Nightly Reflection in Haiti
Before our journey began we had a very nice orientation in Richmond at the beautiful home of Kathy G followed by Mass at St Edwards and a special blessing for our journey. It was a very nice preparation for the journey preparing 5 different people with different backgrounds and professions who are members of 5 different parish communities working in 4 different Haitian parishes/schools to journey to Haiti as one. During the orientation we discussed and divided up the responsibilities of the journey and one of these is the nightly reflection time at the end of each day. Each member picked one night to lead the reflection and so I picked the last night Sunday night thinking I would have plenty of time during the journey to prepare for this. I did not prepare anything ahead of time and grabbed a Living Faith booklet (Jan, Feb, Mar 2013) I had unpacked from one of my bags as I was repacking to leave for Haiti and tossed it in my backpack to look at during the journey and prepare for my night to lead reflection.
Of course we were on the go often during this week, staying at most 2 nights in one place and involved in various meetings and computer training as well as just being present amoung our Hosts and sharing their lives with them so I did not find time to prepare for the reflection. After dinner Sunday night we moved to the porch of the Emmaus center and the topic of our nightly reflection came up. I told the group it was my night and admitted I was not really prepared but i would find something and be right back. I went to my room and got the Living Faith booklet and opened it to Thursday January 3 page and the Title for the day is "We are All in the Same Family", perfect, Mesi Bondye, Gras a Dye ou pou voye Sentespri a pou pwepare m. (Thank You God, thanks to God for sending the Holy Sprit to prepare me). And so after a quick review of the Scripture passage ( 1 John 3:1) I went back to the porch now fully prepared in a matter of just 5 minutes to lead a wonderful reflection on our "Family Reunion" in Haiti.
After reading the Scripture passage and short reflection related to being a Child of God and family reunions a wonderful discussion began of our journey and the "Family Reunioun" each had experienced during the week. It was the perfect message for the end of our journey together and the group shared a variety of feelings regarding the experience of being welcomed in Haiti and sharing with our family in Haiti. Just as in a large family reunion we had the experiences of reuniting with close sisters, brothers, niece and nephews and meeting distant cousins and relatives we had yet to meet. We were welcomed into parishes, schools, churches, hospitals, a city park in Cerca (which was unlocked for us to visit when a gentleman in town saw us looking from outside the gate) and even a family’s home. We were welcomed to share special events like the ordination of 2 priests in Mirebalais, or the 50th anniversary of the school @ Cerca Carvajal, as well as the everyday lives of the people we lived among. We are always warmly welcomed for wonderful meals and very comfortable lodging, those of us returning to a place are welcomed Home and the others are invited to consider this home from now on. We are always welcome in Haiti as we arrive and when we leave always welcomed back, the welcomes are honest, sincere and always with joy from the heart, I am sure this is a part of the reason many of us have such a desire to return as often as we can.
Individuals in the group share their special moments during the "Family Reunion" seeing a Priest whom they have stayed with or met before, the seminarians we have spent time with in past trips, students from schools we work with, teachers and support staff of the schools and parishes we partner with, Br Harry and Br Bill at Maison Fortune, and many more. We enjoy the family reunion experience as we observe the joy of others in the group reuniting with close family as well as some who are introduced for the first time.
As I said in the beginning my first trip to Haiti started with "I can't go to Haiti" and now it is always "I can't wait to return to Haiti". The first trip was a journey to a different country, with people of a different nationality and culture who speak a different language, I went to listen and learn about the people. Each trip back is increasingly more of a "family reunion", a journey to see family and share their lives and even speak a little of the language when they tolerate my Kreyole. I am glad to have been unprepared for the reflection so that I would be free to follow the direction the spirit lead me and happy to have shared a wonderful week with four special women working hard to become productive members of the "Family of God"
Unfortunately Kathy G had already split from our group Sunday afternoon so she was not a part of the discussion we had so I hope she can share the reflection through this post and even possibly share her thoughts on her "Family Reunion" experience as a Child of God.
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