We’ve had another very full day here in Port-au-Prince. It has been a common reality among us to forget the day of the week and even the fact that we are still in the first week of Lent. It seems like it’s been ages since Ash Wednesday. And today is only the one-week mark.
Today, we could say we have experienced the brokenness of Haiti. After our experiences of the past few days, which, although difficult, did show us a stark beauty in the Haitian people; today was a bit different.
One group left early to help with a traveling medical clinic. The nursing students in the group appreciated the opportunity to perfect their triage skills as they received more than 60 patients and through a translator were able to put together a bit of their histories. Many were seeking solace for their physical sufferings and it was a painful contrast to how we have seen the suffering lived by the patients at the Missionaries of Charity homes.
Meanwhile, the rest of the group spent the morning at the Children’s Home and enjoyed loving these children of God. We all opted to go back to the Guesthouse for our break time for some much-needed rest. Perhaps the heat of Haiti is also taking its toll.
In the afternoon, we all joined together at the Children’s Home once again and our priests concelebrated Mass for us in the Missionaries of Charity chapel. The MCs have been such an example for us while we have been down here and working by their sides has been a privilege for us.
In our reflection time tonight, we took time to share moments where other people’s testimony has touched us on the trip. Father Thomas summed it up nicely by quoting St. Paul “where sin abounded, grace abounded all the more.”
Please continue to pray for us; we rely on your prayers to help sustain us on our mission!
