News From Bouzy

In recent weeks there has been increasing unrest in Haiti.  This past week we received a letter from Parish Twining, the organization that arranges the sister parishes and runs Matthew 25, the hostel we stay at in Port au Prince the first and last days of our trip.  Parish Twinning has decided to temporarily close Matthew25.  They will reopen it when the political situation and unrest is stable; hopefully, at the beginning of 2020. Due to this unrest and the top priority of safety for our team members, we have decided to cancel the Fall trip to Haiti this year. This is obviously something we are saddened about since seeing our Bouzy family and spending time with them is vital for our relationship, but we felt it was necessary because of the circumstances. 

Secondly, due to the changes the current US administration has made for renewing and obtaining visas, it will take an extended period of time for Father Claude to renew his visa. Because of this, he will not be able to make his annual September trip to visit us.  We are hoping his visa will be approved so he can visit in the coming months.  We will keep you posted.

As this probably goes without saying, our Haitian brothers and sisters need our support now more than ever. This is an impoverished country that is devastated, and they need our prayers and financial backing daily. We are committed to continuing our relationship with Haiti and pray that the situation will improve soon so we can plan our next team visit. Thank you for your continued support and being the hands and feet of Christ!

Our parishioners continue to be the hands and feet of Christ by supporting our Haitian family in so many ways. The amount raised to date is $79,286 with $50,000 in pledges due soon, bringing the total to just shy of $130,000. Thank you so much! We are thrilled by your amazing generosity.   We believe these gifts will be enough to permit the people of St Catherine's to begin the first phases of construction, once final plans are in place.

Father Claude insists that the people complete everything they can do, such as clearing the rubble, preparing the ground, & acquiring foundation materials, before asking for our support.  While the community manually performs the initial building work, Fr Claude is busy working on final designs, costs, & contracts, and additional financial supporters.  We are advising, as final plans are developed.

Replacing the collapsed church will be a multiyear project.  You can continue to give donations for the church rebuild anytime. The next Haiti church fundraiser is a Hope for Bouzy Benefit sponsored by our Knights of Columbus on Saturday, Oct 5th from 6:30 – 9pm. Please mark it on your calendars!  In the meantime, please pray for our Haitian sisters and brothers, and continue to generously support our everyday work for them in education, health & water.

Haiti Mission Team. Ann O'Connor is standing at left.

Haiti Reflection by Ann O’Connor

On our flight to Haiti, the flight attendant asked where our destination was. At our answer, she replied, “Haiti, that sounds like fun.” I smiled and thought “fun” was not the first word that came to my mind when I thought of traveling to Haiti. I was intrigued by her remark and thought each day, “What word would come to mind when I described my day in Haiti?”

“Tiring”. It is physically tiring to awake at 3:20 a.m. for the drive to the airport.  Travel days are long filled with hours of waiting, unfamiliar heat, humidity and bugs.

“Suspenseful”. Will we get through customs with our over-the-counter medications? Will there be enough gasoline? There is a gasoline shortage in Haiti. At least, half of the gas stations were closed.  The open gas stations would only sell 4 gallons of gas.  Will those four gallons get us to Bouzy? Back to Port au Prince?  We are in control of nothing in Haiti.

“Welcomed”. We are greeted with hugs and kisses on both cheeks when we arrive in Bouzy. It is such a warm, hospitable welcome that continues through the week. I realize that they give us their beds when we are staying at the rectory.

“Satisfying”. Our work at the dispensary include refilling empty dispensary shelves with crucial scarce medicine, hypertension and deworming clinics, and home visits to the ill and housebound. It is satisfying to work as a nurse again where the need is so great.

“Restful”. On Sunday, we celebrated a two-hour long Mass. The Mass does not seem that long. Due to the gasoline shortage, we chose to stay in Bouzy and went for a long walk with our Haitian friends.   It is a real day of Sabbath rest.

“Blessed”.  The Kingdom of God is here.  I was fortunate and blessed to be able to represent the parish of St. Joseph the Worker in Haiti.  It is too rare to have an experience where I can see and feel the working of God in everyday life.  In the evening when we gathered on the porch to pray and share our days’ reflections, I really feel the presence of God.

“Fun” is a word upon reflection, I can use to speak of my trip to Haiti. This was my fifth trip to Haiti, and each time I come home humbled and grateful.

Haiti Reflection by Lori Henke 

It was an emotional journey. Many different feelings surfaced as I spent time in Bouzy. There were times of sadness and mourning as I walked thru the rubble where St Catherine’s church had stood, and remembered all of the times I had sat on the benches, prayed and sang with the people there. Witnessing the grief on Madam Duprey’s face as we stood with her near the gravesite of her husband Vicour to offer our condolences; the loss was tangible and real. I felt concern as we gently examined a very ill elderly woman as she lay in bed unable to walk and being cared for by her family as best they could. I have heard it said that compassion heals the places that medicine cannot touch. I prayed that just our being present with what little we could offer to her would make a difference.
As I reflect on my recent visit to our Sister Parish in Haiti, I see that we have a church community bound together with the community in Bouzy. Over the past 10 years we have come together to celebrate, to worship, and to mourn and support each other. With the death of Vicour and the church collapse I felt a deep sadness and loss. When I saw the ruins of the church, and grieved along with Vicour’s family, I was able to see God’s grace and mercy as well. Memories cannot be crushed into piles of gravel as the church walls were. We still celebrated together and they showed us their love and their faith.  We know that God is good and He gives us hope that something new will replace what was lost. I can see that they will get thru this, rebuild and go on, as this has already begun. The new doctor in the community, the re-instatement of the Water program, working hard to clear the rubble and building a temporary chapel are positive signs of this. Along with the sadness were many moments of joy and friendship. Happiness to see the many familiar faces of the men and women in Bouzy who greeted us personally, and to visit all of the schoolchildren in their classrooms, we shared some phrases in English and some music together. Watching the elderly smile and exclaim as they tried on new reading glasses and could make out letters on the page, and many the people at the clinic and families on the clean water program getting their needed medications, I could see the impact that our parish is making. Witnessing their responses as I spoke to them with my limited Creole, confirmed there is value in our efforts. 
Our presence in their community and our prayers and support is giving them hope. They are not defeated; still positive and optimistic. We have been with them thru the struggles of the past 10 years; thru the earthquake, hurricanes, floods, church collapse and loss of community leaders. Yet I saw a community not in despair, but positive and moving forward because of their faith. As I said to them after mass one morning, we love them and we need them. We need to see their hope, beauty, wisdom and resilience in the face of repeated loss, hardships, illness and lack of resources. They seem to understand a key to living a peace-filled life; that pain and joy can co-exist side-by-side. God can show us his presence thru the pain of loss. The most beautiful waterfalls happen in the steepest parts of our lives. Love keeps us going and hope moves our feet. Happiness is born of our ability to see all that is beautiful and good. Pouring out love and compassion can help to reframe the negative moments in our lives.
As we look at the rubble where the church used to stand, let us remember that love and God’s presence doesn’t need a building, it never has. It just needs the community of which we are now a part, and I am grateful for the opportunity to share in their lives.

Haiti Reflection by Pat Grev

In the devastating loss of their church, I saw the people in Bouzy rise up to rebuild the cherished building that no longer existed.  
On the Saturday we were there,  men were busy taking down more of the remains of their church.  They are salvaging materials from their fallen church to use in the new one.  It was in the high 80’s, humid and on the weekend, but these men were there doing their part.
Most impressive to me were the two men that worked every day,  taking the big blocks of cement and chipping them down with a hammer into small pieces.  These little pieces could then be used for the construction of the new church.  Although paid a minimal amount, they were out there every day since the church had collapsed - in the heat and humidity.  Just think how long it will take to reduce all the rubble to small pieces? Their dedication and perseverance are admirable. This is only one example that shows the heart of the people in Bouzy. Their love for God’s house. The love for their church. Nothing will diminish their spirit in Christ.

Pat Grev

What makes a Church?

Since I first heard that St. Catherine's church had collapsed the same versus kept coming to me; Matthew 18:20 "Where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them."  I didn't know what to expect when we turn the corner and saw the holy resting place of the church.  It didn't seem real at first, and there was no time to process.  We were whisked into getting settled and greeting Father Claude.  As I greeted the community people, they were as welcoming as ever; all I wanted to do was go to the Church.  

There are no words to sum up the sadness I felt as I stood in the rubble of the church.  The tears came slowly, as the helplessness set in.  I was at the beginning of the grieving process and took the time to truly appreciate this loss and remember all the amazing memories I have been blessed with over the past 9 years.  

We recognize that the people of St. Catherine's don't have the money to rebuild their church.  What they do have is passion and love for God and each other.  While in Bouzy we witnessed a second collection where more than half the people gave what they could to the building of the church.  We saw people from the community spend their Saturday tearing down part of the old church.  We witnessed other volunteers building a roof over different structures so there was a place to worship out of the sun and rain. People have delivered rock and cement to aid in the building of the foundation.  A full community, without their beloved structure coming out in large numbers to celebrate together and with us.  

Yes, where two or three are gathered, but it will be wonderful to do it in a building built with love, prayer, and community.
 
Suzanne Koenigs

Father Claude sent Deacon Kevin these videos from mass a few weeks ago.