Our First Full Day in Leogane

by Caroline Larson

Today is our first full day in Leogane and my head is so full of ideas and impressions.  Yesterday our route to Leogane took us by so many areas of streets lined with people struggling to survive  - small businesses crowding the streets punctuated by piles of rubble and smoking trash.  And then my attention would be drawn to a beautiful flowering bush or a child smiling and playing with a sibling.  Life goes on in this place.  And there is beauty struggling to be noticed in the landscape and in the people.

This morning we attended church.  I do not understand much French but the warmth of Pere Kerwin’s sermon came through and the hymns were sung with such joy and passion I was brought to tears.  The passing of the peace took at least 5 minutes and I got a couple of hugs along with many warm handshakes.  Pere Kerwin tells us that 80 percent of the congregation is unemployed and yet they continue to share their joy in life and contribute to fund the church as well as the building fund for the new church.  Father Kerwin explained to us over dinner tonight that the church is using a microfinance approach by loaning funding to church members, primarily women, for them to invest in products to resell.  They pay back the loan with no interest and their success supports their families and results in more contributions to the church.  He also shared with us that the school is struggling since the earthquake as their buildings were damaged and their student population dropped from 900 to less than 400 making it hard to meet the budget.  Cost for an elementary student is $250 to $300 and secondary school $400 to $500. 

Tomorrow will be our first clinic day and I am excited to be going.  Looking forward to meeting Jesus in the people we serve tomorrow.  I know I will return hot and tired tomorrow night, but changed, as I was today.