Fr. Ken’s reflections on his 4 day visit to Missionaries in Port-Au-Prince, Haiti

day 1   7/20/10Haiti…I have arrived safe and in Port-au-prince this morning, Monday, 8:00 am.  Fr. Joe and Fr. John Pierre, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, picked me up which was great because I was the only Yankee Doodle standing around with Haitians cramped under a tree to protect us from the sun.

Yes, it is amazingly hot here.  Modesty seems to dictate the norm of clothing for most men are in longpants, women are dressed more casually.  I am sweating like a dog.  The Haitians, especially those with their own wheelbarrow, seem to work with USA aid groups to clean up rubble…which is everywhere!  You can’t drive or walk a mile without seen endless number of evacuation camps/compounds which occupy literally every open piece of land, park, highway island, backyard, courtyard, church square, riverbed, …. everywhere.

People are everywhere on the streets walking, selling stuff, finding any protection from the heat.  It’s better to be outside of the tents than inside; you;d know that if you ever were in a tent when the sun was beating on it.
Yet, there are smiles among the dust; you can see who is sick with HIV/AIDS which I am told is still around as before the quake.  Though the people seem to be enjoying some process of getting food and water and shelter for living… from our standpoint this aint living.
I toured some schools today where the sisters of divine wisdom….adorable…have taken in endless numbers of little girls into their schools.  Again, this is all done in hot facric tents or wooden sided tents largely supplied by UNICEF and USAAID.  NO ONE wants to go into the buildings…
…but, of course, I am staying in a heavily damaged but SECURE building in the hills of Port Au Prince at the remainder of the Oblates of Mary Immaculate Provincial house. No running water; no phone.  I am presently hooking onto an internet signal that I know not the owner.  I can’t wait to pour some water out of a bucket over my head and wash off the day’s heat and dust.
The JOY among the missionaries abounds.  These are awesome young and old men and women.  Fr. Joe has been here for 47 years.  The sister who runs the school for the deaf and blind has been here for 40.  So much in one day!

Pictures will follow, I hope, of the destroyed the amazingly huge cathedral, the house where the bishop died, destruction and smiles of the children.  I hope. I shot mostly video today but will try to grab and upload some pics tomorrow.
So much to talk about…Catholic Relief Services, Relief from all over the world sent to PAP (port a prince), where i am told world relief money is and/or where it is not and life Living around here.  But, I am tired. 20100719220849
Just wanted to let you know that I’m okay and safe.  I’m not staying in the most stable place but seeing that the quake before this year’s wasn’t until 1911.  God is good so I’m really not worried. None of the other residents are…thuogh I do know the escape route (i aint stupid)  be grateful for all the gifts we Americans enjoy.  Don’t sweat the small shit.  As you can see around here…life’s way to brittle and easy to be snuffed out.   Ken          20100719220849