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Today’s Blog Post
(Note: Photos posted here came from CBC’s Tapestry Web Site- taken by David Gutnick – and the Sister’s of St Joseph’s Web Site)
Sister Lorraine Malo and her Haitian Ministry
Yesterday afternoon later, as I was driving, I caught the CBC program, “Tapestry” hosted by Mary Hynes. The CBC Web Page featuring the description of the program states, “CBC Radio's Tapestry is a weekly exploration of spirituality, religion and the search for meaning, hosted by Mary Hynes.”
It has been a long time since something has touched me so deeply. It may be the particular moment in time that I was listening to the program that brought out my reaction in such away. Much has been happening in my life personally… so maybe that is why…
I cried.
When I heard Mary Hynes’ and David Gutnick’s discussion of Sister Lorraine Malo’s work in Haiti, right there is the van I cried.
In an age and time when a lot of what I have witnessed in Christianity has been pretty superficial, Sister Lorraine’s story stands out alone – as an example of what I have read and know of real Christianity. It moved me deeply.
Now for some that read this Blog for the first time you will need to know that I am a retired Minister. For more than 35 years I have witnessed Christians up close. I have studied what Christianity is all about and then watched the present examples. At times there is a great discrepancy as to what is written and what is acted out.
That statement is pretty harsh I know for some of the ‘good Christians’ that pop in to read this Blog from time to time. Sorry – just being honest.
In the broadcast of the radio program Tapestry yesterday, I met Sister Lorraine Malo – a Sister of St. Joseph that hails from rural Manitoba originally. By meeting her I mean that I heard of what she does and then I heard her speak honestly about her work, as Mary interviewed her.
Sister Lorraine Malo works in Haiti as a Chaplain in the streets from what I have put together.
Each night a truck drives up and down the streets of Port-au-Prince, Haiti to pick up dead bodies. The bodies have been laid beside the street to be taken care of by authorities. People are frightened because of the potential disease that can be spread so easily by dead bodies.
From what I viewed on TV programming in the last year, following the terrible destruction that took place when the earthquake hit in January 2010, they have been facing crisis after crisis. At the very beginning the dead bodies were so numerous and there were so few relatives still alive – that no one could be buried properly or at all. The people were instructed to place the bodies that they found on the street and the authorities would take care of them.
As I said, there was also a great fear of diseases coming rapidly to the people still alive with bodies left in the open.
Today the disposal of bodies still takes place in a similar fashion. Each night they are picked up and take to morgue. From that place they can be then dealt with either by family of the authorities do so.
Mass graves are still a possibility from what I have read. But as Sister Lorraine tells us, the bodies were dropped in the open field and the wild animals would consume them.
In many cases the person that has died, has no one to look after them or their body. There is no mourning ritual that we have come to use and know so well in our country. And if they even wanted that to take place, how could they possibly do anything about it? They have no money nor transportation for themselves or the body. The roadside is the only way.
Having lost loved ones and friends I have a hard time imagining the situation that they face.
It is at that horrific moment in their culture that Sister Lorraine Malo carries out her ministry.
She has organized a ministry that is absolutely unique. She and a group of helpers go to the Morgue. They then place the bodies in a body bag. Each body bag has something painted on it. David Gutnick said that it may say, “Jesus love you” or “God is willing to accept you”.
After they have retrieved the bodies they transport them away to grave sites that have been dug for them. The volunteers along with Sister Lorraine then place the bodies in separate graves. A priest attends with them and does a graveside service for these folk. They are buried with a semblance of respect and care. They are not just dumped on mass into open pits along with the other discarded humans that will never be known.
In the background of the taped program that David Gutnick did at these gravesites, you can hear the music playing by a local group of musicians… carrying on the style of Haitian Funerals would normally be. Sister Lorraine hired the musicians to play at this last moment.
There is no family members standing nearby to mourn that last few moments. Again they are either gone in the earthquake of have no way to get to the place.
Remembering that this is a very hot country and that there is little or no refrigeration this work is unpleasant to say the least. Most of us cannot even imagine what this would be like.
These photos(below) are taken so far away from rural Manitoba where Sister Lorraine Malo comes from originally… I can hardly fathom it. The realities that she faces on a daily basis is so very far from where any of us in Canada live... there are no words for me to explain what I feel.
Yesterday as I was listening to the program, my friend’s daughter, who was only 15 years old, passed away from the cancer that has ravaged her body over this past year. “Katie” was her name.
Katie’s funeral will be very large and her families’ support is all across Canada and world wide. I cannot imagine anything but that happening. The situation is so dear to my own heart – let alone all the others.
What Sister Lorraine Malo does in Haiti is simple. She picks up the “Katie” that passed away a few nights ago and couldn’t be looked after properly. That Haitian “Katie” would have been discarded – but Sister Lorraine couldn’t let that happen. She just loves her too much.
You can see why I cried and continue to do so.
I have been thinking about Sister Lorraine Malo all night. I have prayed for her and her helpers that carry out such a ministry of love. May God keep them and bless them. I know His hand rests upon them.
All night I have been thinking about Katie’s family and friends as well. Through this very difficult time may He keep them and bless them too. I also know His hand will rest upon them as well.
God help us all.
~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/
Resource
Sister’s of St. Joseph
http://www.csj-to.ca/Join_us/sr_lorraine_malos_story.php
The Tapestry radio program for you to listen to…
http://podcasts.doubletwist.com/Tapestry-from-CBC-Radio/TnqMeIPrDj#q=a&id=TnqMeIPrDj
http://www.cbc.ca/tapestry/episode/2011/02/06/this-show-needs-a-title/
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