Sister bears witness to Haitian struggles
Upon her recent return from Haiti, Michelle Denton, IHM, reflected on her most riveting experience.
“At an orphanage operated by Mother Theresa’s Missionary Sisters of Charity, there was a line of women waiting to give up their children,” she says. “These children were skeletal, with the huge bellies of malnutrition.
“Because of the severe malnutrition, the orphanage was the only chance they had to survive,” says Michele, who traveled to Haiti with a delegation from the World Community of Christian Mediation. Organized as a pilgrimage, participants bore witness to the unimaginable conditions of the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere as they visited cities, rural areas and fishing villages.
Lack – of food, money, jobs, education, health care, potable water, basic sanitation, utilities – is the hallmark of Haiti.
“We were often approached by beggars,” Michele recalls. “We had been advised not to give anything to them, but rather work with one of the charitable programs and organizations that bring relief and desperately needed care to the country. Projects such as the IHM ‘Pennies for Progress’ initiative, which benefits the people of Fondwa, Haiti, or the St. Boniface Haiti Foundation, which provides health care, education and community support.
“One of the members of our delegation, a Haitian doctor, said that of all the needs in Haiti, education is the most pressing,” Michele notes. “If more people were educated, many of the current challenges could be met.”
In spite of the deplorable conditions, Michele reports on “pieces of hope.” Solar-powered traffic lights. Solar panels on some of the houses in rural areas to augment sporadic electricity. The spirit, faith and friendliness of the people.
“Just being there – even if our group didn’t actively change lives – we seemed to bring hope to the Haitian people,” Michele notes. “Our visit said that we care and will share our experience with others so that conditions can be improved.”
At Mass on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Michele renewed her vows as an IHM Sister. After she read her vows in English, a translator read them in Creole so the Haitian people attending Mass could understand what was happening.
This is so depressing. And just think of all those kids here complaining about their lives. It’s hard to appreciate what you have until you can compare it to someone who’s a lot worse off.
Yes, the idea of women giving up their babies so that their children might live, for example, boggles the mind– as well as the heart. Our community claims a particular bond with Haiti because of our co-foundress’s Haitian blood, and our three IHM communities (Immaculata, Scranton and Monroe) along with the Oblates of Providence from Baltimore support a native community of sisters. We Monroe IHMs are also involved in energy and potable water projects in Haiti. Thanks for your comment.
Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world and It really saddens me so little is being done to help …While I agree that this might be depressing, I like to look at this from another angle. What I find impressive and inspiring is that there still are people that do all they can to help others. To do good. In the darkest of times it’s people like sister Michelle that become beacons of hope.
Amen!
It’s really amazing how so many people are willing to help those less fortunate for nothing in return. I think we should teach about people like Sister Michelle in schools.
Thanks for the comment. Sr. Michelle would be the first one to say she wishes her group had been able to actually do something to help. However their presence in Haiti seemed to be encouraging for the people and she brings her experiences back with her. As a teacher at Marian High School she has wonderful opportunities to share her experience. The Marian girls already support an initiative in Haiti.
I wonder which Missionaries of Charity orphanage Sr. Michelle visited – the one in Port-au-Prince? There is another in Jeremie, Haiti, but that is a much more remote part of the country.
I’ve been to the one in Port-au-Prince too, Sadie. It is so beautiful and heart breaking all at the same time. The sisters do wonderful work. I have great admiration for them.
Thanks for your question, Sadie. It sounds as if you know Haiti. I hope I too may get there some day. I worked with the Haitian community in Trenton , New Jersey ten years ago. Beautiful people! What a blessing! I’ll forward your question to Sister Michele.