ever on sustainability, Sister Ann quickly points out that the children’s uniforms were made locally giving employment to the local people. Never one to stay in the spotlight, Sister Ann continues, “Needless to say, there was great excitement setting up the preschool and Fr. Tijwa was a very busy man getting it altogether and finding people to sponsor the education and nutritional needs of these poor children. Thanks be to God for the great kindness and generosity of all who have helped in this work. I pray for God’s blessing on them and their families.”
In the days, months and years ahead, Sister Ann’s caring eyes will remain focused on the school children as she visits them regularly and checks on their wellbeing. “Most of these children are quite frail and have suffered from the pangs of hunger and disease for some years,” she notes. “The current unemployment rate of more than 80% remains a huge factor in hunger and malnutrition. Haiti’s children are trapped in a cycle of poverty that has plagued the country for generations.
One of the most important ways to help children heal is to get them back into a routine. I realize that one effective way to break the cycle is through education and believe the old Chinese proverb that says, ‘Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.’ Thank God we were able to send about fifty children to school this year.”
“One young boy, an orphan, went to the literacy school for the first time last March and has now progressed to regular school and is very happy in himself,” reports Sr. Ann. “The opportunity of education has restored his dignity and self worth.” Before starting at the school, this intelligent boy of eleven years spent all his time on the streets with no one to help or guide him. “Thank God for the opportunity of attending literacy school which has transformed his life and the lives of so many other young children since it opened about five years ago,” beams Sr. Ann.
---
Burn Care at Hôpital Sacré Couer
Caring for burned patients is a challenge, even in the most advanced burn centers around the world. Infection, wound healing, pain management, nutritional support and physical therapy are all essential components of the healing process requiring caregivers with experience and expertise. In Haiti, the challenge may seem insurmountable….
Hôpital Sacré Couer is a unique hospital managed and staffed by an amazing group of Haitian doctors and nurses, and supplemented by visiting teams of surgeons and nurses from the States and around the world. These visiting teams come to provide surgical care to patients, and bring with them a wealth of knowledge that they share with the permanent staff. Doctor Jerry Bernard and the other Haitian doctors on staff have been working alongside visiting surgeons for many years which has given them the experience needed to care for challenging burn patients. …
One such patient was five-year old Santos. Santos was badly burned when his family’s home caught fire and the roof collapsed on him. … Despite early concerns that Santos would not survive eventually he began to heal. … Santos stayed at the hospital for four months to heal and work on the necessary physical therapy. … and was finally able to go home. …
(Taken from an article written by Bernès Chalumeau, M.D.)
---
CRUDEM 'S Capital Campain
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
VIEW THE ENTIRE MAGAZINE |
|
Read more Haiti news...