March 9, 2021
Dear Parishioners and Friends of Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish,
As you know we have a sister Community of Faith, Saint Anne in Saintard, Haiti. On a quarterly basis (through Our Haitian Promise program) we send them some financial assistance that supports their parish school and church. Over the past few years, we have been able to sustain that level of support (sometimes more) …due to your generosity and genuine concern. Things have grown exceedingly worse in the past year. Last week, Fr. Frank Rouleau, who represents the Norwich Diocese organization that coordinates our participation at Saint Anne sent a very moving and telling letter about the current situation. I share the letter with you now:
Dear Friends,
As you know Haiti, is a small country about the size of the State of Maryland, but much more mountainous. Haiti has a proud history as the second nation in the Americas to become a Republic and the first black nation to liberate itself. Even in good times, life in Haiti is hard. But now, it is even more difficult as it has fallen on hard times with both natural and “man-made” disasters.
I am writing to you to bring you up to date on the current situation there as we do not hear much about it in the news. While the corona virus has not affected Haiti as badly as the United States, it has other major problems now.
Haiti is experiencing political instability that has led to demonstrations, kidnappings, and murders. People are living in fear of leaving their homes. Many people want President Moises to leave. They feel his term expired on 7 February 2021. He maintains he has another year in office. There is no Legislature as the President failed to call elections two years ago. Only 1/3 of the Senators’ terms of Office have not expired. They do not have enough members to make a quorum. Gangs have been controlling the streets in urban areas. There have been many murders and kidnappings. I know of both a 5-year-old child and a high school student who have been kidnapped and killed. I know of three priests (two Haitian, one foreign) and a Religious Sister who was kidnapped. Medical doctors and teachers have also been kidnapped. Schools are closed in many areas because of the kidnappings. There are many electrical shortages and some people have not had electric power in months. This has a profound impact on communications. In addition, there are gasoline and propane gas shortages impacting travel and food preparation. The price of food has continued to mount. Many people are hungry in Haiti today.
The US dollar was devalued in November by the Haitian Government. The exchange rate in October was 120 Haitian Gourdes to one dollar. Currently it is 76 Haitian Gourdes to one dollar. It was as low as 60 to one. The buying power of the US dollar has been severely impaired.
I write to you to let you know of the current suffering of our Haitian brothers and sisters and to remind all of us that we are not in Haiti to solve the problems. We are there to accompany them, to walk with them, to pray with and for them, and to help them as we are able. The majority of the Haitian people are Catholic, our brothers and sisters in the Faith. While materially they are poor, spiritually they are rich.
In this Lenten Season let us keep them in our prayers.
Thank you for all you do to accompany and help our brothers and sisters in Haiti.
Fr. Frank Rouleau
PS. Since this letter, we have heard that St. Anne School has reopened safely and without incident.
Truly an amazing Lenten reflection for us here at Saint Josephine Bakhita Parish.
Peace,
Fr. George Couturier
