January 29, 2012

For those of you in the north, whether you can believe it or not, I’m hot and sweaty. I don’t know the temperature exactly but it’s hot today. We have just finished celebrating the feast of St. Francis de Sales our patron. His feast day is January 24,last Tuesday, and ordinarily we celebrate on the Sunday before the feast so we can do it up right and invite guests but we were cramped for time last week so we put it off till today. It’s a big production. We had a list of some 31 invited guests but in the end probably we had over 50. The rice almost ran out, but we made it. The menu included fried chicken legs, rice and beans, a macaroni dish plus a cabbage salad and another green salad. Our men did it with the help of a community friend. Really it was topnotch. To drink there was an assortment of Coke, 7UP and beer. We had a big cake made which also just about made it for all the guests to have a piece. Then there was “des bon-bons” which are simply wrapped hard candies. That’s big here to have “bon-bons”. Well, all in all it was a great celebration. We had Mass first scheduled for ten o’clock but we got underway at ten thirty. The singing was especially good and for one of the readings there was a brief biography of St Francis de Sales. My homily spoke about printing the gospel with our lives and used Francis as an example. I think it went all right – whether anybody turned their life over to Jesus when I was finished I have no idea but think it encouraged everybody to ask if their life and words and actions were in fact reproducing the gospel.

What I really liked was the spirit of cooperation I saw in the members of the community. Everybody pitched in and did his part, not only for the preparations but especially for the cleanup after. It does my heart good to see everyone working together and it’s true that “many hands make work light.” To me this is truly the "Oblate spirit"; it what we're all about. We were through cleaning up in about an hour or so. Not bad given the crowd we had. Personally I was beat and I needed a siesta after to recoup my energy.

My sister Ann gave me a Kindle for Christmas. Like all new electronic devices it takes some getting used to. A Kindle is a device sold by Amazon.con which replaces a book. It’s like a little screen about six by ten inches and very light and you can order books which come electronically to your Kindle and are stored there. Books whose copyright have run out are free which includes all the classics- Russian, French, English, etc. but you can buy modern authors and bestsellers for around $10 a piece. That’s not bad when you consider buying an original, even in paperback is at least $15 or more. Anyway I successfully ordered a new book and also have gotten a free Tolstoy. It’s very easy, so easy I can do it. It was great on the plane coming back to Haiti, very lightweight and easy to put in your carry-on. Ironically some very good friends of mine gave me a series of books that a New York Times columnist suggested for summer reading instead of the usual junk people read at the beach. So I’ve brought some of them back with me and will read them as well. One of the blessings of being here, and they are many, is the time I have to read. It’s a real gift.

When home I’m always asked about the progress that’s being made (or not) in Haiti after the earthquake. I’m always hesitant to say that I don’t see much but I have to say that this time coming back I have noticed some changes. By the airport there have been thousands of tent-dwellers since the earthquake. Well most of them are gone and the space around there has again opened up. I’m told the government is giving people money to relocate. I hope that’s true and that they find something more livable that just a tent. I’ve also noticed some road repair going on. That to me is a first class miracle. The roads and streets overall are in terrible shape with huge holes and crumbling pavement and these are the main streets of the capitol! Well, I actually saw a work crew repairing some of the streets, again around the airport. I hope it’s not just to impress visitors. We’ll see. I’m also told that new president is fulfilling a campaign promise to put all the kids in school. Please God, may there be some progress for this very poor nation.

Finally I have to report that I’ve decided to go to Brazil in early February to be present for the ordination of the first Haitian Oblate. I was very much against his being ordained in Brazil and not shy about stating that publicly, but when all is said and one I guess I have to set aside my upset and simply be there for this historic event. I’m also happy to hear that the five Haitian novices presently doing their novitiate in Brazil will return to Haiti in late February to make their first vows. May that trend continue, that is, may the SA Province continue to move toward dealing with Haiti in a more wholesome way.

So that’s it for now. Blessings to all and happy Ground Hog Day! Tom