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Today was a very busy day here as our Church of the Immaculate Conception has a novena to honour the big feast 8th December. Large crowds came in school buses from all over the country since early morning and the locals have been very busy preparing food, etc. for the pilgrims. |
About 1500 people squeezed into the big Church and hundreds more outside on the steps and the grass patch. The women and children all dressed in white and the men in white T-shirts walked in procession a few miles to the Church praying and singing to the sound of great music. |
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It was a wonderful sight and so touching to see such reverence and honour to our Blessed Lady. The little streets and houses all the way to the Church were spotless and the tree trunks were given a new coat of whitewash!! |
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The Sisters were met at the hospital by CFO Raymond Delnatus and welcomed by Dr. Bernes Chalumeau, CEO, Dr. Harold Previl, Medical Director, and frequent visiting physician Dr. David Butler from Holy Name Hospital in Teaneck, New Jersey. The 66-bed hospital serves hundreds of patients from the surrounding area, provides a midwife mobile clinic and a nutrition center. An AIDS clinic has been in operation for five years.
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Delnatus, as he prefers to be called, provided a tour of the compound where the Sisters and volunteer medical visitors are housed about a quarter mile from the hospital. The Convent for the Sisters is large and very accommodating with a community room, very large dining room and kitchen and four large bedrooms, each with a large bathroom.
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Delnatus gave a very extensive tour of the hospital and introduced the Sisters to dozens of welcoming staff. Maureen, Marilee and Ann will gradually assume ministry roles within the hospital. Maureen’s skills in ESL are reportedly in great demand by nearly all staff members. With years of experience in pastoral care, Marilee will have no trouble keeping busy. And nurse and midwife Ann has already fallen in love with the babies in the pediatric ward.
The Catholic Church, built in the 1800’s, is about a 20-25 minute walk through town. The Sisters met the Hatian Pastor who welcomed them and invited them to dinner.
While Maureen, Ann and Marilee’s ministry work will gradually increase, their Creole language training began right off the bat on their first full day and will continue every weekday afternoon for two hours. The weather is extremely hot and humid and mosquitoes abound, so the Sisters will need time to adjust 
to both.
All three are excited and enthusiastic to be launched on their mission and will most certainly love to hear from CSJP’s, friends and relatives. When the electricity is working (hopefully often) they are able to receive and send email. Letters and packages can be addressed as below:
c/o Dr. Bernes Chalumeau
Lynx Air International
PO Box 407140
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33340-7140
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