I’m sitting in my favorite place at 5:00 in the afternoon
looking out at the boys playing soccer with their new ball and listening to the
choir practicing. The wonderful sound of singing drifts from the school and
fills the whole area. It is so amazing
to me that all the social life here in Bondeau centers around the church. It is a wonderful tribute to Pere Kesner. Most people find their joy here with people
from the parish and most people attend all the services, Wednesday, Friday, and
Sunday.
Yesterday afternoon our music director, Jonkensi, better
known as “Mystro”, and his long time companion, Islande, were married here with
a grand celebration. Pere Kesner
celebrated a High Mass with incense, and lots of singing. Our visiting seminarian, Sam Owen, from Yale
was Best Man. The classroom/church was
decorated with blue and white ribbon chain, and white paper doves. Beautiful drawings of doves were on the chalk
boards that are used for the classroom, but were aptly decorated for the
wedding. (I continue to be amazed at the artistic ability here in Bondeau.) Parish
women had been preparing food all day and immediately after the ceremony, a
huge buffet dinner was served with all the Haitian favorites, followed by delicious
sweet wedding cake. In keeping with
tradition, a champagne toast was offered for the bride and groom.
Today…another day. A mother
talked to me about having her 12 year old boy stay at Kay La Pou Timoun Yo”,
The Children’s Home. She can’t afford to
keep him and had given him to people in Port au Prince, but he was very unhappy
there. I have proceeded with having a school
uniform made and talked with the School Director about his attending our school
beginning Monday.
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