Click below to watch a wonderful video of an interview done with Sr. Promise about her recent trip back to Haiti with a group from
Trinity Church,Wall Street.
And here are videos of interviews with others on that same trip to Haiti, as well as an interview with
the Rev. Canon Oge Beauvoir, an SSM Associate, about rebuilding the schools in Haiti.
The Sisters cannot accept donations that are earmarked specifically for a certain institution
in Haiti except for the ones in which they are currently administering: the Convent, the Foyer Notre Dame, and the
Foyer Notre Dame guest house. If we receive donations specifically for other institutions, we must regretfully
return them to the donor.
May 28, 2010
Excerpts from Sr. Marie Margaret's recent letters:
"Everybody has needs now and their needs range from small to a lot; e.g. what do you do for so many
people without a home? Are you going to pay their rent forever? Or buy them a house or pay to demolish
and reconstruct their homes? I decided to give whatever I have and let them decide with God what they can
do with what they have. This is what I am trying to do. It is a very difficult time to help."
"They built hangars at Holy Trinity School. The Primary School meets in the a.m. and the Secondary
School in the p.m. They have done the same at College St. Pierre, but I don't think they have started
school there yet. Some of those who lost their homes are still in the soccer field under tents, including Father Rigal
Lucas (Chaplain of the college and rector of the parish of Notre Dame at Bolosse.)"
Photos of the Sisters in their new home
The tent
A side view
Sr. Marie Margaret inside the tent
Sr. Marie Margaret
Sr. Kethia inside the tent
The "apartment" of Carlo, our yard man
Demolition of the Convent
The Courtyard of the Convent
View from what was the refectory - chapel floor under pile of bricks
Refectory, chapel, entry hall demolished
The backyard
Carlo standing in our front yard, looking toward the front gate
From front near where kitchen was, looking at newer part of convent, still standing for now
Demolition of the Foyer Notre Dame
Demolition of Building 1
Another view of Demolition
Rebuilding at College St. Pierre
Temporary structures to be used as schools
Temporary structures to be used as schools
EASTER 2010
Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,
By now you all know what happened in Haiti and to us. You all know that our convent is
destroyed, one of the Foyer Notre Dame buildings is destroyed, and the other one is damaged.
But we are alive. Sr. Marjorie Raphael and Sr. Marie Therese are in Boston to prove to you
that we are alive. We were not missing either. The Lord led us out of our crumbling convent
without a scratch. We sing praises to him and laud him for giving us life, another chance
to renew our commitment to him. So many others were not that lucky. I am taking this
opportunity to thank you for myself and in the name of the community for your concern,
love, prayers and generosity.
Our God still reigns.
His love never fails.
When the storm is raging
Our hearts are sorrowful
But God leads us into port.
Our God still reigns.
His love never fails.
What He promises to us
Stays for ever true.
Our God still reigns.
On January 12, 2010, we sent the seminarians home early. We did not plan to do that
but we did. They barely got home and the convent started shaking and crumbling away.
While upstairs, we could not understand what was going on but we got down on our knees.
By the time we decided to get downstairs, the stairs were filled with rubble. We walked
on them, over the door that was already down on the floor and went outside the convent.
At the bottom of the stairs we met with our cook covered with dust yelling, "The Sisters!
The Sisters!" After we got out of the house, we looked and there was no Holy Trinity
Cathedral, no Holy Trinity Music School, the Trade School was gone, the Primary School
was still standing but badly damaged and ready to fall down. We sat in the parking lot of
the Cathedral being careful not to be too close to the building behind us nor the church's
office nor the trees. Pere David Cesar came and informed us the Bishop's House and College
St. Pierre is destroyed. Then came Pere Sadoni Leon with a couple of children from St.
Vincent's School for the Handicapped and informed us that that school is also destroyed.
As they are pulling children from the rubble they are coming to us. In no time we had all
these people seeking our help while we were so helpless and powerless facing this
disastrous earthquake. From time to time there were aftershocks. We wish it would stop
but we cannot make it stop. Whiles I was praying and wondering what do we do, where do we
go? People are heading to the Chaps-de-Mars (a public place). Maybe we should do the same?
Some one said, "Why don't we go to College St. Pierre?" I said, "It is destroyed." The
person said, "There is the soccer field." So we went with our group that includes St.
Vincent's children, some badly injured. We made several trips in order to take every one.
Our chauffeur spent the night taking people to the hospital until the next day. We had no
gas and no money for refill. There was no gas to be found any way. For a couple of days we
were on both sides of the fence. We were the helpers and the helped. It was very humbling
the next day when one of the young women that we usually help gave me a bottle of juice
that I gave to Sr. Marjorie Raphael. "Our God still reigns. His love never fails. When
the storm is raging, our hearts are sorrowful. He leads us safely into port. What He
promises to us stays for ever true."
Mrs. Edith Duracin, Bishop Duracin's wife, was badly injured. She joined us at College St.
Pierre the same night. The Bishop came the next day. He spent the night on the street in
front of his destroyed house. First we were on the food committee. The seminarians cooked
rice and Mrs. Oge Beauvoir provided hot dogs. So we fed all at the College St. Pierre site.
More injured people keep coming. Some we sent to the hospital nearby and some to Cange.
Our doctor seminarian (Dr. Pierre Wilnique, whose note to Sr. Marjorie Raphael is above)
worked without stopping all night and all day. "Our God still reigns. His love never fails.
When the storm is raging, our hearts are sorrowful but God leads us into port. His love
never fails. What He promises to us stays for ever true. Our God still reigns." This is
why He sent us some good-hearted people to help, to comfort, such as our faithful
Associates and friends from Haiti as well as from the United States, the Dominican
Republic, SA and Paris, etc. Some made the trip just for that. We were very much honored
by the visit of the Presiding Bishop.
At the end of January we moved into the house of one of our Associates. We are still
sleeping in tents in the yard because of the aftershocks. We are close enough to go
easily to the residents at Foyer Notre Dame and continue our ministry among the people at
College St. Pierre. Fortunately none of the residents at Foyer Notre Dame were hurt. The
first building where we had the staff and our one male resident is destroyed. The second
building is damaged but they can still live in it until it can be repaired. For a couple
of days we took them to College St. Pierre to sleep. But that was too much for them.
Sleeping just on sheets on the ground is not for older people. So we left them home to
sleep in comfortable beds. We were afraid the damaged house might fall down. So far
nothing happened. In March our only make resident, Frederique Jean, died. We had a nice
burial service for him under the shed behind the destroyed Cathedral.
Our Associates, Pere Fritz LaFontant and his wife Yolande were kind enough to have Sr.
Marjorie Raphael at their home in Cange. Sr. Marjorie Raphael in her young years endured
hurricanes and revolutions. But the earthquake on January 12, 2010 was too much for her at
86 years old. She is a good soldier, a good missionary. At Cange, all was well. But she
was isolated from her community. So early in February she left Haiti with the military
and from where they left her she went to Chicago, then Miami, then Boston. It took her
more than 24 hours to get to Boston from Haiti. We tried to find other means but we did
not succeed. She was the most deprived. She left in her summer habit and sandals without
socks. The library were she put so much time and energy, and her room, went down first in
the earthquake. We were lucky to rescue her passport. We do not know how long it will take
us to demolish the remnants of the convent and the Foyer Notre Dame before we can think
about construction. We need money and time. We cannot take big machinery in there for fear
of breaking down our fences. We need the fences for security.
They are trying to open school. I have seen some of our children, others they told me that
they are doing fine. I am not sure that all the schools are ready to open yet. Holy
Trinity School is getting ready. I will know soon if the other schools, which concern our
children, will be open next week.
Again THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! I hope you had a JOUYOUS EASTER DAY and wish you
an Eastertide full of Blessings. ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, ALLELUIA, HE IS RISEN! OUR GOD
STILL REIGNS.
Sr. Marie Margaret, SSM
April, 2010
I am very slow in writing. I am trying to do my best to bring you up to date if we have
electricity.
Sister Kethia and I are well. We are sleeping in the tent. We go in the house (loaned to
the Sisters by our Associate, Dr. David McNeely) to bathe and sometimes to eat,
and to sort out things and find places for them. When we go to the convent area we bring
things that emerge from the rubble as the demolition continues and that need to be in a
secure place. I already told you that we have all the files out, thanks to Carlo
(our faithful yard man and guardian). Sr. Marjorie Raphael's room and the libraries
are the only places where we lost all the furniture and furnishings. We rescued some
books, some were rescued before the rain. The others are wet, but we are drying them
and trying to save what we can. Our engineer is still trying to demolish what remains
of both buildings. He has not touched the newer building yet. We have saved a lot from
there. He did stop demolishing the front house at Foyer Notre Dame but since there is no
danger now at the convent, I have asked him to go finish at the Foyer. On Wednesday night
there were two strong repeats. Elange (chauffeur who lives at the Foyer) told me the house
trembled a lot and he is afraid that what remains may fall on the ladies. We are back to only
ladies since Frederique's death. We had a nice funeral for him in the Cathedral shed.
Holy Week and Easter services were grandiose. We blessed the palms on Holy Trinity School
grounds. You would not believe it: just the shop is standing. The Ministry of National
Education and USAID are making sheds so that they can open school. They put two or three
schools together. They were hoping to open schools last Monday but it did not work
- maybe next week or next month.
Sister Kethia and I went to the Diocesan Synod at Cange with Pere Beauvoir,
and drove back with Pere Ajax and two girls from Cayes. The Synod started with Evening
Prayer and Eucharist. The service lasted from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. All of the delegates
came. Pere Cole was too busy to be there. It was a nice atmosphere. Pere Fritz Lafontant
(priest in charge of the church at Cange and co-founder of the whole hospital/education complex)
felt very proud. We were well received. The food was good and plenty. We slept in Jackie's
room in the shop. We even had hot water to shower. They are working on the road going
all the way to Hinche. On Palm Sunday the Orchestra gave a beautiful concert. Janet
Anthony, Jean Montes, Pere David Cesar, and Pierre Leroy conducted. Jane Pocius was soloist
for flute. Valerie Brutus, Nicole St. Victor, and another girl sang. It was free but they
collected some money during the intermission. The concert was arranged by Nicole St.
Victor at St. Vincent's Church at Thomassin.
Sr. Marie Margaret, SSM
March 15, 2010
From Dr. Pierre Wilnique, medical doctor and seminarian in Port-au-Prince:
Dear Sr. Marjorie,
In the name of all seminarians, I am very happy to write you this letter. In the name of
Jesus, we are fine and I think you are fine also. After earthquake, Jesus continue to
support the Haitian people. And we continue to pray to God for the people. In this season
of Lent, we continue to pray. Prayer is the arm of the Christian. Together we remain
soldered (glued together) in Jesus Christ our Savior. God bless you and God bless Haiti.
Dr. Pierre
March 13, 2010
There are so many important things to do. There are so many people suffering physically,
mentally, emotionally. There are so many people who are hungry, without a tent to live
under. There are so many people who have to stay up until the rain is over, to sleep.
Babies born January 11th and 12th are sleeping in this condition.
You should see the different places where people are living. People are living in the
street, not just the poor but people who used to be well to do before January 12. So many
people are being laid off. Can you imagine the suffering of the people of all classes?
Even the people who have a good house are afraid to sleep in it.
Sr. Marie Margaret, SSM
Photos of the Foyer Notre Dame before the earthquake
The front gate of the Foyer Notre Dame
A view of the inner courtyard
Inside the Foyer
Sr. Marie Margaret on the second floor
A view from the roof
A view from above showing trees growing through holes cut into the roof
Photos of the Foyer Notre Dame after the earthquake
This issue of the St. Margaret's Quarterly is devoted almost entirely to the earthquake in Haiti.
Photos from Haiti (by Eddy Alcindor)
As you can see in these photographs, Sr. Marie Margaret has been an integral part of the meetings
taking place in Haiti to plan the rebuilding of the Episcopal Diocese of Haiti.
(from left) Bishop Duracin, Sr. Marie Margaret, the Rev. Lauren Stanley, the Most Rev. Katharine
Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop, and Sr. Marie Therese
Sr. Marie Margaret and Bishop Duracin greet the Most Reverend Katharine Jefferts Schori, Presiding Bishop
Sr. Marie Margaret at another meeting with clergy and Bishop Duracin
Sr. Marie Margaret meeting with other clergy and Bishop Duracin
Bishop Duracin meeting with his clergy and Sr. Marie Margaret
Bishop Duracin and Sr. Marie Margaret meeting with other
clergy in the Diocese of Haiti
Sr. Marie Therese worked many hours translating for a doctor
who was treating the wounded in Port-au-Prince.
Sr. Marie Margaret and Sr. Marie Therese view
the damage to St. Margaret's Convent.
St. Margaret's Convent
Sr. Marie Margaret in her new living quarters
Our Haitian Sisters
Sr. Marjorie Raphael
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Sr. Marjorie Raphael is considered an "honorary Haitian" due to her forty plus years
working in Haiti.
Sr. Marie Margaret
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Sr. Marie Therese
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Sr. Claire Marie
Boston
Sr. Promise
New York City
Sr. Kethia
Boston
For those of you who followed Sr. Sarah's blog while she was in Darbonne last summer, she had begun
to blog again about what is going on in Haiti right now.
Click here to go to her blog
We are receiving an
enormous amount of inquiries regarding institutions in Haiti other than the Sisters of St.
Margaret. Unfortunately, we do not have any more information than most of you. The Sisters of
St. Margaret are no longer actively involved in the administration of the following organizations.
The information below is for you to use if you would like to get in touch with these organizations directly.
Please be patient as phone service and electrical service are very sporadic and in some places non-existant.
This is all the information that the Sisters here in Boston have about these institutions at this time.
The Episcopal Church of Haiti
(Eglise Episcopal D'Haiti)
The Episcopal Theological Seminary of Haiti
(Seminaire de Theologie Eglise Episcopale D'Haiti)
The Very Rev. Oge Beauvoir, Dean of the Seminary
72 Ave. Christophe
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
WEBSITE:www.steeh.org
E-Mail:obeauvoir@steeh.org
Phone:
011-509-2245-0257
011-509-3400-5222
011-509-3752-8725
A Prayer for Haiti:
Almighty Father, God of mercies and giver of comfort, deal graciously, we pray, with the people
of Haiti in the midst of the great suffering caused by the catastrophic earthquake. May they
cast all their care on you and know the consolation of your love.
Give us the courage, zeal, wisdom and patience to assist them, not only in these first days and
weeks of urgent need, but as they continue to need the care and partnership of all their sisters
and brothers around the world in the long and difficult work of healing and rebuilding.
Grant eternal life to those who have died, healing to the injured and strength to all the
survivors, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
(by the Ven. Dr. J. Fritz Bazin Archdeacon for Immigration and Social Concerns Diocese of Southeast Florida)
"Cast all your anxiety upon the LORD because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7
The Work of The Sisters of St. Margaret in Haiti before the Earthquake
The Sisters of St. Margaret
established their convent in Port-au-Prince in 1927, and have worked tirelessly for the people
of Haiti ever since. The Episcopal/Anglican Church began its work in Haiti in 1861, with the
arrival of the African-American priest, James Theodore Holly and his company of emigrants.
They were seeking a country where people of color were not only legally but truly free.
From their Convent in Port-au-Prince, the Sisters directed a scholarship program for
children who otherwise would be left out of school for lack of ability to pay even minimal
fees.
The Sisters directed the making of hand-embroidered church linens.
They also directed Foyer Notre Dame, a home for elderly, indigent persons that
includes terminal care and burial. This work has been in continuous service since 1962,
and is supported entirely by donations.
The Foyer Notre Dame Guest House not only provides guests with a temporary and comfortable
place to stay, but also is a source of income for the Foyer residents.
The Sisters interact and collaborate with local clergy and parishes throughout
the Diocese of Haiti.
Living close to the people they love, the Sisters share the undying belief of the
Haitian people that God is good, “Bon-Die-Bon”, and that the words of the 46th
Psalm are for them: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble...
It is he who makes war to cease in all the world.”