Wrapping things up

Although we have only been here for three weeks it feels like we have been here a very long time. Our two worlds are so far apart in so many ways. Our trip back from Port was uneventful, just as we pray for. We got home early in the day, but after so many days of travel, I was too tired to even think about what I needed to do. I know Bob felt the same way. Besides we knew we had meetings every day until we leave.

Thursday we met with Sami and Sr. Pat. Sami is an American Mary knoll lay Missionary she and Abby have moved into the Gro Morne area recently. Currently, they are staying with the sisters but have rented a house of their own in Gros Morne. Sami ‘s training is in administration but has developed an interest in agriculture, she has agreed to help at the Center. This will be truly a blessing. In the meeting, she had a lot of enthusiasm and interest in helping to continue to develop the Center. We look forward to working with her.

We then met with Abby and sister Pat. Abby has a degree in education. We know God sent her to us, our teachers greatly need to train as teachers. You can have knowledge but lack the skills to pass it on to another person. It is our desire that we would have the students be able to learn in different ways, not just rote memory. Abby seems interested in helping to develop workshops for the teachers. She is also going to work at the schools to develop soccer teams. Our oldest son is the president of a large Soccer club in Tennessee and has the desire to sister with a club here. It looks like his club can help to give the clubs here in our parish the things they need. This will be a wonderful thing for the children.

The little boy JonGary that was in the hospital last week got out on Tuesday. He needed to go back Saturday for more tests. The father does not speak clearly so I have difficulty understanding him, because of this I am not sure what his problems are. By looking at the prescriptions it looks like asthma and infection.

The day before we evacuated last month we found a tailoring school for our young friend Kenly. He came by on Friday to show us that he already can make a shirt. He had two he had made. They were made from paper and hand sewn together but were a perfect fit for him. He was beaming with pride at his accomplishment. We are very proud of him. This week he will start to work with fabric and sew on a treadle sewing machine.

Friday afternoon Louie Nell met us in Gros Morne at our friend Gail and Jonathan house. We have very little internet and Gail was letting us use her internet so we could answer emails and download books. Bob and LouieNell went to buy Sr. Augustane a smartphone so she could send her school reports over the internet. After we went out to dinner with Gail and our friend Geri to a new restaurant in town. Gail had been raving about how good this restaurant was, well everything I wanted to order they did not have. The only thing they had was beans and rice no sauce. Gail got them to make a sauce.

We met with Sr. Augustane Saturday morning to wrap up school bushiness for Kalabot, She is such a sweet and kind woman. She has been learning a little English and loves to try it out. The Haitian sisters had made us a bunch of this traditional peanut candy and had other gifts for us and each of the sister parishes. Sr. Augustane was thrilled to get the phone, we had LouieNell come to town and show her how to use the phone.

Fr. Dashemy joined us and we met with him about the schools and other parish business. Things are very hard for him. He basically has nothing. He has no church, no rectory ( he is just couch surfing), no reliable income ( the people are so poor the collections are very minimal maybe 5 to 10 Us dollars a week). When Fr. Chris was here he said he wanted to talk to his friends from Seminary to see if they would help to rent a place for Fr. Dashemy to live. We thought that was very kind. Father has an old and tired truck that has multiple problems. The parish has four schools and chapels. Sr. Pat’s school is one of the schools, two of ours and then a fourth with no support. This morning I got up at 5:30 to drive him to a person\’s yard to say Mass. The Mass was wonderful and many people came. On the way back I explained the miracles we have seen in our work when we could not see a way that things could work out. The lessons Bob and I have learned about the work here, it is not us that is in control but our heavenly Father.

This afternoon we are meeting with the teachers here in Garcin and Fr. Dashemey. After that meeting, we will meet with the superintendent of the schools in the new parish. Please keep this new parish in your prayers, they have as much spirit as needs.

The political situation here has been pretty calm, a few scattered protest but nothing that can’t be avoided. The opposition leaders called for large protests last Friday but the people did not respond.

We are so very thankful. There is a scarcity of gas and diesel again, but the Haitian goude has gained a little strength. Everything else seems back to normal . The U.S. has not lowered the security risk from a four, which is hard for us Americans working here; one reason is unless you have the Knights of Columbus life insurance, most other insurances will not pay if something happens to us. The level four security risk also prohibits other aid groups from coming, this not only effects the people receiving there much-needed help but the guest houses and resorts are really hurting. All we can do is pray for these poor people that struggle each day with a smile on their face.

Thank you for your prayers and your interest,

Denise