In October, JoAnne Evans visited Haiti, the Carribean island nation that for so many years has been the victim of war, disease, famine, tyrants and extreme poverty. The following are her thoughts and what she witnessed while visiting one of the poorest countries in the World. At right, click on a thumbnail image to be taken to a larger picture or click here to start the slide show at the beginning.


The Journey down is tough... heavy bags, switching planes… the island looks mountainous… plane is really full. Americans are so loud, everyone else is pretty quiet, except the woman yelling at us in Creole to get out of her way! Musicians greet us at the airport... buildings, airport, people all looks like a PBS documentary as we walk into the terminal from the tarmac.


Gravel and stone roads are the norm, gated residences all along... some UN soldiers guarding the airport. We wind through the Neighborhood toward the Missionaries of Charity Center.


Getting settled, and visiting the children… all those little ones, some reaching for you, some crying so much… many have never seen a white face……so many wanting to be held.  I found myself wanting to sing with them, or more like to them… any kind of ditty… couldn’t remember too many lullabies!


The Sisters have quite a compound. One or two of the sisters have been here over 25 years… Orphanage, school, church, chapel and their quarters, and our guest house, as well as laundry and cookhouse. Sweet ladies; the wonderful aids, the nuns… just going along caring
for these children and so many folks. 9 facilities in Haiti… hospice/clinics, etc  




Meeting the children…spending time, cuddling and just being with them… amazing lives hanging on by a thread. 1 out 2 children die before their 5th birthday.


Approached the “screamer” (anger-pain?) today… just started to lean toward him, and his little shoulders just raised a bit…as I picked him up his little body flopped right to my chest, his head draped on my shoulder, quiet and still for awhile… I could feel such heat radiating from his little body… got him some fever medicine.


In the admitting area….a mother brings a child, so skinny… bones showing… this child was admitted right away…so many little ones… emaciated, hernias, scabies, TB, leprosy, HIV.


People at the gate need everything…begging for my sandals while waiting to see the sisters. Donations are used immediately; IV’s, clothes, MEDS & Vitamins




Mass & Holy Hour with the sisters, so centering, praise filled, meditative, and confident of God’s Hand…


Fever at night… vomiting and diarrhea…. praying my rosary… angry at folks who won’t help these people in this day & age. No one should worry about sanitation, hygiene, and nutrition. 7-UP is so, so good…..and the electricity stayed on for 24 hours… unheard of!


Plumbers, tradesman still don’t have much work here… hope these kids can find a better future. 80% unemployment. ”If the poor are on the moon, so are we”... Missionaries of Charity. ”Where Christ showed up in our day.” A moment of silence….God’s silence…..cause there is none here. 95% of the wealth belongs to 5% of the people.


Overnight….while we were tossing and turning, having dreams, really nightmares… 2 babies die. Deo Gracias, RIP. One was the little one, Jerome, who came to the sisters with little hope, 2 hours old and blue.




Sr. Stanisha “bribes” Johnny with a drumstick to get him to eat his lunch… fun to see her give away shoes and a little football to one of the departing, on the mend, children… meds & gifts.


What a treat to hear Fergal’s “Dominican Magnificat” tonight… It was a reminder of everyone praying for and with us. Streets are amazing… street after street… rubble, trash, people, animals, no respite… debris from years.


An adventurous day… babies, dry good bulk distribution, wound clinic, and Saint Phi… with HIV/TB… mother of two of our children is there… Sister said they would bring them to her for a visit. She is better… but only for awhile… they come to Saint Phi to die… a death a day… very close to Our Lord.


Dying people are dropped at the door of Saint Phi… a breath of fresh air… compared to the trough of trash (“that used to be worse”) outside the gate… nice to be with the sisters… and good to get out “in” the culture… like living a documentary.




Each baby has a story… Please allow their fortune to blossom, Dear Lord… the mysteries of the rosary call to mind a child appropriate to each mystery… Christelle… James…


Chickens walked past the chapel door this morning during Mass. Lord …my life is only worth Your will. Amen Helicopters are flying overhead… gunshots… pray no problems. Fr. Tom has been raided twice, accusing him of smuggling guns.


Guesthouse still being finished; balcony metal framework, hot, whirring generator, soldering all day. Electricity is sporadic… sometimes midday, sometimes late at night. A few parents visit so we stay visible so a mom or dad wouldn’t be frightened if their baby wasn’t in its crib… life and death are so raw, tenuous around here.


We mended wounds, tended to families (about 400),
dispensing meds, vitamins; fever medicine very important, some basic anti-biotics and instructions… Sr. Stepholita demanded voodoo beads be removed off a baby… others had terrible rashes, vitamin and mineral deficiencies... things we take SO for granted.




Evening prayers are a delight… hope the sisters don’t mind our presence… Sr. Jean Avila seemed pleased and assured us that we were welcome and that is why “we’re here” to bring people to Jesus… all are welcome to Holy Hour.


Back to babies… James fell asleep in my arms… some others are antsy… Johnny feeling well today allowing someone to hold him… and the new boy, Mike, was up and around after arriving yesterday just miserable, and very weak… Ismael is a hoot… continues to wine… Little Licia fell asleep sitting with me… the babies temperatures rise in the afternoon. They all seem so hot.


Holy Hour… So peaceful, at least as peaceful as possible, sisters up & down; in and out, noise outside, shots and fireworks for the holiday… cars coming and going, anything and everything.


How sick the babies are as they arrive… one from our dispensary clinic is now tubed, and critical… malnutrition is the biggest culprit… distended tummies… swelling and shiny skin… little James has this and that cough, so weak and listless.


RIP little Nadja died during the night…struggling with tubes all over… lost her parents to HIV and so too did she succumb.


Sr. Bernadette Grace, from Manila, is having great fun dressing up the kids… trying things on them to check fit… plans for Sunday dress-up!