Feed the hungry, cure the sick, console the suffering…in normal settings these works of mercy take a month or longer to do. In Haiti, it’s all in a day’s work.
Today, desperation, suffering and pain were all quite tangible.
Desperation — because while many of us were distributing food for 200 families, another missionary witnessed a young mother attempt to leave her two babies at the sister’s orphanage. Thanks to the intervention of one of the Missionaries of Charity the mother stayed with the children.
Suffering — because when I was passing through the babies’ ward when one of the missionaries embraced me:
“Another baby has just died,” she said through her tears. “I felt so helpless, I couldn’t do anything but pray.”
I looked at her and said, “Prayer was the best thing.”
Pain — because nine of our missionaries went to dress wounds. These are not ‘paper cuts.’ In the States these wounds would require surgery or amputation. Upon their return, I asked one of them how it was, she answered, “I’m really happy; I was doing it to Jesus. Where else would I have done this?”
What are these missionaries seeking? They are seeking to love and be loved. Today they loved.
