A Community of Hope

Wedding at Bondeau --part of the Ste. Marie Madeleine celebration

Fr. Smith Milien, priest-in-charge of St. Paul et les Martyrs d’Haiti, Miami, wrote this report in French (below) of his visit to Bondeau, Haiti, in July. The English translation is by Michael Armstrong, associate provost at Florida Atlantic University, who is a member of St. Paul’s, Delray Beach, and an active participant in the South Florida Haiti Project.

For more on the ministry partnership at Bondeau, read Deacon Anita Thorstad's blog of her latest visit.

I had the opportunity of visiting the community of Bondeau during the weekend of July 23 to 25 with the aim of taking part in the celebration (of the feast day) of the church of St. Mary Magdalene. Bondeau is located approximately four kilometers (2.5 miles) from the city of Miragoane, in the south of Haiti, on the road that leads to Petit Trou de Nippes. St. Mary Magdalene is a congregation connected to the Parish of St. Paul in Petit Trou de Nippes.

It was for me a propitious opportunity to observe how, with few resources, the Episcopal Church is engaged in the promotion of a gradual renewal within a poor community in the region of southwest Haiti.

The Church of St. Mary Magdalene does not yet have a church building but on a clear, spacious ground a school is already built, as well as a dormitory which serves as the center of housing and operations (Friendship House/Maison d’Amitié), and three residential complexes where 12 families benefit from a pilot project to provide housing.

The celebration of the feast day had been planned for Sunday, July 25, 2010, but the sound equipment and amplification had already been installed under a sort of improvised canopy for a program of revivals (literally awakenings) during the two previous evenings. Saturday, the 24th, in the morning four couples among those residents of the previously mentioned housing project had their marriages blessed. Then 30 children were baptized. In the afternoon of the same day there was a graduation ceremony for around 143 students of a training program named Promotion Octave Lafontant in honor of the late priest. Octave Lafontant was the first priest in this region of Nippes and founded the Church of St. Mark at Jeanette, which is also near Miragoane. The graduates received their training in auto mechanics, electricity and tiling.

The great celebration of Sunday, July 25 shone especially by its solemn nature, with a sweeping procession: five priests, one deacon, 16 seminarians (among them, an American), and the acolytes of the local mission. Some lay missionaries from the United States had arrived well before at Bondeau with the aim of participating in the feast day. Worshipers from other parishes in the jurisdiction of Father Gracia, priest (rector) of the region, braved the difficulties of transportation to be present early in Bondeau, with the goal of assuring the brilliance of the celebration, in which the local church choir sang also with the choirs of the churches of St. Paul, Petit Trou de Nippes, and St. Marc, Jeanette.

All of this aroused in me a peculiar appreciation as to the missionary vision of our church, which continues to keep itself firmly in the heart of a Haiti which is still on its knees. The Episcopal Church witnesses in these moments, in the region of Nippes, its faithfulness before the liberating gospel of Christ and its involvement in the education of the people.
This is why it remains important for us to recognize the merit (worthiness) which the ministry of our church enjoys in Bondeau, and the necessity to provide the indispensable support for its development and its complete emancipation (independence).

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UNE COMMUNAUTE D’ESPERANCE

J’ai eu l’opportunité de visiter la communauté de Bondeau, au cours de la fin de semaine, allant du 23 au 25 de juillet dernier, dans le but de participer á la fête de l’église Sainte Marie Madeleine. Bondeau est situé á environ 4 Kilometres de la ville de Miragoane, au le sud d’Haiti, sur le chemin qui conduit á Petit Trou de Nippes. Sainte Marie Madeleine est une congrégation attachée á la Paroisse Saint Paul, Petit Trou de Nippes.

Ce fut pour moi une occasion propice d’observer comment avec peu de ressources, l’Eglise Episcopale, s’est engagé dans la promotion d’un renouvellement graduel au sein d’une communauté pauvre de la région du sud’ouest d’Haiti.

L’Eglise Sainte Marie Madeleine ne dispose pas encore d’un Temple, mais sur un propre terrain assez spacieux, une école est déjà construite; aussi bien: un dortoire, comme maison principale et centre d’opérations, et 3 complexes résidentielles ou 12 familles, se bénéficient d’un projet pilote de logements.

La célébration de la fête était prévue pour le dimanche 25 juillet 2010. Mais, des équipes de son, et d’ampliphication étaient déjá installées, sous une sorte de tente-tonnelle improvisée, pour la réalisation d’un programe de réveils, durant les deux soirées précédentes. Le samedi 24 dans la matinée, 4 couples, parmi lesquels des résidents du mentionné projet de logement, recurent la bénédiction de leurs mariages. Puis 30 enfants ont été baptisés. Dans l’après midi de ce même jour, c’était la cérémonie de la graduation d’environ 143 étudiants d’un programme de formation, dénnomée: Promotion Octave Lafontant, en hommage au feu RP. Octave Lafontant, le premier prêtre qui avait fait mission dans cette zone de Nippes, et fonda l’église Saint Marc de Jeanette, tout près de Miragoane aussi. Les gradués ont recu des formations en: mécanique auto, électricité et céramique.

La grande célébration du dimanche 25 juillet, brillait surtout par sa nature solennelle, avec une procession oú déferlent: 5 prêtres, 1 diacre, 16 séminaristes, (entr’eux, un américain), et des acolytes de la mission locale. Des missionaires laiques, provenant des Estats Unis étaient, bien auparavant, arrivés á Bondeau, dans le but de participer á la fête. Des fidèles provenant des autres Paroisses de la jurisdiction du Père Gracia, Curé de la zone, bravaient les difficultés de transport pour être présents de très tot á Bondeau, dans le but d’assurer l’éclat de la célébration, oú á part de la Chorale de l’église locale, chantaient aussi les Chorales des Eglises Saint Paul, Petit Trou de Nippes, et Saint Marc, Jeanette.

Tout ce contenu a provoqué en moi, une appréciation péculière, quant á la visión missionaire de notre Eglise, laquelle continue á se tenir ferme au sein d’une Haiti qui trote encore sur ses genoux. L’église Episcopale témoigne en ces moments, dans la zone des Nippes, sa fidélité, face á l’evangile libératrice du Christ et son engagement face á l’éducation des peuples.

C’est pourquoi, il demeure important pour nous, de reconnaitre le mérite dont jouit le ministère de notre église á Bondeau, et la nécessité d’en fournir tous les appuis indispensables á son developpement et sa complette émancipation.

A visit with Bishop Duracin in Haiti

Bishop Duracin welcomes Bishop Frade to the ruins of his home.

More photos from Archdeacon Bryan Hobbs of the June 3 visit to Haiti are here.

June 9, 2010

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

I want to share with you the results of our visit with Bishop Jean Zaché Duracin on June 3 in Port-au-Prince and Leogane, two areas that suffered the worst damage from the January earthquake.

Archdeacon Fritz Bazin, Archdeacon Bryan Hobbs and I met for about eight hours with Bishop Duracin, traveling with him as he showed us some of the places where destruction was major and where our churches, rectories, schools, hospitals and other facilities are in immediate need of help.

One of our stops was at what used to be his home, which was connected to two apartment buildings that were also property of the Diocese of Haiti. Both his home and the apartments were completely destroyed; they still haven’t been able to recover the body of one of the nine people killed there.

Mercifully, the bishop had just stepped out of his home to receive a visitor when the earthquake happened. His daughters were able to run out in time, but his wife was trapped by an iron gate. As they dragged her out of the rubble, she received a deep cut in her leg that later became infected. After being treated at the hospital in Cange, she had to be flown first to the US Navy’s hospital ship and then to Tampa General Hospital for several operations. She is still in our neighboring Diocese of Southwest Florida, recovering and undergoing therapy.

As you probably know, Cathedrale Ste. Trinité--Trinity Cathedral--in Port-au-Prince was completely destroyed, as well as the adjacent school, where many students died. The diocese has built some temporary wooden classrooms so that the children can complete the school year.

While we visited the grounds where the cathedral used to stand we were able to see and hear the Haiti Symphonic Orchestra, which was rehearsing under a temporary shelter. It was startling to hear classical music coming from a run-down temporary shelter in the midst of the ruins of the cathedral.

The Eglise Episcopale d’Haiti has always taken justifiable pride in its involvement with and encouragement of the arts. Our church made it possible for Haitians gifted in music, the visual arts and other forms of expression to share their talents with the world, as well as with their own people. As a result of this support for the arts, Trinity Cathedral had the most beautiful murals of Bible stories on all of its walls. Fragments of these remain, and UNESCO is now interested in trying to rescue this patrimony of humanity that was so badly damaged in the earthquake.

It was also very sad for me to see the empty lot where St. Vincent School for the Handicapped, where perhaps thousands of children with disabilities had been helped. Many of the children died when the building collapsed.

As we drove around we could see not only the apocalyptic destruction of Port-au-Prince, but also the sturdiness and valor of the Haitian people. Children continue going to school and the few businesses left are open and functioning; but we also saw the tremendous danger in which the population finds itself. It’s hard to describe how fragile and crowded are the tents where people are living at present. I pray that God will spare Haiti from a hurricane this season because even a Category One storm will endanger thousands and thousands of people.

We drove to Leogane, the birthplace of many Episcopalians in our diocese, including the Rev. Smith Milien, the priest-in-charge of St. Paul et les Martyrs d’Haiti, Miami. The work of the Episcopal Church in Leogane began in the 19th century, and expanded over the years to provide Ste. Croix Hospital, severely damaged in the earthquake, and a nursing school, which miraculously survived the earthquake and is now serving the tent hospital where doctors currently live and treat patients.

Today there are several Episcopal churches in and around Leogane, but unfortunately they are damaged.

One of them, Ste. Croix (Holy Cross), is just an empty shell. We met Father Kelwin Delicat, the vicar of that congregation, at his home; the rectory is unsafe, and like so many Haitians, he currently lives in a small tent.

Holy Cross School was also destroyed and children are studying in tents.

The bishop of Haiti, Jean Zaché Duracin, is very appreciative for all the help that we have been able to provide and for our generous contribution for the relief of the people and the church.

The Diocese of Haiti is now developing a reconstruction plan to provide housing, restore our churches, and of course, to continue feeding the hungry and healing the sick.

I commend the work that several of our congregations are continuing in partnerships in Haiti established long before Jan. 12. But I want you to know that as I told you when I first asked in January for your help for our sisters and brothers in Haiti, the funds donated to Episcopal Charities of Southeast Florida for our diocesan Haiti Fund are being disbursed at the direction of Bishop Duracin and his diocese, and will go primarily for immediate aid and rebuilding in Port-au-Prince and Leogane, where the damage is most severe and the needs are great.

To date we have given close to $100,000, most of it for direct, immediate needs, including several trailers, many tents, medical equipment and other relief supplies. We will continue to provide funds to the Diocese of Haiti to help our sister and brother Episcopalians serve their neighbors and begin to rebuild their ministries.

Haiti and the Haitian Episcopal Church need your prayers and help. We are their only lifeline, and I know we will not fail them.

Blessings,

+Leo Frade
Bishop of Southeast Florida

Visit Haiti with the South Florida Haiti Project--July 21-26, 2010

House under construction in Bondeau

You can join members of the South Florida Haiti Project on a visit to your sisters and brothers in Christ at Ste. Marie Madeleine Parish in Bondeau, Haiti, this summer, and experience the joy of worship, fellowship, and love.

The group will fly to Port au Prince from Ft. Lauderdale on July 21 and return on July 26. The cost for the stay in Bondeau is $450, which includes room and meals at Ste. Marie Madeleine’s Maison d’Amitie; a deposit of $100 is required one month prior to the trip. Airfare for the round-trip on American Airlines is additional.

You will have an opportunity to: Drive through Port au Prince to see the devastation from the earthquake and the beginnings of recovery; join Ste. Marie Madeline parishioners for Sunday service and the celebration of the feast day of Ste. Marie Madeleine (July 22); help with preparation of feast day party and serving the meal; teach your favorite hobby; play games with children; and walk through community and mountain trails accompanied by local guide.

People with medical skills are needed to teach hygiene.

South Florida Haiti Project recommends a visit to Passport Health for inoculations and malaria preventative pills.

All South Florida Haiti Project travelers are required to complete an application which contains important information for SFHP as well as the visitor. The application can be obtained by email to Deacon Anita Thorstad at aspire312@comcast.net.

For more information on the ministries in Bondeau, see www.southfloridahaitiproject.org.

South Florida Haiti Project announces three new programs

The site of the SFHP housing project in Bondeau, Haiti.

The South Florida Haiti Project (SFHP), a coalition that includes St. Gregory’s, Boca Raton; St. Paul’s, Delray Beach; Holy Spirit, West Palm Beach; and Good Shepherd, Tequesta, in partnership with Ste. Marie Madeleine parish in Bondeau, Haiti, has recently begun three new programs.

David Gury of St. Gregory’s, co-chair of the diocesan Haitian Recovery Committee and a member of the executive committee of SFHP, describes these new initiatives:

1) Building a model housing unit with four rooms to accommodate four families along with a latrine with separate doors for each unit. This is being constructed on property owned by Ste. Marie Madeleine, Bondeau. If this unit is successful, we plan to raise funds to acquire additional land, and build additional units for between $3,000 and $4,000 per family room. For people sleeping with a blue tarp as their roof and walls, this will be a huge improvement.

2) Establishing a trade school at Bondeau using the existing schoolrooms after regular school time. This requires an initial investment in training equipment for electrical, plumbing and tile design and installation. The initial investment is being funded from the South Florida Haiti Project funds of $11,000. The cost of instructors, expense for feeding and training between 50 and 100 students from the Bondeau community for three months, including apprentice time, is $19,000 for the class. SFHP has received funding for this from the Haiti fund of Episcopal Charities of Southeast Florida. With the loss of many people from the building trades in the earthquake, as well as the loss of trade school buildings, this project has significant importance for reconstruction times in Haiti, and will also provide needed job training for people without other opportunities.

3) St. Gregory's has an endowment fund to support seminarians, the Helena von Kreuter Seminarian Fund. Through the South Florida Haiti Project, a request was made and approved by the St. Gregory's vestry to support three Haitian seminarians with $2,000 per year for up to three years. This could be a total grant of $18,000 over three years for seminary support. While the seminary of the Diocese of Haiti was destroyed in the earthquake, there are currently 17 seminarians continuing their studies in temporary facilities until more permanent facilities are built. With so few clergy currently serving in the Diocese of Haiti, the need for seminarians studying to become deacons and priests is vital for continuing to build up the Church in Haiti. “Church” in this case refers to the people rather than the buildings. The financial support from the von Kreuter Fund has been very significant for seminary students in the Diocese of Southeast Florida in the past. Including the Diocese of Haiti in this seminarian support is a significant part of our relationship with Haiti.

Helping Haiti update--March 15-21

Donations for Haiti are piling up at St. Paul et les Martyrs d’Haiti, but there’s still plenty of space in the trailer, which is scheduled to be shipped on Mar. 22—just a week from today. Don’t forget to bring your donations this week to the church, 6744 N. Miami Ave., Miami. Items needed include: medical and hygiene supplies, towels, toys, water and non-perishable (preferably ready-to-eat) food. (NO clothing, please—they already have many boxes of clothing and shoes.)

Saturday, Mar. 20 at 5 p.m., there will be a Eucharist (celebrated in French and Creole) at St. Paul’s to pray for the people of Haiti and to bless the trailer before it is shipped. Everyone in the diocese is invited.

Sunday, Mar. 21, the Rev. Lauren Stanley, appointed missionary of the Episcopal Church in the Diocese of Haiti, will be at Trinity Cathedral, Miami, preaching at both the 8 and 10 a.m. services and leading the adult forum following the 10 a.m. service. Since the earthquake she has served as a liaison between the Diocese of Haiti and the Episcopal Church in this country, going back and forth between the United States and Haiti, and posting all available information to her blog, Go Into the World. She will provide an up-to-date first-hand account of the situation in Haiti.

Another opportunity to help Haiti

From Mar. 1-22, there will be a trailer set up at St. Paul et les Martyrs d’Haiti, 6744 N. Miami Ave., Miami, for collection of supplies for Haiti. Fr. Smith Milien, priest-in-charge of St. Paul’s, is requesting medical and hygiene supplies, towels, toys and non-perishable (preferably ready-to-eat) food—but NO clothing.

On Mar. 20 at 5 p.m., there will be a Eucharist (celebrated in French and Creole) at St. Paul’s to pray for the people of Haiti and to bless the trailer before it is shipped. Everyone in the diocese is invited.

Our deacon in Haiti

Deacon Anita Thorstad of St. Gregory’s, Boca Raton, has been in Bondeau, Haiti, since Feb. 19 and plans to stay through Easter, returning on Apr. 6. She’s assisting at Ste. Marie Madeleine parish in Bondeau, which has been St. Gregory’s sister congregation for the past eight years.

Read her daily postings from Bondeau here.

Worship in the Ruins

Fr. Frantz Casseus, former chair of our diocesan Haitian Commission, returned to Haiti the day before the earthquake and is now a member of the Crisis Commission established by the Diocese of Haiti.

He has been officiating at services “in the backyard” of the rubble that was Cathédrale Sainte Trinité, the cathedral of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti. On Jan. 31 the first Eucharist since the earthquake was held on the cathedral site, with 143 worshipers sitting on whatever chairs could be found.

Since that first service, a temporary worship structure has been set up at the cathedral site with pews salvaged from the cathedral ruins and sheltered with plastic sheeting stretched over a wooden frame. Casseus sent the photo above, which shows the service on Sunday, Feb. 14, attended by more than 350 people. He said that more than 600 attended a memorial service at the end of Haiti’s nationwide weekend of mourning that marked the one-month anniversary of the Jan. 12 earthquake.

Fr. Smith Milien reports on Haiti

"The population is sleeping in the streets," Fr. Smith Milien said. Here he shares outdoor sleeping accommodations with earthquake survivors in Port-au-Prince.

An "epistle" from Haiti

On Saturday, Jan. 23, more than 230 worshipers from around the diocese gathered at Holy Sacrament, Pembroke Pines, for a Eucharist for Haiti. Bishop Leo Frade was celebrant, with the Haitian clergy of the diocese concelebrating. The choirs of Holy Sacrament and St. Paul et les Martyrs d’Haiti, Miami, led songs in English, French and Creole. The offering of $4,781 went to the Haiti Fund of Episcopal Charities of Southeast Florida.

Frade introduced Fr. Smith Milien, priest-in-charge of St. Paul et les Martyrs d’Haiti, who had just returned from a trip to Haiti, saying that Milien would present “an epistle to the people of Southeast Florida from the people of Haiti.”

Here is Milien’s report, both in English translation and in the original French.
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A Report on the Situation in Haiti after the Earthquake

The Rt. Rev. Leopold Frade, bishop of the Diocese of Southeast Florida,
Dear colleagues, members of the clergy,
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

I am thankful for the timely decision of our diocesan bishop that allowed me the possibility of traveling so soon to Haiti with my brother, Sophonie, to be better informed about the situation caused by the earthquake on Tuesday, Jan. 12, and to see my family members and friends affected by the disaster, with whom I hadn’t been able to communicate before.

My thanks go also on behalf of the Haitian community of this diocese to my Episcopal brothers and sisters, for their attention and their interest in us and our families after they learned that our country had been seriously battered by this terrible catastrophe.

After traveling through the Dominican Republic, we were in Haiti from Saturday, Jan, 16, through Wednesday, Jan. 20. During those five days in Haiti, we were able to verify the damage caused by the earthquake, which permits to me to present this report to you.

Port-au-Prince, the capital of Haiti, with a population of about 3,000,000 people, was 90 per cent affected. The main offices of the Haitian State have been destroyed; only rubble can be seen at the National Palace, the Premature, the Justice Palace, the Congress, the General Office of Taxes, and at the offices of the Secretaries of Finances, of Public Health and Population and of the Internal and National Defense. Hundreds of the injured are lying outside the General Hospital, where the building is still standing, but with damage in a number of places. We also found first-aid stations or emergency clinics in many places around of the capital and its surroundings.

The Roman Catholic Cathedral is destroyed, and other churches like Sacre Coeur of Turgeau, and Sainte Therese in Darbonne, no longer exist. The archbishop of Port-au-Prince, the Rt. Rev. Serge Miot, and Bishop Benoit of the Roman Church, are dead. Seminarians and religious lost their lives. The shadow of the death hovers over the city.

Episcopal Bishop Jean Zaché Duracin doesn’t yet have a complete evaluation of the damage throughout the diocese. The bishop’s house is destroyed. His wife, Edith Duracin, has fractures in a leg, and is now receiving the necessary care. But the clergy are safe, as are the religious-- no injury, no death among them. However, at least eight Episcopal parishioners have already been reported dead, among them Vesta Joseph and her son, two members of Epiphany Church, my beloved parish. We personally witnessed that the Holy Trinity Cathedral has been reduced to debris. The College St. Pierre, the Convent Ste. Margaret, the St. Vincent school, the Episcopal University have all collapsed. Other churches and schools in Leogane, Darbonne, Matthieu, Buteau and Trouin were destroyed, too.

In the country we do not have yet an exact count, but we estimate that the number of the deaths is up to about 200,000 people, and about 300,000 people are injured. We observed dozens of corpses everywhere in the streets. Others are still shrouded by the rubble, causing a nauseating stench all around. The city itself has become a source of contamination.

In Port-au-Prince, as in other areas affected in the Department of West, South and Southeast, the population is sleeping in the streets or in open fields as a precaution, for fear of the risk of aftershocks, like the one that occurred on Wednesday, Jan. 20, at about 6 a.m. with an intensity near 6.2 on the Richter scale. On the grounds of College St. Pierre, our Church has welcomed about 3,000 people, sheltered under tents. There are also victims staying on the grounds of the Holy Spirit school in Darbonne.

People from many countries of the world are there giving help and showing their solidarity. Electric power has not been reestablished yet, and communication is still difficult. The sale of fuel is improving slowly. Some banks whose buildings remain standing are closed. Air travel is still made through Dominican Republic, the neighboring country, which has shown unprecedented solidarity with Haiti in these circumstances. The Dominican Episcopal Church has maintained a limited communication with that of Haiti.

During our visit we were able to provide spontaneous help to transport an injured woman who had been abandoned. She had begun to have infections from injuries in her back and feet, and had not yet seen a doctor in the seven days since the earthquake.

My cousin Nadege died under the rubble; my cousin Jean-Gardy’s wife died, and the child of one other cousin is dead. They had to cut off the right arm of one of my cousins, and his father, who is my godfather, is hospitalized because of multiple fractures, particularly in his right foot and left arm.

But many survivors are again praising the name of Jesus. They thank God because their lives have been saved.

Our Church now faces a great challenge of solidarity. We are concerned, and we are also called to participate in the work of rebuilding Haiti. We can do this especially through the Episcopal Church of Haiti. Such rebuilding will certainly take time, but it will be possible, because with God all is possible.

Then let us pray to the Almighty that he may protect forever all the countries of the world from a catastrophe like this; and during the present time, let’s continue to thank our heavenly Father, because we are certain that to this moment, the Lord has helped us. To him are the glory, the honor and magnificence forever and ever. Amen
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INFORMATIONS SUR LA SITUATION D’HAITI APRES LE TREMBLEMENT DE TERRE

Mgr. Leopold Frade, Evêque du diocèse of Southeast Florida
Chers collègues, membres du Clergé
Chers frères et soeurs dans le Christ,

Je remercie la décision opportune de l’Evêque du diocèse qui m’a accordé la possibilité de voyager ponctuellement en Haiti, accompagné de mon frère Sophonie, dans le but de mieux connaitre la situation provoquée par le tremblement de terre du mardi 12 Janvier 2010, et voir les membres de ma famille et amis affectés, avec qui je ne pouvais pas me communiquer avant.
Des remerciements vont aussi, au nom de la communauté haitienne de ce diocèse, á tous mes frères et soeurs épiscopaliens pour leur attention et leur intéret de savoir á notre sujet et au sujet de nos proches, depuis qu’ils savaient que notre pays avait été frappé sérieusement par un terrible catastrophe.

En effet, nous avions été lá-bas du samedi 16 au mercredi 20 Janvier dernier, passant par la République Dominicaine. Durant ces 5 jours en Haiti, nous avions pu constater les dégats causés par le tremblement de terre, ce qui me permet de vous présenter mon témoignage.

Port-au-Prince, la capitale d’Haiti d’une population d’environ 3.000.000 d’habitants fut affectée á 90%. Les principaux sièges de bureaux de l’Etat haitien ont été détruits. On ne voit que des décombres: au Palais National, á la Primature, au Palais de Justice, au Palais Législatif, au bureau des contributions, aux sièges des Secrétaireries des Finances, de la Santé Publique et de la Population, de L’Intérieure et de la Défence Nationale…, des centaines de blessés sont acuéillis sur la cour de l’Hopital général, dont l’édiffice est encore debout, mais avec des dommages par ci et par lá. On trouve aussi des postes de secours ou clinics pontuels dans plusieurs endroits de la capitale et de ces environs

La Cathédrale de l’Eglise Romaine est détruite, d’autres églises comme Sacré Coeur de Turgeau, Sainte Térèse á Darbonne, ne sont plus. l’Archevêque de Port-au-Prince, Mgr. Serge Miot et l’Evêque Benoit de l’Eglise Romaine ont trouvé la mort. Des séminaristes, des religieuses ont perdu leurs vies. L’ombre de la mort planait sur la ville.

L’Evêque de l’Eglise Episcopale d’Haiti, Mgr. Jean Zaché Duracin, n’a pas encore une évaluation complete des dommages au niveau du diocèse. L’évéché oú il résidait est tombée. Son épouse Edith Duracin, a recu des fractures au pied, et elle recoit actuellement les soins nécessaires. Mais le Clergé a été préservé, les religieuses aussi. Pas de blessés, pas de morts. Néanmoins près de 8 membres de l’église Episcopale, sont déjá reportés morts, l’une d’entre’eux, Vesta Joseph ainsi que son fils mort, étaient de de l’Epiphanie, ma bien-aimée Parroisse. Nous constatons personnellement que la Cathédrale Sainte Trinité et réduite en débri0s. Le college St. Pierre, le Couvent Ste. Marguerite, l’Ecole St. Vincent, l’Université Episcopale, ont été sucombés. D’autres églises et écoles á: Léogane, Darbonne, Matthieu, Buteau, Trouin ont été détruites aussi.


Dans le pays, on n’a pas encore un chiffre exact, mais on estime que le nombre des morts, est élevé á près de 200.000 personnes, et près de 300.000 de blessés. Nous avons observé des dizaines de morts dans les rues, d’autres demeurent encore ensevélis sous les décombres, dégageant des odeurs noséabondes dans les entourages. La ville est actuellement une source de contamination.

A port-au-Prince, comme dans les zones affectées dans les departements de: l’Ouest, du Sud et du Sud-ouest; la population dort en pleine rue ou dans des savanes, par précaution ou par crainte; car il existe encore des risques de répliques facheuses comme celui du mercredi 20 Janvier dernier, aux environs de 6.00 du matin, avec une intensité de près de 6.2 dans l’échelle de Ritcher. Sur le terrain du College Saint Pierre notre Eglise accueille près de 3.000 personnes, oú des tentes sont placées pour les proteger. Il y en aussi des sinistrés sur le terrain de l’Eglise Saint Esprit á Darbonne, Léogane.

Représantants de différents pays du globe sont sur place fournissant des aides, manifestant ainsi leur solidarité. L’énergie électrique n’est pas encore retablie, la communication reste encore difficile. La vente des combustibles s’améliore lentement. Quelques banques dont leurs édiffices demeurent encore debouts sont fermés. Les voyages aériens se font toujours voie Rép. Dominicaine, le pays voisin qui en cette circonstance a manifesté une solidarité sans précédente.
L’Eglise Episcopale Dominicaine a maintenu une étroite communication avec celle d’Haiti.

Durant notre séjour nous avions aidé d’une manière spontanée á la transportation d’une dame blessée qui avait été abandonée á son compte, alors qu’elle commencait á avoir des inffections, causées par des blessures au dos et aux pieds, depuis le jour du seisme, puissequ’elle n’avait pas été encore vue par un médecin, après 7 jours.

Ma cousine Nadège est morte sous des décombres, la femme de mon cousin Jean-Gardy est morte, l’enfant d’une autre cousine est morte aussi. On a du emputer le bras droit d’un de mes cousins, alors que son père qui est mon parrain est encore hospitalisé, á cause des fractures recues dans ses membres, particulièrement, au pied droit,et au bras gauche.

Mais nombreux survivants louent encore le nom de Jésus. Ils rendent leur action de grace á Dieu, parce qu’ils ont la vie sauve.

Notre Eglise se trouve actuellement face á un grand défit de solidarité. Nous sommes concernés et appelés nous aussi á participer dans les travaux de la reconstruction d’Haiti. Oui nous pouvons le faire d’une manière spéciale par moyen de l’Eglise Episcopale d’Haiti. Telle reconstruction prendra certainement du temps, mais elle est possible. Car avec Dieu tout est possible.

Alors, prions le tout-puissant, pour qu’il se plaise d’épargner á jamais, á tous les pays du monde d’un catastrophe de genre. Pendant ce temps, continuons alors á rendre grace á notre père céleste, car nous sommes certains que jusqu’ici, le Seigneur nous a aidés. A lui soit la gloire, l’honneur et la magnificence, pour les siècles des siècles. Amen.

Some other ways to help

Church of the Resurrection, Biscayne Park, has put its request for help for Haiti right out front.

January 22, 2010

Our congregations are finding a variety of ways to collect funds to help the people of Haiti.

Several young people at All Angels, Miami Springs, set up a stand in their neighborhood on the Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday to sell lemonade and brownies, and raised over $500.

The gift shop at Trinity Cathedral, Miami, is currently donating 20% of all sales to Haiti relief.

The choir at St. Thomas, Coral Gables, will present a concert on Feb. 21 at 3 p.m.; admission is free, but donations are requested for Red Cross efforts in Haiti, and a grant will match funds raised up to $10,000. Click here for more information.

St. David’s, Wellington, is partnering with Live Arts Florida to present a concert by Grammy-winning violinist Mark O’Connor on Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. in the WCHS Theatre on the campus of Wellington Community High School, 2101 Greenview Shores Blvd., Wellington. Profits from ticketing, parking and concessions will go to Episcopal Charities of Southeast Florida for Haiti. Click here for information.

Message from the Crisis Commission, Diocese of Haiti

January 21, 2010



The picture above shows part of the tent city in Port-au-Prince where Bishop Jean Zaché Duraçin and many of the diocesan clergy are living and ministering to several thousand people who are no homeless after the earthquake. (Credit Jois Goursse Celestin/Episcopal Life Online)





Today Bishop Frade and Archdeacon Bazin received the message below from Fr. Frantz Casseus, who had been serving in our diocese, had just returned to serve in the Diocese of Haiti on the day before the earthquake. He has been appointed by Bishop Duracin to serve as a member of a diocesan Special Crisis Commission; the message he sends is from that commission.

EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF HAITI

January 21, 2010

Greetings in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ

The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti, Anglican Communion, is facing one of its worst catastrophes in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that occurred on January 12, 2010.

A special Crisis Commission established by the Bishop of Haiti, the Rt. Rev. J Zaché Duraçin, is working under his guidance to help manage this crisis.

Millions of people are now homeless. College St-Pierre, one of the best high schools in Port-au-Prince, is unfortunately completely destroyed, and its property is being used as an emergency shelter for approximately 3,000 displaced people coming from all over the capital without any consideration given to religion, creed and social class.

As a direct result of the earthquake, eighty-five (85%) percent of the Diocesan institutions have been destroyed or severely damaged: For instance, Léogane, one of our largest deaneries, sustained about 90% damage. The following institutions within the capital are destroyed:

The Bishop’s Court; Holy Trinity Cathedral; Holy Trinity Complex (Elementary, Music and Trade Schools; St-Margaret’s Convent; Foyer Notre Dame; Universite Episcopale d’Haiti; St Vincent Centre for Handicapped Children; St-Martin’s kindergarten,
Secondary school and rectory; Episcopal Theological Seminary.

In Léogane and the surroundings: Ste. Croix Secondary School; St. Mathias’ Church and institutions, Grande Colline; St-Etienne’s church, Buteau; St. Marc’s Church and institutions, Trouin; Annunciation Church’s Elementary and Trade School, Darbonne.

Among the severely damaged we count Church of the Ascension, Bainet, and St. Matthew’s Church in Matthieu, Léogane.

A complete list of [the condition of] all the institutions around the diocese will soon be published.

Emergency supplies such as food, medicine, water, transportation, generators and so on are urgently needed to care for the displaced.

The purpose of this note is to request your overall support, as well as specialized engineering assistance on a mid-term basis, in order to rebuild our institutions.

We thank you in advance for your daily prayers and your anticipated support in our time of need.

God is good all the time.

The Special Crisis Commission
Diocese of Haiti

Video of Bishop Duracin

January 21, 2010

The Wall Street Journal has posted an excellent video, including an interview with Bishop Duracin, about the work of the Diocese of Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake. Click here to view that.

There is also an article with more about Bishop Duracin and how the Episcopal church is ministering to survivors in Port-au-Prince.

We received a warning yesterday from the canon to the Presiding Bishop that fraudulent emails have been circulating, purporting to be from Bishop Duracin and asking for donations. Do not respond to any requests for aid unless you are sure that the sender is who he or she claims to be.
In our diocese donations are being collected through Episcopal Charities, http://www.ecsefl.org/, and will be disbursed at the direction of the Diocese of Haiti--which, as the video shows, may have lost many of its buildings, but is still carrying on its ministry.

Volunteers discouraged from traveling to Haiti

An important posting on the Haiti pages of the Episcopal Church website today:

January 19th, 2010

There are a number of inquiries about volunteering. Here’s the bottom line:


1. Episcopal Relief & Development discourages all volunteer travel to Haiti for the foreseeable future. The situation is very unstable and safety and security cannot be guaranteed.

2. The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is fully occupied with ministering to its members and is not in a position to host volunteers at this time.

3. At some point in the future, Episcopal Relief & Development may consider organizing volunteers to go to Haiti. We will publicize those opportunities when and if it becomes appropriate.

4. In the meantime, please collect names of those who may be interested and hold on to them so that when the time is right and a call goes out, you can be in touch with people.

Haiti updates--January 18, 2010

Today Bishop Frade was able to talk with Bishop Duracin, who, Frade said, “He wanted to make sure that you all knew how thankful he is for all of your efforts to help Haiti and our wounded church.” Our bishop’s message about his conversation with Bishop Duracin is posted on his posted on his blog.

Other links of interest today:

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori’s homily at the prayer service for Haiti last night at Washington National Cathedral;

A message from Bishop Jean Zaché Duracin of Haiti

A story from Episcopal News Service with more first-hand information from Bishop Duracin.

Finally, from the Dominican Development Group (the dioceses that share companion relationships with the Diocese of Dominican Republic), we have a report from Bishop William Skilton, retired bishop of South Carolina, now assistant bishop in DR, the mentions our own Fr. Smith Milien as part of a team that headed for Haiti on Saturday morning. Below are excerpts from Bishop Skilton’s report:

Friday was spent trying to help Water Missions International (a Charleston non-profit that builds simple water purification systems and sends then to areas of need.... How does one rent a 4 wheel vehicle to drive into Haiti? How do you coordinate the airport pick-up, lodging and trip... what needs are evident.... Well, the Lord was good and we did it.... so 3 folk were ready to go to the Haitian border at 6am this morning as part of a 3 car convoy.

We left at 6:00am... the WMI SUV, Fr. Smith Milien (Haitian, trained here, married a Dominican, works in Miami) with 3 others including doctors... 2 priests from Central Florida with longstanding Haitian work… 2 Bishops, our Vicar General and the Development officer and wife... for the diocese.... plus the Bishop's son.... It took us 6 hrs to get to Jimani & the border....stopping twice to get containers filled with diesel and water to take...

While in JIMANI, we met with our young Priest as he spoke of the community responding to the injured being brought in and the needs that were evident. The quake took place on Tuesday... and international relief has not been distributed... water is not to be found....

We visited the small hospital in Jimaní and all those going into Haiti were given tetanus shots... we were all instructed to wear protective masks as we walked some of the halls...

It took us 5 hours to make it back to Santo Domingo....with some rain cooling us down....

There is no doubt in my mind that the Dominican Republic and our church have the responsibility of providing “the pipeline" to get the help that is needed into Haiti. We share a border and need to continue to help responding to this catastrophe....

Some of you have asked.... What can I do.... PRAY.

There are a number of relief agencies that do good work... Support them. We are blessed and need to give from our abundance.... There are church related ones and secular ones.... just respond... they need your help…

Helping Haiti

Janaury 16, 2010

On Jan. 12, only a few hours after the catastrophic 7.0 earthquake that devastated Haiti, Bishop Leo Frade issued an appeal to the diocese “to respond to this crisis in a country that needs our prayers and help.”

Donations

The bishop has asked that donations be directed to Episcopal Charities of Southeast Florida; contributions can be made online at http://www.ecsefl.org/, or checks can be mailed to: Episcopal Charities of Southeast Florida, 8895 North Military Trail #205C, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33410. Funds will be distributed through—or at the direction of—the Diocese of Haiti, as soon as Bishop Frade is able to contact Bishop Jean Zaché Duracin to determine what will be most helpful.

Information

Bishop Duracin is unharmed, but his wife, Marie-Edith, has a broken leg. Their home was destroyed, as were the Cathédrale Sainte Trinité, the cathedral complex (including a school), the College St. Pierre, and the convent of the Sisters of St. Margaret.

Information from Haiti, including items from across the country on missionaries, church responses and persons in Haiti, is constantly being updated by The Episcopal Church Office of Communication at a new webpage.

Last night, Jan. 15, Fr. Smith Milien, priest-in-charge at St. Paul et les Martyrs d’Haiti, Miami, left for the Dominican Republic, where he is joining with Bishop Julio Holguin and a group from our companion Diocese of Dominican Republic today to drive to Port-au-Prince to meet with Bishop Duracin, assess the situation and offer assistance.

Several of our congregations are already partnering with other organizations and community groups or individuals to collect relief supplies, and the diocese will be setting up several drop-off locations for supplies, as soon as we have specific information on (1) what is most needed, and (2) how these goods can be most efficiently transported and effectively distributed.

Prayer

In the words of our bishop, in his Jan. 12 appeal: “While we wait for more details of how we can help, let us surround the people of Haiti—and their anxious family members in our midst—with our prayers.”

There will be a diocesan Eucharist for Haiti on Jan. 23, at 4:30 p.m., at Holy Sacrament, 2801 N. University Dr., Pembroke Pines. Bishop Frade will be celebrant and preacher, and the Haitian clergy of the diocese will concelebrate. This is a time for us to come together to mourn with those who mourn, to commit ourselves to give whatever aid and support we can, and to be in solidarity with our Haitian sisters and brothers in our own diocesan family and our communities, as well as the people of Haiti.

In addition to your own personal prayers, you may find these helpful:

A litany by Fr. William “Chip” Stokes;

A prayer by Bishop Jeffery Rowthorn;

A prayer from Washington National Cathedral;

And here’s a prayer written by Archdeacon Fritz Bazin:

A Prayer for Haiti

Almighty Father, God of mercies and giver of comfort, deal graciously, we pray, with the people of Haiti in the midst of the great suffering caused by the catastrophic earthquake. May they cast all their care on you and know the consolation of your love.

Give us the courage, zeal, wisdom and patience to assist them, not only in these first days and weeks of urgent need, but as they continue to need the care and partnership of all their sisters and brothers around the world in the long and difficult work of healing and rebuilding.

Grant eternal life to those who have died, healing to the injured and strength to all the survivors, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen

The Ven. Dr. J. Fritz Bazin
Archdeacon for Immigration and Social Concerns
Diocese of Southeast Florida