News
June 9, 2011 News from Ann Crawley
(The following is an excerpt from a letter Sr. Ann Crawley, CSJP wrote to Sr. Coralie Muzzy, CSJP, a member of the leaderhsip team of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace)
Dear Coralie,
Many thanks for your letter this morning. It was really good hearing from you
Life in Haiti is hectic, hot and sticky but not without its perks. The people are very lovely and the babies are adorable! On doing my morning rounds in the cholera tents one sad little infant of about two gazed up at me from his sick bed and his mother on the pallet beside him, who also had cholera, said “Se mwen li grangu. Li pa mange pou twa jou" which means “My sister, he is hungry he hasn't eaten for three days." I never saw such a sad little face in all my life so I went off immediately to get him some rice and when I returned and handed the mother the bowl of rice the little fellow’s face lit up like a ray of sunshine as he gave me the biggest and broadest smile I ever saw in all my life. He looked straight into my face and smiled for a long, long time, it was amazing. The mother too was stunned and said “Se mwen li kontan anpil” "My sister, he is very happy".
This was certainly one of those precious God given moments which I shall always treasure for I certainly saw the face of Jesus in that pure and radiant smile of that innocent little child. Needless to add I was off to a flying start that morning! 
Am still working with the cholera patients and have looked after nearly two thousand patients, adults and children since last Nov. Generally the cholera is on the decline in this area but many have died down south from eating un-washed mangoes and contaminated vegetables. 100 people died one day and 30 later that week. I believe they were all young people. All love mangoes but unfortunately they can be contaminated when they fall into pools of stagnant water. People are hungry so the mangoes are a great attraction especially to the young. Health workers are again busy warning against eating contaminated fruit and veg.
Many are hungry and most people only have a meal every second day. The people living here in rural, mountainous areas are greatly affected as they depend solely on the earth to grow food to feed themselves and their families and unfortunately the torrential rains and hurricane has washed all the topsoil into the sea leaving the hot tropical sun to scorch the seed causing famine- like existence for the people of this land. I sincerely hope and pray that our new government will do something to create work for the people as unemployment is the main cause of hunger, malnutrition and poverty.