I’m starting the new year on a mission trip in Haiti with 51 amazing missionaries from all over: from the south of Chile, to Texas, Iowa, Illinois, and all the way west to California.
As always, Haiti has something special. Today, while at the Home of the Dying (the house of the Missionaries of Charity for over 270 severely ill patients), Jesus passed by. Let me explain.
After two hours of dressing wounds, doing crafts with the ladies, playing soccer with the children, massage and manicure sessions, it was lunch time. Some of the missionaries were asked to help feed the bed-bound ladies in what later we discovered was the “intensive care room”. At the very far end, in the last bed in the corner, a young girl in her twenties was laying upside down. One of our missionaries, with the help of a worker, turned her around to eat, and there was a silent moment. The girl was not breathing.
I arrived seconds later. I have never felt so powerless in my life; I’m a fixer by nature (in those personality tests my acronym is “execution saves the job”). Well here I was in front of this young girl, with nothing to be done. I have no medical skills, I’m not a priest to give the last rites; for a moment I was so upset with myself, I kept repeating to myself: do something, do not just stand there, do something.
Everyone was watching – the workers, the missionaries, the other patients (the Sisters had gone out for the day, so in a sense they left us in charge) – then I remembered what Sr. Phillipe Marie had once told us years ago when a baby girl died in the Children’s Home:
“No worries. Jesus decided to take a walk around here, He saw her, and decided to take her.”
I started praying; I baptized this young girl, Darime, just in case, and then kept on with the mission. The voice of Sr. Phillipe Marie once again came to my mind:
“Pick up your heart and keep on working. Look around, there’s plenty to do: more patients to feed, people to tend to, missionaries to console.”
When we took our lunch break, I had to say something to the missionaries. They were all in absolute silence, so I decided to tell them what Sister had told me – that Jesus passed by the Home of the Dying and saw Darime and took her, that we should be happy because she was already enjoying heaven! While I was saying this, one missionary said out loud: Paola, when Jesus was passing by, we were there, too. What a privilege!
I had to hold back my tears. Jesus was passing by me once again. I truly believe that Jesus passes by us many times in our daily lives, but we are too busy to even notice Him.
Here in Haiti, Jesus passes by us every day!
The Star to Follow
Today is the Epiphany of The Lord, meaning the manifestation of Christ. The good old Magi followed the star that guided them to Jesus. I ask myself and I ask you: what is the star that we follow? The star of Jesus’ meaning, His teachings: faith, hope, love, compassion, justice, peace…or my own star: my sentiments, emotions, feelings, whims…?
One can lead me to Jesus where I am happy, peaceful, joyful, fulfilled…the other leads to solitude, unhappiness, darkness.
Take a moment to find your star that will lead you to Jesus.
