Haiti Update

It is difficult for me to write about the situation in Haiti. It is so disheartening to relate to you the chaos that continues to exist in the country: the lack of any kind of political viability, and certainly not any stability or sustainability; the escalation of gang violence increasing the number of deaths, kidnappings and rapes; the inability to access or afford food because the gangs control almost all of Port au Prince and other ports and thus any humanitarian aid coming into the country; the difficulty to find shelter after having their homes burned to the ground (sometimes with whole families inside) or who have been driven from their neighborhoods; to receive any kind of medical care because the hospitals have been forced to close and the small clinics destroyed; and finally the ineffectiveness of the effort to send help in the form of military reinforcements from other countries in the hope of restoring order and safety for the millions of Haitians struggling to survive one more day!

This is the physical and political environment in which the Little Sisters of St. Therese live out their commitment to minister to their Haitian sisters and brothers, the poorest of the poor, while at the same time struggling themselves to continue to survive one more day. In a recent conversation, Sister Denise spoke with me of some of their daily critical challenges: to secure food especially for their infirm and elderly sisters as well their young sisters and students; to get medicine and medical supplies for their infirm and elderly sisters; and to travel safely because most of the roads are also controlled by gangs. Recently one of their sisters died but was unable to be brought to the Motherhouse for the funeral because the road was closed because of gang violence. When Sister Denise dares to venture out locally, she confided that she gives a few gourdes (cents) to her driver to give to the gangs and they let them pass. She said she doesn’t give it to them herself so they won’t think she has any money! She explained that some of the gang members are good men but join just to get some food to survive. The gangs are also recruiting young boys and girls who join for the possibility of survival. Unfortunately for some of the young girls, they are often raped and if they become pregnant, they are discarded like a piece of garbage.

But as discouraging and painful a task as it is for me to relate to you these physical challenges and suffering that the sisters must endure and the treasured loses they must grieve, I struggle even more to try to imagine and adequately express in this article the emotional, psychological and spiritual toll these everyday experiences have and will continue to have on their lives. Only God knows and only God can bring healing and change. Let us join with the Little Sisters as they pray every day in Creole “O Lespri Sen desann sou nou; nou gen yon misyon pou Ayiti” — O Holy Spirit descend on us; we have a mission for Haiti.” And let us pray for our dear Little Sisters, that God sustains their hope and strengthens their commitment to continue their mission to their sisters and brothers.

Please consider including the Little Sisters of St. Therese on your Christmas gift list. Donations for them and their mission are accepted at the IHM Development Office at the IHM Center. Note that your check or money is a donation for Haiti. Thank you from the Little Sisters.