While taking a morning walk on the now restored soccer field next to Matthew 25 house, it was surreal to reflect on the fact that this was, just two years ago, a post earthquake emergency field hospital. After that, it became home to 1500 displaced people. They lived in tents on this field for more than a year and a half. As I walked the perimeter of the field on a calm Sunday morning, it was strange and wonderful to see it back to its intended purpose. I felt hope seeing this return to normalcy, and yet I had this sense that even the dirt beneath my feet will not forget that traumatic, pain-­‐filled time.

As far as progress for the people of Haiti, as with the encampment at Matthew 25 house, there are visible signs of people moving from the downtown area and public parks. We discovered that there are three things happening: some people are moving back into houses -­‐ whether they have been rehabilitated or not; some are leaving for the countryside; and others are simply moving to other camps that are not as visible. We felt great sadness when we saw people who continue to live in the camps after more than two years. The tents are worn, dusty and dilapidated. There are still an estimated 550,000 displaced people. 

Our trip in early February had a very special purpose. Both Tom Gumbleton and I went to be with the Kay Lasante staff to celebrate the inauguration of a new building. We made the decision not to renew the lease on our previous building, as the rent had increased and a more suitable space presented itself. The new building has already begun to serve our purposes

beautifully. There is plenty of space: a large area for intake, large consultation and treatment rooms, a spacious pharmacy, a small office,
storage space, and a bathroom. There is also a fairly large outdoor area where people wait to be seen, and an outdoor latrine. 

We were thrilled to join with the community for such a happy occasion. Fr. Andrew, a local parish priest, and Tom led the liturgical ceremony. The choir from St. Claire's parish provided uplifting singing. Various speakers shared reflections, thoughts and best wishes. Members of the Ti Plas Kazo neighborhood, our staff members and their

families, and friends in Haiti attended the event.
A neighborhood city council member joined us to express gratitude for the services provided in the community by Kay Lasante. We had a small party on the property after the ceremony. The whole event was truly hopeful -­‐ a time to give thanks for how far we have come and how much has been accomplished. We
are very grateful to the staff, the Haitian board members, Pierre and Carlo, and Kara Grant, Administrator, for all they did to organize such an uplifting event.

During dinner one evening at Matthew 25 House, one of the other guests asked Tom, "don't you ever get discouraged?" Tom gave a little laugh and replied, "I am beyond that, I am beyond discouragement because I try to keep myself aware that I am am only entering into what God is doing. All you can do is try always to be present, to be there to take part in what God is doing." Those words have become the lens through which I now reflect on our visit. It became clear throughout the week that we are simply being there for what

God is bringing about. None of us involved in the project could have predicted that we would be where we are now. 

The clinic now operates four days per week. Currently, we have one Doctor/Medical Director, one Nurse, one Pharmacist,
and seven Health Care Agents. We continue to offer health care, health education and disease prevention services. We have added a clinic day for pediatrics in addition to our general adult services. Along with the services for adults and children, Kay Lasante offers some other unique services. The Kay Lasante health agents do community outreach for education and follow-­‐up care. They do routine visits to patients' homes. There is a special focus on patients who have diabetes and need education and additional care. Every Friday the health
agents provide acupuncture treatments for people suffering from stress and anxiety. Additionally, the medical staff recently initiated a partnership with a Haitian women's organization to provide family planning services. 

The need for more patient care services has grown. We received a report last week that on one day Dr. Belfort saw 65 patients. People are so determined to get help, some start coming at five in the morning. As a result, we have decided to hire another doctor to help with the increasing need.

The health care agents continue their prerequisite courses for advancement in health care. As I write, they are taking their mid-­‐term exams. We keep them in our prayers and wish them well.



Our two Haitian board members, Pierre Methar and Carlo Adam, have decided to take positions on the staff and as a result will no longer serve as board members. This is a bittersweet transition. Their service, advice, and hard work have been appreciated, but their positions within the clinic will be of great service to us and will provide them with opportunities for professional growth. As of March 12th, Pierre will take a position as Logistics Manager, and Carlo will be the Patient Records and Documents Manager. We are currently looking for two new Haitian board members.

One of our favorite things to do while in Haiti is to visit with the staff members. One meeting was particularly touching. One of the health agents spoke of how she struggled with finding her purpose in life. She shared how she prayed and then went to Fr. Jean Juste to seek his advice and help in discerning what she should do. She recognized that she was called to do something because people kept coming to her for help. In discussing this with him, she realized that she was interested in medicine. Fr. Jean Juste encouraged her to come to a meeting with the St. Claire's parish group
who were starting a health care project. She has been working with us now since 2006. With tears of joy, she thanked us for what is being done for the community and for giving her the
opportunity to go to school -­‐ helping
her fulfill her mission and dream of
working in medicine. 

We share all of this with you to thank you for your sharing in the Kay Lasante Health Care Project and the education of the health care agents. Without your generous support, we could not continue. We appreciate all that you are doing to help the people of Haiti.

Peace,
Johanna Berrigan Bishop Tom Gumbleton 

Notes on August Trip (Haiti update, August 2010)
We returned from Haiti at midnight. This morning, Friday, August 20th, I sat in our spacious, lush garden, allowing the green, beauty and cool morning breezes to welcome me home. As I reflected on one of Thomas Merton's psalm prayers on nature, I couldn't help but feel joy and gratitude for the beauty and morning calm. At the same time, I was aware of this sad, hollow, helpless feeling as I thought in silence: there is more beauty and more food in this small community garden than in any of the encampments that continue to cover every inch of available space in the destroyed city of Port au Prince.


  We returned to Haiti in order to continue to work with Dr. Joey, the health care agents and members of the board to further develop the Kay Lasante Project for health care and disease prevention services. In addition to assisting at the clinic and visiting the Solidarite' des Handicapees Moteurs, the camp for the disabled and elderly, and other organizations, our time was spent primarily in meetings to assist with staff development and to better understand how we, The House of Grace, together with Tom Gumbleton, can best continue our accompaniment of St. Claire's parish as they continue to provide health care and outreach services for the community. 

Our first meeting with the health agents and board members was, as usual, hopeful and inspiring. The health agents and board members shared their reactions to the experience of their recent participation in the Open Space/ Circles of Change Seminars. We had arranged for participation in these seminars as part of staff development. Open space is a method of assisting groups of people working together, or who are concerned about issues, to develop collaborative leadership styles in approaching and resolving problems. Their participation in these seminars and circles of change has proven to be very useful in creating cohesiveness within the group. Since our team of health agents and board members are leaders in their community, these tools will be very valuable as they continue not only to work at the clinic together, but to deal with the complex issues facing Haiti during this critical time of recovery. We were encouraged by their enthusiasm over the seminars.

The clinic continues to operate out of the tent site in Ti Plaz Kazo two afternoons each week. The work that Dr. Joey and the health agents are doing is most impressive. We were amazed at how many people lined up in the hot sun to be seen. It was heartening to see that services are being provided and that the people of the community know that they have somewhere to turn for help. Basic health issues can be dealt with very easily. More involved cases become challenging to deal with. For example , we saw two older women - both very sick; one with a possible tumor, the other with cardiac disease. They needed to be referred for further lab tests. We await the results to determine what can or cannot be done to help. We do take comfort in knowing that the health agents will follow up and assist these women to get what services they can.



The most exciting part of the trip was discovering the availability of a building across the alley from the tent clinic site in Ti Plaz Kazo. Daniel, our liaison, and the board members, Pierre and Carlo are in the process of negotiating the terms for renting this building. It is in very good shape and will serve our purposes very well . In addition to three rooms that can be used as exam rooms,a bathroom, and storage space, there is a large meeting room. Dr. Joey and the health agents are looking forward to using this space for the clinic, community education meetings, staff meetings, and circle of change seminars for the community.




What continues to amaze us, is that out of the chaos, suffering and utter devastation of the earthquake the people have found within themselves the courage to carry on. We meet the most incredible people - - Haitian people first of all, but also so many others who are working in solidarity with them.



As mentioned above, we made a return visit to the Solidarite' des Handicapees Moteurs, the camp for the disabled and elderly in Cite Soleil. We were pleased to see the people again. It was touching to be recognized and so warmly welcomed back. We were able to visit with a number of the people living in this camp and do an assessment of their health needs. We plan to have a health care delegation visit this camp in the near future. Since our first visit in June, the situation for the people has greatly improved thanks to the generosity of people like you. While this is by no means the ideal solution, the people do have much better tents, a water tank on the property, and a small outdoor kitchen for cooking meals. The kitchen is actually an unbelievably hot little bamboo-like hut with a dirt floor. However, they do have what they need in order to provide meals: pots, pans, cooking utensils and charcoal. We have made a commitment to continue to support the people of this camp with finances in order for them to purchase food and water.



What is so impressive is that this camp is being organized by the people for the people - some of the most vulnerable people. A few of the women of the camp have come forward to take responsibility for cooking the food for the 150 members of the camp. They are proud to be serving local Haitian food. Daniel explained how much it means to some of the residents of the camp that the children from the nearby Pax Christi soccer club carry the meals to the elderly and disabled who are not able to walk to the little kitchen area

There is one woman living in the camp who is 80 years old. She is disabled from being hit by a car four years ago. She talked with us about the chronic pain in her left leg. She had never received any treatment following the accident. Her leg is now completely deformed. For pain management she wraps her left knee with a piece of cloth from an old dress and ties it tightly with a shoe string. She was quick to smile and make sure that we knew that this does not stop her from being active: She attends church, helps in the kitchen, and visits her grandchildren. Her eyes are so clear, her spirit is so strong. She beamed because she will now have a photo of herself with Tom to show her family.

We were also privileged to visit with Sr. Marthe Van Rompay. She is a Missionary Sister of the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Sister Marthe has lived in Haiti and worked with restevek children for 30 years. These are children who, for various reasons, are forced to live life as slaves in the homes of wealthy Haitians. The children are treated inhumanely. Their basic human rights are denied. Although often times their parents think otherwise, the children are not provided an education, and life is not better for them. Sister Marthe rescues these children from the abuses of this situation and finds them better homes to live in where they will be cared for and treated like human beings.



Sister could not contain her joy over our visit. She bowed her head and cried " I can't believe it". She was overwhelmed to finally sit and talk with Tom whom she met in Detroit 30 years ago and with whom she has been corresponding these many years. She was truly delighted to know that I was working with the Catholic Worker, and that Manuel Padilla was with Pax Christi. She kept repeating how blessed she was by the visit - as were we. To be in her presence and hear about her journey and her dedication to these children was most inspiring.She has devoted her life to helping these children to be free of a life of virtual slavery and to helping them find their dignity and worth as children of God.

We had the good fortune of spending time with Sasha Krammer and Amy Ross of SOIL. Sasha, the founder of Soil, has been working in Haiti since 2004. SOIL, Sustainable Organic Integrated Livelihoods, is a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting soil resources, empowering communities, and transforming wastes into resources in Haiti.
Sasha has graciously agreed to work with us in Ti Plaz Kazo to place some community composting toilets in the neighborhood near our clinic. In addition to this being a much needed, wonderful service for the community, our goal is to use the installation of these toilets as an opportunity to do health education in the community, especially with the children.

There is much speculation about the upcoming elections. The elections are scheduled to take place on November 28th. These elections will be flawed. In an article, The Assault on Haitian Democracy, posted by the Institute of Justice and Democracy, Kevin Edmunds states, " the strongest and most popular political force will again be excluded from these elections... the United States and the principal International power brokers have stated over and over again that the promotion of a stable and democratic political process is the primary goal in Haiti. However, the international elites continue to support and fund an election that openly excludes the political party Famni Lavalas , the party founded by former Haitian President Jean Bertrand Aristide." As a result of this, there is no candidate who is clearly a champion of the poor, or committed to bringing about the changes needed to promote justice for all.

It was good to be in Haiti and see that life, however fraught with challenges, continues. The Haitian people are full of life. A spirit of hope and determination persists in spite of abnormal circumstances, and the painfully slow progress towards recovery. We remain in awe of the dignity and beauty that the Haitian people bring to such difficult life situations.

We thank you for your continued interest, support and prayers.

Peace,
Johanna Berrigan, House of Grace Catholic Worker Community, Phila., Pa.
Bishop Tom Gumbleton, Detroit MI.