We are sitting on the porch this afternoon at Maison Fortune
in Hinche as the late afternoon storm rolls in.
This time of year during the rainy season this is the daily
routine. Almost every day in the late
afternoon the winds pick up, you see the dark clouds begin to roll in and then
hear the lightning and thunder and soon after there is rain. In a discussion concerning the rain the day
before, the comment is made that “the weather in Haiti is very polite”: it
comes in slowly with plenty of notice so that people can finish their work for the day, close up
the market places they have set up along the road and get back home before the
rains begin.
As I look back now on our travels the last few day I am
reminded of what wonderful hosts the Haitian people are. They are often very busy with multiple jobs
and responsibilities and still when we come to visit they always stop what they
are doing and find time to visit, receive us and provide us with a tour, answer
questions for us or find contacts for places that we would like to visit. They are always very welcoming, and make time
for us. They work hard to make us feel at home.
After making multiple visits to Haiti I am now well aware that plans we
make for the journey often change at the last minute but this visit we have had
even more than usual. Just a few days
before we were set to depart we learned that the road to Baptiste was not very
good for travel and would be a difficult trip so we had a last minute change of
plans to make a stop in Mirebalais instead.
Msgr Leveque at Mirebalais happily received us at the last minute and
then took time during the day to take us for a tour of the schools as well as
arranging a last minute visit to the new Hospital in Mirebalais. This is the first week of school here and
there is much to be done to prepare for the opening of the schools. In spite of that, Msgr Leveque and the staff
of the school treated us as if we were dignitaries who had planned a trip for
months in advance and were happy to take the time to introduce us and answer
questions for us.
The same is the case with Sister Jeanna at the Normale
school in Papaye and the staff of St Martin in Hinche, and everywhere we have
popped in to visit with either short notice or unannounced. The people in Haiti seem to have the ability
to live in the moment and to enjoy anything that comes their way and not get
stuck in the stress of a set schedule.
It is a reminder of the message from a few years ago, Sorrow looks
behind, Worry looks ahead but Faith looks up.
I often worry about keeping an exact schedule to get everything done and
do not take the opportunity to enjoy the distractions of an unexpected visitor
or a change in schedule, or a sunset that will give me some variety in the
day. I am worried I will not get the
important things done and don’t realize the most important things are the time
spent with others that will make memories for the future and relationships that
will be strengthened for times of need.
I hope to pick up a little of the Faith that will allow me to Look Up
more often and live for today and enjoy each moment and all of the distractions
that come my way.
Irene
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