One reason I love living in community with other sisters is the fact that they keep me so abreast of news events in our world. Also the different connections one has makes issues very realistic and meaningful for me. The devastation in Haiti right now is just heart-wrenching to see, hear, and read about each day. But you also hear about some goodness because of all the kind people going down there to help the people in any way they can.
Over the weekend, Sr. Maureen who works at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx pointed out an article in the Daily News about 3 brothers who were born in Haiti, raised in Brooklyn and become doctors who went down to their homeland and provided medical skills and compassion to their fellow country people. Each of the brothers has a different medical speciality.One is an anesthesiologist, the other a pulmonologist, and the third, chief of surgery. These men were able to help the people by providing sedation, amputation, removal of fluid in a person's lungs. But most of all, they were also able to provide loving compassion to people in their native language of Creole. Maureen knows Dr. Billy Ford, the chief anesthesiologist at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. They have worked together. Read all about these great men by clicking on the following link: http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2010/01/29/2010-01-29_untitled_2haiti29m.html.
Sr. Maureen also mentioned that a Haitian midwife went down there to help her family and neighbors. Her mom died in the earthquake devastation and her father is seriously injured. As the midwife waits to be able to her mom's body home and bring her father to the US to live with her; she is delivering babies and helping the pregnant women in need.
A ministry of one of our Ursuline Sisters is to work with teams of lay people to bring medical supplies and education from Florida to the Dominican Republic. But right after the earthquake catastrophe in Haiti, her team worked to see what they could either bring in themselves or send to Haiti as a way to provide assistance to those in need. She and her team were trying very hard to get into Haiti to minister and help in any way possible.
It is wonderful to see the goodness of people as they use their training, skills, and life experience to help others. God's work is taking place!!!! Amen!!!!!
Sr. Jeannie
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
Thanks, Jeannie, for some almost-first hand info in the wake of the earthquake's occurrence. It is heartening to see so many dedicated workers coming to the aid of those in need. In Where Is God? Jon Sobrino reflects not only on the effects of the earthquakes in El Salvador in 2001 (An earthquake is a "natural disaster."), but also on the impact human choices/decisions have made (He alludes to "historical-social" factors.)--especially on the poor. How can we continue to remain aware of the devastation of this small Caribbean country as media attention is drawn to other happenings?
ReplyDeleteThanks Sheila for the comment.
ReplyDeleteI agree we have to work to keep ourselves and others aware of what's happening in Haiti and not getting our attention drawn to what the media offers us.
We'll keep trying.