History of our Relationship
SJTW Friends of Haiti Stories (Stories from the heart)
Getting to know our Friends -- Interviews
Life in Bouzy
Financial & Activity Report
2015 Summary
Highlights of SJTW – St Catherine’s Relationship 2015
Held a Holiday party and participated in immigration Sunday to celebrate our diversity as a parish and our involvement with our Haitian brothers and sisters.
March – Visit to Haiti- Six parishioners (all returning travelers) visited our Sisiter Parish. Continued work with the Hypertension study, de-worming clinic, and clean water program; visits to schools, home medical visits, and Sunday mass.
Faith Formation 7th grade class developed a water collection system prototype as a possible idea for use in Bouzy.
Successful Haiti Parish Auction to help fund activities of our relationship. Approximately $5,000 profit.
The Environment group held a class for 7th grade Faith Formation students to learn about water issues in Haiti and demonstrated the water bucket filtration systems we have introduce in Bouzy.
Sent funds to begin construction of a new playground for the elementary and kindergarten students at St. Catherine’s schools that their teachers had requested.
September – Hosted Fr. Hubert and Fr. Francois and our interpreter St. Louis from Haiti in our parish. They took part in our annual outdoor mass, visited several local schools, met with committees,and visited with parishioners at several homes and dinners.
Working on revamping our Haiti website with new and updated information and to improve the visibility/usability for parishioners.
November – Visit to Bouzy by 5 parish members for a week in Haiti to continue our relationship and embrace the community.
Our parish donated hundreds of medical supplies (over $10,000 worth) and also supported financially (approximately $27,000) for our relationship thru 2 second collections (Feb and Oct).
November 2015
Thank God for Tylenol and so many common American remedies
It was an honor and a privilege to represent SJTW during our last mission trip to Bouzy this past November. One of our objectives was to bring the over-the-counter drugs and other medical supplies that were donated from SJTW parishioners to the medical dispensary in Bouzy. This dispensary not only serves the village of Bouzy, but the surrounding mountainous villages as well. Unfortunately, when we arrived, it was no surprise to see a nearly empty medical supply cabinet. But thanks to God, your donations, filling 11 suitcases, allowed us to restock their cabinet with 500 lbs of supplies to the point of overflowing. After being in that clinic, I realized all of the basic things I take for granted when it comes to healthcare…. If one of my kids has a fever or a headache, I can instantly give them some ibuprofen to ease their pain. If they have a cut, I don’t think twice about grabbing some antibiotic cream and a bandage. Our Haitian friends have virtually no access to any items readily available to us daily in stores like Walgreens or Cub. What empathy I have for the mothers and fathers who have to comfort sick and crying kids without these basics! Thank you to all whose donations ease the suffering of our sisters and brothers at St Catherine’s.
– Becky Knutson, SJTW November 2015 Haiti Mission Team
March 2013 Lenten Letter to Fr. Hubert
Earlier in March, Jon Bottema and I sent a Lenten message to Fr Hubert and the people of St Catherines in Haitian Creole. Jon and I follow in the footsteps of a few other St Joseph's friends who have studied some Creole in order to deepen our friendship with our friendship with our sisters and brothers in Bouzy. Jon did the heavy lifting here. I did the editing. In his reply, Fr Hubert expressed his delight that we are studying Creole, and wished all of us at SJTW a Happy Lent, and God's blessings.
Here is the Lenten greeting we sent from the St Joseph the Worker community to our friends at St. Catherine's, in English and Haitian Creole.
by SJTW parishioner Lori Henke
I recently returned from a visit to Haiti. For me it was a return to the village of Bouzy and the people I have been involved with in our parish mission for the past 5 years. The sights and sounds of the island have become familiar, but each time I am reminded of how important the relationships are that we are forming between our two communities, and I am blessed by the people we encounter. Although we routinely bring medications and supplies for their clinic, school supplies, and funding for teacher’s salaries, it is that personal contact that truly helps us to understand better and communicate with each other.
The village of Bouzy is approximately 50 miles west of Port au Prince; or about 4 hours by van, in a rural mountain village of about 800 families. It is a poor agricultural community, with limited access to outside resources like foods and medicines. Often times in the rainy season they are separated from other towns as the river crossing the road in and out of the village becomes flooded. When we visit we bring many badly needed supplies like medication and first aid supplies.
This was a medical-based trip as we were going to check on the status of water purification systems we had introduced into the village earlier this year. We brought medications to treat any parasites caused by the contaminated water in the households now using the systems. In our meetings with the village nurse (Vicar Duprey) and the water technician who is monitoring the systems in the village, we found that people are excited to have the clean water and there is a demand for more systems. We saw the systems in use in several homes and the schools and clinic. Our water technician, Micael, has 6 month old baby boys that are benefitting from the clean water in their home. Instead of the small for age and malnourished children we typically see in Haiti, these babies looked like healthy 6 month olds!
We had a clinic day that was a little different from our usual routine of seeing as many people as possible on a given day. We were focused on hypertension and diabetes, two very serious problems in Haiti, and did some patient teaching in a large group setting working with our interpreters. We set up a system to monitor their blood pressures and blood sugars on a regular monthly basis, and are working with two paraprofessionals in the village to check the same patients every month and keep accurate records of their readings. With better control and treatment of these diseases, the risk for stroke can be greatly reduced in the community. In addition to our physician continuing treatment when needed, we are hoping to get a grant for funding to supply the clinic with the needed medications in the future.
In Haiti this summer there is an outbreak of mosquito-borne illness (Dengue and Chikungunya Fever) that causes a high fever, headache, muscle and joint pain, and in some cases can lead to serious complications. They do not have access to medicines to treat pain and fever, and when we arrived in Bouzy, the clinic shelves were completely empty of any of the medicines we had brought last fall. We saw a few people in their homes that were sick with fevers, so we know the outbreak was beginning to reach their community. Fr. Hubert told us that even though the Haitian government was not helping them treat these illnesses, they were so grateful that our group had come in this time of need and brought them medicines to help them.
Sunday mass is a special event in Haiti, with everyone singing, dancing and listening to lectures by the priest and parish elders. I saw many familiar faces as the church filled up with people. At the “Sign of Peace”, I went out and shook hands and greeted as many of the people as I could reach. Then we all sang a song of Amen and held hands, and before we were finished everyone was holding their hands up in praise and putting their arms around each other. It was a special time of love and connection between all of us gathered there. After mass we filed out and had time to talk to many people and children that we knew from previous visits. I was able to hand out some photos I had brought of people from 2 years earlier, and we took many more pictures of people to help keep them fresh in our minds when we are away.
I had a photo I wanted to give a family we had made a medical visit to in the past. It was the Josef Bouzy family; one of the founding families. I asked Denis to come with me for company (also his French can be much more helpful than my limited Creole). We didn’t find their home where I had thought, but once again a young neighbor girl helped us out and took us directly there. The elder Josef was sitting on the porch and we greeted him and gave him the photo. He said his eyesight was poor, and then his wife came out and brought chairs for us to sit with them on the porch. During our visit she told us they both were not feeling well, and Josef was especially hurting with stomach and leg pain. We wanted to help, but had nothing with us. Knowing the dispensary would be closed late on a Sunday, we told them we would try to come back tomorrow. Denis and I talked as we walked back to the rectory where the rest of the team was sitting, and felt we needed to do something. After explaining the situation to the others, Mark found some extra Tylenol in his bag and I noticed a bottle of leftover antacids on the table. God had again provided what we needed. We all went back to the home and gave them the medicines and instructions for use, and there were many smiles and thanks exchanged.
I have always been struck by the joy we experience in their community, amidst poverty and illness, and difficult circumstances. This joy is different than being ‘happy’. They do not have much materially, and live in small homes prone to damage from hurricanes and floods. Many don’t have education or jobs that will get them out of poverty, yet they have hope. I see the joy and hope in their faces, as they come together to celebrate and worship. Their hospitality and warmth continues to make me smile, as I recall different pieces of our visit.
There is a Haitian proverb that says; “Oh Lord, make you and me like coffee with milk. Mixed together, we can never be separated”. For me this captures what I hope for the relationship between our two communities. Each time we come together, we can learn and understand a little more about each other. As we socialize and worship together and share God’s love, I pray that our bond becomes stronger and that connection long-lasting.
It is our unity that can show us how to bring about transformation in each other’s lives; ease poverty and illness but also bring changes in how we understand and approach our common humanity. The Haitians remind us that we don’t have to have money or connections or influence to make a difference. We just need hope, conviction, and the knowledge that we are not alone.
by SJTW parishioner Dr. Mark Millis
This is a story about one of our faith’s journeys. It is a story about a young boy, our mission team, a community, a family and a glimpse into an event when God’s grace passes before us. It starts on a evening after a long day’s work and we are settling in on the veranda of St Catherine’s rectory in Bouzy Haiti. The veranda is a concrete patio about 50 feet long and 10 feet wide and faces toward a beautiful part of the jungle surrounding the rectory and parish. A small dirt road leads to the rectory from the main road and passes through an iron gate leading to the veranda. Through the grace of God, I and a few others have obtained a Haitian beer through our host Father Hubert. There is nothing like a cold beverage at the end of a hot and muggy day. I remember the cold bottle with the condensing sweat dripping down it’s sides and looking at the label when I hear a commotion coming from the road near the iron gate. It is dark and I see flashlights and a small crowd of people coming toward us. I am thinking - please leave me alone (I am tired and I am wanting a little solitude for my thoughts of the day). I then notice a man in the front of the crowd and I can see it is Vicar (the health minister in Bouzy’s dispensary ). He has these pleading eyes and I can see he is troubled by something. He then presents a young boy who is only 4-5 years old and he says in English “ forgive me Monsieur, please help this boy “. I am looking at the boy and Vicar is holding the boy’s hand up to me and I can see a piece of metal wrapped around the base of his right index finger. The first thing I am thinking is “how did Vicar say that in English or is the beer talking?” After a few seconds, I realized this young boy is going to lose his finger as it appears quite dusky and the metal band around the finger is very tight with the edges of the band already buried into the finger making it hard for the father to remove without slicing the finger. The child apparently had stuck his finger into the metal band thinking it was a ring he could wear. The father upon seeing this immediately summoned a friend who owned a motorcycle to take them to Vicar’s dispensary. Vicar noted the urgent need to get this band off, but couldn’t without lacerating or traumatizing the finger. He knew he had only two options- either send the child to Fond-de-Negro or seek help close by. Fond-de-Negro was 20 minutes away and he knew that would be too long of drive to help save the finger. This meant tracking down the doctor sitting on the veranda with a beer in his hand. Now , I am going to tell you that I wasn’t impaired nor do I operate while drinking.
What happens next is amazing and when I reflect on it I realized God’s presence that evening was everywhere. I knew I only had a few minutes to get this metal band off or the finger was going to be lost. The band edges were so tight I could see the skin separating and I was worried if we tried to pull it off the tendons and nerves would be damaged. I remembered we had brought supplies down for the first aid kits and asked for someone to be dispatched to help retrieve one of the kits from the dispensary. Next we had to get the child comforted and laid on the veranda so we could start the process of removing the band. Within seconds a blanket had been lain on the floor of the veranda, flashlights were on the boy’s hand outlining our dilemma. Donna one of our nurses was comforting the child and immediately I had the help of the community and our team to restrain the child to keep him from moving while I started the removal of the band. Hieu, Trammy, Kristine, and Bonnie were collecting the items Donna and I needed. The father was at the head of the boy whispering comforting thoughts. The next thing I remember is the help of the mission team members getting the supplies to me, water, antiseptic, flash lights, bandages and their tremendous support through prayer as we started the procedure. I acknowledge there are times when the intensity of doing something can completely take you into a zone of light and being - something indescribable. That is what happened in the minutes that passed while we were there on the veranda. I knew everyone was around myself and Wendie- it was just the two of us locked in this dance with the team members, the community and with God. I was mindful of the presence of prayer from the team and the community. I remember watching the instruments passing under the metal band and separating it without injuring the boy’s delicate finger. It was to say the least, a surprising result, for I was uncertain if I could do this without some injury given the circumstances. The next thing I sensed was the communities’ tremendous love - it was surrounding myself, Donna, the boy’s father and the child as we coaxed the circulation to return to the finger. Everyone was waiting with trepidation for the finger to return to it’s normal color. When it did become flush with warmth and he was able to move it, the cheers from all of us filled the veranda. I looked up and saw the entire veranda was filled with the community, the friends we had made over the years, the boy’s family, the family’s friends and they were filled with joy for this young boy who came so close to losing a part of his hand. There was no end to the gratitude this entire community had for the help given to this young boy.
As I held this child in my arms afterwards and the father embraced me I felt very honored and privileged to have witnessed this event with the mission team I was traveling with. As I reflect on what happened, I realize what a gift to have the colleagues I had with me - their prayers and their actions were nothing other than pure love of the community and each other. The fact we had the instruments needed for the extraction of the metal band, the supplies at hand, the community support, the expediency of everyone’s work in the presence of this boy’s need is to say the least a miracle. Why did everything line up? You can call it synchronicity, grace, a miracle, but I think it was because of the unconditional love we have for one another. I see the Holy Spirit giving us second sight. Seeing each other through each other’s eyes. Seeing each other as family.
by Donna Richtsmeier
November 2013
“The poor will teach you many things”, Mother Theresa once said. I have been priviledged to travel three times on our mission trips. I treasure our Bouzy friends’ open curiosity (especially amongst the young children) and eagerness to meet with us. Many may lack financial abundance, however, I see their smiles and working together as true assets; gifts to us.
Today, I want to share with you my experience of St Joe’s bringing medicine and aide to the people in this mountainous area. Many of the locals do not have the money nor the means to travel for medical needs.
Through the generous donations of our parishioners we were, again, able to stock the empty shelves in the small Bouzy clinic. The gifts of non-prescription drugs we brought in our suitcases are used and deeply appreciated. Our team worked together to shelve the medicine and supplies. And Dr Mark purchased prescription drugs in Port au Prince with money donated by St. Joe’s. We also prepared 16 shoebox size 1st aid kits – to pass out to area schools and churches.
One of the rewarding aspects for me as a retired RN, is to help Dr Mark Millis, our St Joe’s parishioner, in examining and treating the Bouzy area people – who are able to walk to the clinic in the village. I obtain the vital signs and history with the help of San Louis, one of our interpreters. Many Haitians have histories of high blood pressure and diabetes which need to be treated with meds. I find my patients so very patient. It is HOT and HUMID! Many have walked miles to see “The Doctor”. We seem to have no end to the day for often we have worked after dark – with help of flash lights. We need more doctors like Dr Mark to travel to Bouzy to help out.
Vicar who lives in the village is a local health minister (like a physicians assistant) who manages the clinic and pharmacy, since Bouzy has no doctor. In addition to staffing the clinic, Vicar arranges for Dr Mark to visit many patients who cannot travel to the Bouzy clinic in their homes. Traveling by four-wheel-drive truck to mountainous area is an adventure – to say the least. We examine and treat the people on their front porches or within their homes. Meds are dispensed from filled suitcases that we bring with us. St Joes team members Trammy, & Kristeen and translator Claudie fill many zip lock bags of needed meds plus vitamins along our route in the area.
At one home that Vicar asked us to stop we were met by TURKEYS roaming about in the yard. This was the small home of Valorie – an 87 year old lady. She greeted us with graciousness and smiles. She had high blood pressure and Diabetes. And, she was in great need of medicine. A small young chicken ran about on the dirt floor of her home Her bed sat in one corner. It was a small hard surfaced bed on cement blocks. Two clocks were hung on the chipped painted blue walls. Neither one had working batteries. Were they a long ago gift??? From a friend? A relative? Out back she had this “chicken coop”. “No! That is for my turkeys! The chickens sleep up in the trees”, Valorie explained through the help of an interpreter. A “turkey coop”, We all chuckled. Valorie did have a cement slab of concrete behind her house. Was this to prepare her meals next to this outdoor kitchen, or wash her clothes by hand, so she would be off the dirt or muddy ground?
I was moved by this visit for I witnessed the deep compassion of Dr Mark, Trammy and Kristeen, my team members. I will long remember this visit in the mountains of Haiti. For this 87year old lady, Valorie, reminded me of my Great Aunt Carrie who lived a “simple life” back in Nebraska – when I was a young gal.
We ended our visit to this area by stopping at St. Charles Chapel in Suplice (one of 6 outlying chapels Fr. Hubert is responsible for in the greater Bouzy area). Here I took the vital signs, blood pressure/pulse/temp. and Dr. Mark saw and treated a group of people local to this area. Kristeen helped package the necessary prescribed medicines.
Yes, what a worthwhile adventure! I have truly witnessed there are NO barriers due to language or culture.
As Mother Theresa stated: “The poor will teach you many things.” Many of our Bouzy area friends are less fortunate in monetary wealth. However, I have seen and felt their “open hearts” and love for us from St Joseph the Worker.
God is Love
I had been pretty nervous about this trip. This was my third time traveling to Bouzy. I started to question why I was going and will this be my last trip? The second, I stepped foot into Haiti I was home. All the worries, struggles, fears and issues fell away. The things that seem so important at home were a waste of time in Haiti. Living for today instead of tomorrow can be very refreshing, no one does it better than a Haitian.
Each day for me in the US is filled with lists, what I have to get done, one for home, one for work. I go about my time checking the list, sometime my interaction dictated by a list. When I arrive in Haiti my focus shifts to the person in front of me. To a member of the group who needs guidance or just an ear, a Haitian who treats me as the most important part of their day and draws me to do the same. I have forgotten about “the lists”.
I feel God’s present in my life when I slow down, turn off the noises of my surrounding and just be present. This is Haiti. Don’t get me wrong it is noisy, just different, roosters crowing, generators running and people singing. One way, God shows me his love is through St Joseph’s relationship with Sainte Catherine’s.
It all begins at St. Joseph’s, the people I have met through this mission have become like family to me. The Sunday before we left I attended the Commissioning Mass. 10:30 am is not my normal Mass. The way the Community reached out to me brought tears to my eyes. You see, as we went on this great adventure I was distracted and felt very alone that morning. The responsibility of co-leading the group had begun to feel a bit overwhelming.
Going to church that day was a struggle, but I took a deep breath and prayed to God to lead me through the day. As a single woman I am use to sitting alone. Most of the time I don’t mind it, but I did that day. God calmed my fears by placing a supporter beside me, with a smile that reassured me and a common name that linked us. As the team went forward to receive the blessing, I felt the power of the Community. We couldn’t have this experience without them. Money and supplies are great, but more importantly it is the prayers and thoughtfulness that brings us strength and peace.
Upon returning to my seat, my loneliness was gone as I felt like I was sitting with family. Those around me reached out to ask me questions and embrace me on my journey. As the mass and day moved on God put more of my church family in front of me. One person would touch my hand or offer an extra blessing; others asked questions or just wished us well. I truly began to feel the presence of God even before I stepped foot into Haiti. Earlier fears turned to excitement, energy refocused on showing others God is love.
Haiti Hospitality – Meal Preparation
By Michelle
I really enjoy entertaining. Having 15 – 25 people over for a special dinner is a lot of work, but I find it very fulfilling to host people and to have a good time with them. When I make a big meal, I have the benefit of electricity – 24 hours a day. That means that I can use my refrigerator/freezer microwave, double oven, and various other tools. I also have a wide variety of utensils (some single-purpose) that make meal preparation easier. After dinner, clean-up is also simplified with a deep double-bowled sink and a dishwasher.
Contrast that with what it took for the women at St. Catherine’s to prepare two or three meals per day for a minimum of 15 people. For the first couple of days in Haiti, I didn’t pay much attention to what it took to prepare the meals except that it seemed to take an exceptionally long time. I did become aware quite early in the week that cleaning up after the meal was quite labor intensive as well. Late in the evenings, the same women who prepared the meals could be found sitting on the floor in a corner of the dining room with a couple large tubs of water hand washing the multitude of dishes. Eventually, I took a tour of the kitchen, and really saw what a labor of love was occurring over the course of some very long days. The kitchen was outdoors, and quite a distance from the dining room where we ate. The utensils were limited and there was no electricity or running water. I’m not sure what they used for a light source, but the women could be heard before sunrise working on the breakfast meal. There was also NO refrigeration. The cooking and baking was accomplished on a couple of charcoal fire pits just behind the kitchen. Yet, over the course of a few hours, 3 or 4 women and a few teen agers prepared an assortment of dishes, elaborately and creatively arranged to be visually pleasing. In the mornings, if the generator had been turned on, we could expect fresh fruit juice made using the blenders that could be found in the dining room. On our final night in Bouzy, we had quite a bit of free time and I spent it watching with special interest how the meal was prepared. I was especially fascinated with Kitley, the school principal, who sat in a chair with a large platter on her lap and meticulously hand-cut (or more-like, carved,) cabbage, carrots and peppers for 3 hours to make a very large and tasty coleslaw.
The weekend after returning, I hosted my family for Easter dinner and realized again the vast difference in what it takes to be hospitable in Maple Grove vs. Haiti. Sure, the meal prep and clean-up was not without effort for me, and it was out of family love that I offered it. It seems to me that the women at St. Catherine offered their hospitality in a much more significant way, and I’m very grateful and appreciative for their efforts and generosity to keep us comfortable through food.
Traveler's Fear
Ann O'Connor
I am not the best traveler. I sometimes have fear of the unknown when I travel. The only time I was afraid in Haiti was also a special God moment for me. It was when we went to see the ruins of the Cathedral in Port au Prince. On our drive back to Port au Prince we drove to see the cathedral. The cathedral was in ruins because of the earthquake. The building looked like pictures I saw of cathedrals in Europe after WWII., no roof, a few outside walls. On the outside walls of the cathedral, I saw spray painted, “ stations of the cross”; Stations X in Roman numerals. We drove outside the perimeter of the cathedral and parked the vans.
We got out of the vans to see the ruins. The translators and van drivers left to find a bathroom. We were soon surrounded by Haitians begging for money. They were the poorest people I had seen in Haiti. Mothers and fathers held in their arms infants, babies crying with running noses. The crowd continued to increase.
I felt very uncomfortable. I had no money with me. I was afraid if one of the group did give out money, it might start a riot. We certainly did not have enough money to help all the people. I was hot, flustered, blushing., overwhelmed. What could we do?
I got back into the van. The others joined me. People stood outside the van and knocked on the windows. I felt ill at ease. What could I do? In my discomfort and distress, I averted my eyes. Like a child might do, if I don’t see something maybe it doesn’t exist. I felt very aware and guilty of all I have and unable to make sense of the disparity of life.
Michelle though put her hand up on window of the van, mirroring the hand of the baby outside. She gave eye contact to the baby and his father and smiled. She softly talked to them. With her simple actions and smiles, she affirmed their human dignity. I saw the face of God in her face and the face of the child.
Immaculette's Gift
by Bonnie Steele
I never intended to be a missioner. The idea scared me—it was just too uncomfortable. And then three years ago, I received an invitation to travel to Haiti. After talking to my family, to Fr. Mike Sullivan my boss and pastor, and reflecting on the invitation, I chose to join the group that was traveling. I had some trepidation about going, but I opened my heart to whatever the experience would be. On this visit, I would help care for children at the Missionaries of Charity Home for Sick and Abandoned Babies.
Stories and pictures could not prepare me for the sights, sounds, smell, and experiences of Haiti. Standing at the threshold of the Missionaries of Charity, my heart was filled with anxiety. I saw the parents sitting quietly on the dusty cement stoop, in the blazing heat, with their sick children hoping their child would be admitted.
Preparing for Mass in Haiti
When I walked into the home, my mothering instincts kicked in as I touched the young child closest to me. Her limp arms and legs dangled when I held her in my arms. Only her lips tightly pursed showed the exertion of her struggle to breathe. She was light as a feather, emaciated by starvation, and dying of tuberculosis – only later would I learn that she was two and one half years old. I thought she was an infant because of her tiny frame. Her eyes were open, but unseeing. Her hair was red. Her skin was dry. She was so hot. She had a wet handkerchief tied to her forehead for comfort.
My emotions were stirred. As I held this little girl, tears began to come. I pulled down the bill of my baseball hat to hide my tears. I asked God, “Why am I here? How can this be? What can I do?” I was embarrassed by the times I felt I did not have enough possessions or opportunities and the many times I’ve complained either openly or quietly to myself. I began to ask our Father to forgive me for my myopic world view that sees only the inconveniences in life, for self-centeredness. Excuses were impotent and I had none to offer in the face of such immense suffering and being known.
In that moment, that dying child offered me a gift. I couldn’t stop her suffering. I couldn’t restore her to health. I could pray. I could sing. I could rock and hold her. In that moment, I connected with her humanity, her suffering, and the Jesus in her. In that moment, I became aware that both of us were in the presence of a holy God – and aware that we are always in the presence of our holy God. In that moment of clarity, I recognized that we always and in every situation have the opportunity and privilege to connect with the humanity of our sisters and brothers and the Jesus in them. We do not need to travel to Haiti to learn these things; we can connect in our own communities and cities.
Immaculette’s suffering changed something in me. I came home with a resolve that said, “I cannot change the whole world, but I can do something.” I can hold Jesus in my arms everyday, knowing Jesus will come in many guises, and recognize Jesus in everyone. I can have a clearer sense of what is important, and stop focusing on what I lack. This was Immaculette’s gift to me.
This one moment’s gift became a gift for many. I told her story to my friends, my family, to my parish, and to all who would listen. Two years ago, St. Joseph the Worker began a sister-parish relationship with Sainte Catherine d’Alexandre in Bouzy, Haiti and parishioners visit our brothers and sisters there regularly. Our hearts are being knit together in love and grace each day. Immaculette’s suffering brought life and transformation not only to me, but also to the lives of the community of St. Joseph the Worker in Maple Grove. I thank Immaculette for her gift to us every day.
Haiti March Mission Team
April 21, 2013 presentation
April Web and E-News articles
Introduction
Our entire mission team is so grateful that we could represent you with our Haitian brothers and sisters last month in Bouzy. Our Bouzy journey was fabulous, though not comfortable or easy. We served you well, building stronger friendships and helping our friends move toward their priorities of better education, better health, and clean water. And we received so much more than we gave. We’d like to share our stories and those of our Haitian friends with you. Expect to read several Haiti stories from your Haiti mission team over the next several weeks. And stop to talk with us when you see us, to hear and to contribute to the rest of our Haiti story.
Why Haiti? It’s a good question. Each person who’s been touched by the love and the spirit of our Haitian friends may have a different answer. But it surely has something to do with knowing that God has brought us together, and wanting to share His love and ours. So pleased that my health finally permitted this trip, I travelled with no agenda, other than a desire to personally meet and love those I’d talked about and corresponded with for so long, and the expectation that we’d see another face of God there. Through conversation, we did learn to see a little bit more through Haitian eyes, bridging our vast culture and experience differences.
I was honored to give the Palm Sunday homily at St Catherine’s, all about how Jesus’ cross, and our life’s crosses, reveal the price and the power of love. Our hosts in Bouzy powerfully witnessed for us Jesus’ self-giving love of the cross every day, for they gave so fully of themselves and out of their own need. Our hosts gave us their very own beds, even the pastor, & served us abundant feasts twice a day, despite their frequent struggles to get one good meal daily. Though receiving this generosity which they cannot afford discomfited us, we honored each other in our gifts, and so our love revealed the face of God.
Our Haitian sisters and brothers also shared their secret weapon with us, a remarkable, pervasive joy, and the strength to hold onto far away dreams, in the midst of persistent heavy struggles and suffering. Their joy stems from the hope that Jesus passion brings to us all. In simple, powerful ways like these, we blessed and made holy gifts of ourselves to each other. Our Haitian friends have found a permanent place in our hearts.
We hope that our journey encourages you to further participate in and support the gift that this blessed relationship is for all of us. There are many ways you can get involved right here, even if you are not called to travel to Bouzy. We need help in several working committees, such as education, medical and environment. We need help in communications, trip logistics, accounting, fundraising and other essential areas. And we really need the entire parish to be great hosts when some members of the Bouzy community come for a week this summer to experience life in Minnesota. Please talk with us or email us to get involved. We need you. You’ll be glad you did. Thanks for your support of our Haiti partnership and for your kind attention today.
Bondye avek ou. God be with you.
– Deacon Kevin
Haiti: Two words speak volumes
Upon returning home I resumed my Monday night visits to the youth homeless shelter. The staff asked all about our visit to Haiti, then remarked, “JD here is from Haiti.” Introducing ourselves, I found that JD came to the US at age 5 upon being adopted. So I asked do you speak any Kreyol? Just two words, he replied, “dlo and granghou.” They mean water, and hungry, two words that speak volumes of the struggles of many Haitian people, for I’ve heard Haiti is the second hungriest country in the world.
– Deacon Kevin
Bouzy Haiti – Touched by Joy
I heard the call to walk with and serve our Haitian brothers and sisters years ago right here in Maple Grove. I did not need to travel to Haiti to be eager to learn about Haitian life, to happily ponder why God has brought such far away peoples together, and to inquire how we might best become gifts to each other. It’s a blessed journey we are on with our Haitian sisters and brothers, and we are delighted to walk with them.
But now that I have visited the people of Bouzy, I am forever changed. My heart and my soul were touched by our Haitian friends, and our common journey has become a journey of my heart. Touched first by the warm welcome of our hosts, and by the singing greeting of the school children. Touched by generosity, for Fr Hubert led the rectory staff in giving up their own beds for us. Touched by the gift of extravagant meals slowly prepared over charcoal fires, by those who need more good meals themselves. Touched by the pervasive joy of people who struggle so much more than we do with ordinary daily tasks. We participated in small ways in this struggle, for life is less comfortable in Bouzy. Their joy is contagious! Touched by the passion of Fr Hubert in ministering to his people and in fueling their hope. Touched by the desire for Catholic education and how education is achieved by dedicated pastor and teachers, despite scanty resources.
As we met new friends and played with children, the people of St Catherine’s became my sisters and brothers, and their children my own children.
Fr Hubert
I admire Fr. Jean Denis Hubert. It takes a while to get to know him, because we don’t share any language, our cultures and environments are so different, and only recently have we achieved consistent communications through email. Like me, Fr Hubert is quiet and reserved until he gets to know someone. But slowly, as we stayed in each other’s homes, as we shared the mass, which is our common gift (I assisted him at mass in Bouzy, where he read a few parts in English to make us comfortable), as we listen and seek to understand each other, we became friends.
Fr. Hubert is passionate about his priestly ministry and passionate about his improving the lives of his people. The role of pastor is a huge role at St Joseph the Worker, but its even bigger in Haiti. Perhaps its like the role of pastor in immigrant ethnic neighborhoods in America 100 years ago where the pastor, being the only educated person helped his flock navigate everything about life in a strange new country. In Bouzy, his flock comes to him when they are hungry, sick, seeking justice, education and wisdom, as well as when they seek God. Some say you could call Fr Hubert a mayor, judge, and policeman in Bouzy, as well as pastor.
I enjoyed watching Fr Hubert charge up his big Palm Sunday mass crowd, especially when he followed up my homily by reinforcing several homily points and getting energetic responses from his people. Wherever Fr Hubert goes in the greater Bouzy area he draws a crowd. Fr Hubert indicated that 8,000 to 10,000 people live in the large Bouzy area. Besides St Catherine’s in the town of Bouzy, Fr Hubert is responsible for 6 outlying chapels, some quite a distance from town. He’s responsible for 6 schools, educating over 1,650 students, mostly in rather primitive conditions. Fr Hubert is passionate and determined to bring better living for his people through education. One afternoon he took us on a 6 hour tour visiting several chapels. The Langlois chapel was so remote it required traversing a mountain over little more than a goat path. (Good thing it was dry season, or I’m afraid we’d slide off the mountain getting back down.) I was amazed to find another community at the top, a community that instantly gathered to welcome their beloved priest. Fr Hubert’s energetic love for God and for his people is truly an inspiration to me.
– Deacon Kevin
Distinctive Sights and Sounds of Haiti
Observations from Guilot’s Truck and Van
Port-au-Prince
• Tap-taps Unique gaudily painted mini-buses, crowded, small covered pickup trucks;
Emblazoned with Kreyol messages like “God saves” and “Look what God has done”
• Women and children carrying things on their heads; no hands, even if fragile or heavy
• Heavy traffic. Like our cities before the interstate highway system.
• No traffic rules; victory goes to the bold and swift. Close your eyes.
• Washed out roads, lightly repaired
• Rubble remaining from the earthquake
• Idled partially erected concrete block buildings - rebar sticking out*
• Trash piles
• Streetside markets, proprietors sitting among their produce
• Confusing Airport hurdles: demanding bag carriers, customs officials and beggars; confusing procedures; negotiated efficiently by angel Guilot
• Noisy Nights- traffic, dogs, cat fights, roosters
• Coke in bottles
Bouzy
• Smiles everywhere
• Women and children carrying things on heads. Stately bearing; no hands
• Idled partially erected concrete block buildings, rebar sticking out*
• Distinctive upbeat music
• Pasta with breakfast; rice with dinner
• Tropical plants, lush vegetation
• Walking is most common transportation; hardly any cars
• Motorcycles with 3 to 5 riders
• Mules to carry big loads
• Buckets of water, often carried by the tiniest children (no running water, no flush toilets)
• Noise and smell of the decrepit rectory generator (runs 3 hr daily; no electric system)
• Tomorrow’s chicken dinner running around the backyard (no refrigeration)
• Yet cellphones abound- sometimes recharged at Sunday mass while generator is running!
• Fabulous meals, cooked on charcoal fires; separate cooking building
• Pitted, rock strewn dirt roads, on which you’ll never get car into 3rd gear
• Dust, from dirt roads
• Noisy nights-animals, especially roosters
• Arrival of a doctor at a home, or pastor at a chapel is a big event! Gathers crowds
• Driving though rivers, not over them
– What did I miss? Please pass on your observations.
– Wonder what their distinctive signs of Maple Grove will be?
– Deacon Kevin
*While I found idled partially constructed buildings discouraging, Fr. Don explained that for Haitians they are a big sign of hope. Much is built piecemeal as money is available.
Matthew 25 House
You just cant get to Bouzy from Minneapolis in one day. When you leave here before dawn, you arrive in Port-au-Prince an hour or two before nightfall, after changing planes in Miami. Since Bouzy is a 5 hour ride from Port-au-Prince, we spent the first and last nights of our trip at a Christian guest house called Matthew 25 House. (Yes, check out Mt 25:31-46 again. “Whatsoever you did for the least of my brothers, you did for me.”) Until she retired a couple months ago, Sr. Mary shepherded us during our periodic brief stays there. We meet other interesting mission travellers there, enjoy a real shower (cold) and coke in a bottle, and purchase items crafted by local artists there. I met a woman named Roselyn at Matthew 25, while Dr Mark was picking up our prescription drug order for the Bouzy clinic. (We take down nonprescription drugs, but customs now requires us to buy prescription drugs in Haiti.) Perhaps God sent Roselyn to inspire me to believe that this rigorous journey may not be too much as I age, because she made the first of her 20 trips from the US to her sister parish at age 76. She was there alone this time to bring equipment to her sister parish on the far west coast of Haiti.
Roselyn told me that Matthew 25 House was formerly known as Visitation House. I recently read more of Visitation House in Dr Tom Fame’s book on his Haiti sister parish journey, The Lambi’s Call (Excellent! Will have it in St Joes library for you soon.) Visitation House, at the intersection of Rue A Martiel and St Jean Baptiste streets, was formerly the private home of Haitian businessman Antwan Izmery. When Mr Izmery was assassinated during Aristide’s exile in 1993, his friend Ron Voss converted the home to a guesthouse and the adjacent land into Park Izmery, holding soccer fields and basketball courts. Ron created a unique remembrance for Mr Izmery on the walls of the park, depicting many Haitian sufferings during their struggles for liberty in the 1990s. He called it The Haitian Stations of the Cross. This mural concludes with a symbol of Resurrection, Fr Aristide’s orphanage, because the Haitian people are a people of hope. Now affiliated with the Parish Twinning Association, Matthew 25/ Visitation House has been a place to rest and restore weary mission travellers for 20 years.
– Deacon Kevin
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Interview with Father Hubert Jean-Denis, pastor of St Catherine de Alexandre in Bouzy, Sept 3, 2014 in Maple Grove, MN
Father Hubert was born in Les Cayes, Haiti in 1966 and grew up in the nearby small community of Camp Perrin à la Hatte. He is the fourth child in a family of 5 children. He has 2 brothers and 2 sisters. Father Hubert has been a priest for 13 years. Before coming to Bouzy, he was assigned to Ste Catherine in the department of Les Nippes. Father Hubert grew up in the church, his father was the chapel director. He found his vocation for the church at a young age. Fr Hubert has been pastor of St Catherine’s in Bouzy since 2011.
His duties as a rural priest are based on 3 pillars; prayer, order and work. His duties include 1) nurturing the spiritual needs of the parish, 2) ensuring the education of the youth and 3) overseeing the construction of the church, rectory and school. His short term vision for Bouzy is to repair and rebuild the church and rectory. Long term, he would like to nurture the spirituality of the faithful by witnessing their fraternity.
He would like the people of St. Joseph the Worker to understand how much the community of Bouzy loves them. They are very grateful for their help and count on them a lot to determine solutions to some of their problems; such as the construction projects for the church, rectory and school and the expansion of the dispensary. They offer us their constant prayers, fraternal love and welcome.
To maintain and strengthen our relationship we should emphasize confidence, transparency and communication. Father Hubert’s top three priorities during his 2014 visit are to 1) share the importance of the fraternity that exist between us, our shared values and mutual presence 2) sustain each other in our mutual needs for our communities, 3) education, construction, healthcare.
Father Hubert would like to ask; 1) What is your level of confidence in the church today and 2) How can we keep our church vibrant and alive with our fraternal friendship?
Interview with Father Francois Charles, Fr Hubert’s associate
Saturday, October 18, 2014 in Bouzy
Father Francois Charles was born and raised in Les Cayes. He has one brother and two sisters, and both of his parents are still living in Les Cayes. From Haiti’s college level seminary to ordination it took Father Charles six years to become a priest. He is the current principal at Duverger Secondary School, where he also teaches theology and philosophy. (Duverger is one of the chapels in nearby villages covered by Fr Hubert as pastor in Bouzy.) Father Charles decided to become a priest after finishing secondary school. When he was young he always followed along the mass with the priest and loves the respect the priest received from the community. When he was going up, there was a French priest that came to his home parish for a few months, he said that during the priest’s stay, he learned a lot from him, and was influenced by the priest to join the seminary. When asked why he joined he said his faith called him to the holy service, but more importantly he wanted to do something with his life that is meaningful. Father Charles told the team that for a man in Haiti, one has very few choices to make something with one’s life. He said it was teach, go into business, or become a priest. By becoming a priest, especially in Bouzy he was able to fulfill two out of the three possible directions that he had for him. He is very thankful that God allowed him to be in Bouzy where he can do what he loves.
After the biography part of the conversation we ask Father Charles about his life as a priest, now that he is ordained. We asked him “What are some of the themes of our faith that you really want to instill in your congregation?” Father Charles replied by saying, “Community, hope, and sacrifice.” Of the three example he gave about his teachings he believes hope to be the most important. He said that too often in Haiti now, people loses hope in the face of so many struggles, and that a growing amount of people are beginning to believe that God just does not care for them. He said the earthquake really exacerbated this sensation. The people of Haiti has not been able to progress as much as the other Caribbean countries around them, Father Charles stated the people of Haiti clearly sees this trend and ask themselves all that time, why can others be prosperous and we are still poor and seems to not be able to move ahead despite everything we do. Father Charles says that the people of St Catherine’s appreciate everything St Joseph the Worker has done for the people of Bouzy, but he hopes one day they won’t have to make a call for help because they are able to stand up for themselves. He teaches hope because without it despair will ruin the last chances to give thanks for the gift God has given and to use those gifts wisely.
His two other teaching methods are based on community and sacrifice; he believes those two are very important to the people of Haiti. Community is a value that the people of Haiti hold dear. Father Charles explains that community best exemplify God and the church and is the best way to describe relationship between God and his people. He said in Haiti the community, especially a small community like in Bouzy, is mother and father to all. Just as the community takes care of its own, he believes that is the role of the church is to care for God’s own. He teaches community because he believes it cements them together for whatever challenges they may face, and if a stronger bond can come from his teachings he is glad God gives him the chance to bring his people together and work together. As for sacrifice, Father Charles told the team that without sacrifice, none of the other two teachings could be accomplished. He said sacrifice is the mechanism to building community, and from a strong community, one can have hope that things can be achieved and that God is truly with them, walking on the journey with them.
Finishing up the interview, we ask him what prayers does he say the most in the day, and he quickly responded “I’m not a confident, outspoken man, and as a priest you have to be, so every day I pray for strength, courage, and ask Jesus to walk with me and guide me on any road that I will journey down.
Mr. Lararque was born in Jamel in 1964. He is from a family of 6 children. He has 5 brothers and 1 sister. He has been working as an interpreter for more than 15 years. He is currently employed by Matthew 25; a guesthouse affiliated with the Parish Twinning Program we participate in. He has accompanied the St Joe’s teams to Bouzy several times, and helps us facilitate phone and email communications between mission trips to Bouzy. Prior to that Mr Lararque taught secondary school in Port au Prince for 15 years and interpreted for visiting teams on a part item basis.
Mr Lararque interprets for several medical teams. He makes it his duty to ensure he understands the patients’ needs and tries to make the patient feel as comfortable as possible. His top three priorities for this visit are to 1) interpret for Father Hubert, 2) understand the people of Minnesota and get to know them, and 3) connect with other friends in the US.
Mr Lararque would like the people of St Joe’s to know how much the people of Haiti love them and how they appreciate that they come to help their brother and sisters. He would like us to know that is available to help anytime.
Mr. Vicoeur Dupre (Vicoeur visited Minnesota with Fr. Hubert in 2014)
Mr Dupre was born in Aquin a small village just south west of Bouzy in 1949. He is from a family of 11 children, he has 4 sisters and 6 brothers. He is married to a very nice lady and together they have 6 grown children; 2 daugthers in France, 1 son studying medicine in Cuba, 1 daughter practicing medicine in Arcahaie, 1 in French Guyana and 1 who just finish studying administration in Port au Prince.
Mr Dupre has been working at the dispensary since 1977 and was officially hired by the government to oversee it in 1986. Mr Dupre has always had a passion for helping people with their health His responsibilities at the dispensary are to 1) archive the patient records for the government, 2) implement the immunization program for diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, rubella, measles, TB and other viral diseases and 3) deliver education programs on sanitation and disease transmission and prevention. Besides directing the clinic in Bouzy, and working very closely with Dr Mark Millis and other St Joseph the Worker medical professionals, Mr Dupree has been a leader in the St Catherine’s faith community for many years.
His vision for the dispensary is to see it become a health center similar to a small hospital with a doctor and nurses, maternity ward, laboratory with technicians and medical supplies such as microscope and other such medical tools. Long term, he would like to build separate examination rooms for men and women, build a pediatric clinic and add a stockroom, kitchen and pharmacy.
Currently the dispensary is managed by Mr Dupre, he has one nurse and some volunteers that help with janitorial tasks and security. Personally, he would like to some help for the construction of a larger space with a laboratory, beds for a maternity and pediatric area. He needs more personnel. He envisions the need for a nursing home, assisted living type of housing. In her loving memory, Mr Dupre has hung a photograph of SJTW parishioner “Jan Hancock” in the pharmacy area of the dispensary. She was one of the wonderful nurses from St Joe’s who ministered in Bouzy.
Mr Dupre’s top priorities during this visit are to 1) Get to know Minnesota, visit with Dr Mark Millis at the hospital to gain knowledge of the hospital services, 2) Encourage us in our activities regarding the school and the church 3) Nurture our relationship.
Mr Dupre would like to ask; 1) Can you support us in addressing the current healthcare needs and 2) Would you help us with the expansion project for the laboratory, the lab equipment and the technicians.
Interview January 2010
Deacon Kevin and I sat down with Father Hubert the other day and we talked about his need to build a new church for St. Catherine's in Bouzy. The present church is falling apart because of the earthquake. The people are afraid to use the church because they are afraid it will fall down on them. Much like many of the buildings fell on their relatives and friends when they were killed in the earthquake January 12, 2010. Father Hubert is very concerned about being able to construct a new church. He would like our help. Kevin and I responded saying that we will help them as much as we can within our means and limits in a way that respects the dignity, capabilities, and pride they have St. Catherine's in Bouzy. This could be through providing funds at strategic stages like design, related consulting or impasses in the construction.Thank you for your support of our sisters and brothers in Bouzy, Haiti! We are pleased the Good Lord has placed us together with our friends at St. Catherine's in Bouzy. We are mutually gifted by this extraordinary relationship. We periodically share stories at events and in the E-News of the blessings we receive from our sisters and brothers in Bouzy. We would now like to share with you the difference your financial support makes to the people of Bouzy.
For the parish fiscal year ended June 30, 2013, we spent approximately $72,000 on our Haiti outreach, and expect to spend a similar amount this fiscal year. We work closely with Fr. Hubert to assure that our spending goes to the highest community priorities, principally health and education. In-person meetings on these trips are crucial to building our relationship across cultural, language, geographic, and economic divides. We provided extremely valuable medical care, and promoted better health through education. On our last trip in March we initiated a simple in home water purification program, which is crucial to improving community health. Our physician, Dr. Mark Millis, cared for many patients in the community clinic and as well as numerous home visits. (Bouzy has no community physician.) We fulfilled our commitment to support teacher salaries at St. Catherine's and 5 outlying Catholic schools in the greater Bouzy area. We also contributed to rectory support which is used by Fr. Hubert for pressing community needs. We financed a water purification program and stocked the community dispensary with prescription medicines and medical supplies.
2013 Expenditures:
$34,000 Relationship building, including 4 visits/mission trips and communications
$21,000 Teacher salaries ($12,000 for 2013 and $9,000 catch up from prior year)
$6,000 Rectory support
$6,000 Medications (OTC and Prescription) and other dispensary supplies
$4,000 Water Purification program
$1,000 Auction items and misc other expenses
Our Haiti outreach benefits from two of St Joseph the Worker's God's Poor collections in addition to other parishioner donations. Another significant source of contributions comes from mission trip participants and their supporters due to an expectation that travelers to Haiti pay a significant portion of their trip costs. We have spent nothing on administration. 100% of contributions (both cash and in-kind) support is invested directly to benefit the people of Bouzy.
2013 Contributions:
$31,000 Parishioner donations
$11,000 Trip participant fees
$4,000 Silent auction proceeds
$4,000 Memorial donations for dispensary prescriptions
Generous contributions from earlier years allowed us to spend $22,000 more than current year receipts, and still end the fiscal year with cash of $17,000. Only donations designated for Haiti are spent on Haiti.
Other Facts:
23 Number of St. Joseph the Worker travelers to Haiti
4 Number of visits to Haiti
30+ Suitcases delivered to Haiti filled with donated medical and school supplies
Our parish Haiti Core Committee members would be delighted to tell you more, and can also help you become more involved in this blessed ministry. Core team members include Dave and Lori Henke, Leul Francois, Lucienne Fru-Tilong, Bonnie Steele, Hieu Tu, Suzanne Koenigs, Fr. Don and Deacon Kevin
– Compiled by Michelle Bartley and Deacon Kevin
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