Visit to VMY Haiti 2010

Haiti

March 2010

I want to share some news from our brothers and sisters in Haiti, with whom I met after my participation in the meeting of the Commission that works on the Micro-credits Project in Haiti (350^th anniversary project).

On 2 March, I met with the National Council of VMY Haiti to try to make analysis of the situation of members of VMY. Six of our brothers DIED in Port au Prince:

-          Delice Keny, 8 years (Blanchard)

-          Azar Charlemagne (Fleuriau-Tabarre)

-          Stanley, 24 years (St Louis Roi de France)

-          Alain Gourgues, Valérie Tardieu, Josiane Eliacin (members of the VMY Missionary group, Lalue. Young professionals and students)

Fifteen members were seriously injured, and are recovering little by little. 272 members are out of their homes damaged by the earthquake. 98 members lost their homes completely destroyed by the earthquake. We are still awaiting news of some members that are missing.

Accompanied by a delegation of the National Council, I visited on the 4^th of March some injured members and the mother of the little boy Keny, trying to express the closeness of all.

I commend these dead and wounded members and all the Association to your prayers. On their behalf, thank you also for your closeness, your prayers and your efforts to assist and accompany them.

“For the Lord has comforted his people, and will have compassion on his suffering ones… . Can
a woman forget her nursing-child, or show no compassion for the child of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you” (Is 49, 13-15).

These words that we heard in the liturgy of this week invite us to be signs of God’s tender love for our brothers by the prayer but also with the sweat of our forehead.

I cannot conclude without mentioning also our brothers and sisters in Chile, also affected by the strong earthquake that suffered the country. For now, we know that all are fine and that four of the seven groups in the country live in the affected area, we are waiting for further information.

I entrust all these intentions to your prayers. God help us to be consolation and hope for VMY members in difficulty.

Yasmine Cajuste

International President