Updates Continue....

The following updates have been sent to the USCMA by the CMSM. Please continue to pray for all our brothers and sisters in Haiti, especially as they continue to negotiate life and the aftershocks of the earthquake.
The pictures were sent courtesy of Ms. Tery Gonzalez de la Maza, Amor en Accion and USCMA Board President.

On January 12, Fr. Ray Lacasse and two friends were on their way for their annual mission trip when the earthquake occurred. Here is their latest report, just in:
"We were on the mountain (about one hour from Port-Au-Prince - the epicenter) when the earthquake struck. The mountain began to collapse, land slides, boulders falling on cars, the road began to shake crack, and houses crumbled. The car in front was hit by boulders, a woman had her foot severed, screams of children, adults and animals everywhere. We were the fortunate ones. Our car was not hit, but we were blocked from continuing further south. We had just left Port Au Prince after having a nice meal, etc. at the Oblate Provincial house in Port Au Prince (now completely demolished). This is where we were to stay the first night, but we changed our plans because of delayed luggage.... Since our car was trapped, we had no choice but to head out on foot. We were uncertain whether to continue to head south as originally planned to be at the Mission Center with Fr. Fred, or to return back to Port Au Prince.
"Luckily we headed south, as we had at this point no idea that Port Au Prince had been destroyed. We packed a few things (water, chocolate bars, a jacket and Excedrin). Left the rest of our belongings in the car. While walking (pitch black, while the Haitians along the road sang and prayed), we were picked up by the UN from Sri Lanka (they speak English and Sri-Lankan and not the language of Haiti (French and Creole), so were happy to see us. They put us in the back of a big UN truck - also filled with many others - wounded, babies, etc.) and took us to the UN camp. The UN treated a few of the wounded, but did not have facilities for the many helpless and homeless. We were fortunate to be allowed to stay with them. They were extremely gracious and hospitable to us. They fed us and gave us a room to sleep in. We (all four - Fr. Ray, Wilma, our driver, and I) all slept on the floor. No blanket, etc., with a generator florescent light on us throughout the night. After-shocks were continuing throughout the night at approximately 4 per hour: Very loud and frightening.
"The UN soldiers are Buddhists and had a Buddhists shrine erected. Fr. Ray suggested that we all pray together. The soldiers (about 20 or so) knelt and chanted. We joined in with them and it became a very bonding experience. We all prayed to the same God. Everything was all so uncertain, as we had no communication, especially about the roads, etc. Morning came and the road was cleared enough for us to get our jeep and to continue south to Les Cayes. We saw devastation along the way. Collapsed building, homes, people sleeping on the street, wounded, no water and food. It took us about 2 hours to reach Les Cayes where we are now.... safe and in good condition. No damage here. The capital of Port Aux Prince is demolished and in complete chaos. The Oblates have lost their facilities, seminarians are homeless and have died, people are without food, water, etc. The airstrip is being reserved for rescue operations and for incoming food, water and medical supplies. 22 at the UN headquarters have died. The archbishop is also dead. We continue to be safe and realize that this will take time for us to internalize, comprehend and deal with the utter destruction that we have seen."




From Fr. Fred Charpentier in Les Cayes on January 16, 2010:
"I don't know were to start to tell you how bad the situation is in Port-au-Prince. Help has been slow in reaching the victims, causing more victims... Most of the city and surroundings are destroyed. No electricity there, and practically no phone services anywhere in the country. I am at a loss trying to communicate in my own area, which had no damage. Now, there is a gas shortage all over, making things still worst... and so even here, the electricity is being rationed, which means that I'm having a hard time keeping up with the Internet services, which are not too good.
All our scholastics left Turgeau today, and arrived in Gabions, on way to their new assignments in different parishes. The Procure is like the house where the "lady lived in a shoe..." Price is here with Toto for now, and my 3 visitors from California, us four, and five others!!! Another contingency is expected to land here tomorrow... We have practically no liquidity left, with all the banks closed, and not soon to open. I am sure from what I heard that the death toll will exceed the 300,000 mark!!! There is not a person I talk to that does not have a death in the family... We still don't know how many priests, seminarians, and religious are dead... or still dying because not enough help is on hand to save them. Leogane is 90% gone, great destruction from Petit Goave all the way to Cabaret!!! Boy, were we lucky in the South!!! We have no news at all of the Jacmel area, and so I presume it's like the South... Where the quake hit hard everybody is living and sleeping in their "yards"... or in the streets. Whatever is left standing is not safe. The Turgeau Scholasticate is completely destroyed, as well as the Annex of the Provincial House. The old section of Provincial House is cracked and unsafe. The confreres there are living in the back yard near the steps...
The stench of dead corpses is all over town, so bad that they are burning the corpses... Blanchard area suffered no damage, and all the scholastics there are OK, but must leave because there's nothing left to stay for!!! There is not one school, church, or any type of public building left in the whole area, nor decent private home, just a few here and there... with nowhere to go. The roads are open, but there's a huge crack in Tapion, near Petit Goave where fuel trucks, and big transport can't get through. Since everything was centralized in the Capitol, now the whole country is affected. Since the government has also collapsed, law and order is starting to break down. We will need those 10,000 US Forces... It will take a miracle to get all the countries involved in the rescue mission and rebuilding to really put their act together... and in time!!! It is now after midnight, Joe, and I must say a little prayer before I go to bed. I'll try to get back to you soon. We all appreciate your concern and especially your prayers for more strength in this terrible ordeal, much like the Book of Job...
Bye, Fred, omi"


Greetings,
For your information, below please find information we received on Friday concerning the situation of women and men religious in Haiti.
News from the following communities:
• Filles de Jésus (Daughters of Jesus) f.j. by Sr. Georgette Beaudry, f.j. All of their sisters in Haiti are safe and sound.
• Soeurs de Charité de St. Louis SCSL have not heard from their sisters in Haïti but received reports that their college de Bourdon is completely destroyed.
• Soeurs de St François d'Assise are all alive despite the fact that their college has been crushed.
• Filles de Marie-Reine Immacules have lost members of their community in the collapse of their house in Canapé Vert. Neither the names nor the number of people lost is known at this time. Sr. Délivrine Lops, psst, (Petite Soeur de Ste-Thérèse) passed away in the earthquake, as did Sr. Esta Joseph, cj (Compagne de Jésus).
• Holy Spirit Fathers CssP by John McFadden. Some seminarians have lost their lives, number unknown, 1 priest is safe awaiting news about other confreres.
• Redemptorists CssR by Father Mario Broie, Cssr all 27 members are safe and sound. Most buildings are a completely destroyed. 300 students and teachers have died from the collapse of one of their schools.
• Brothers of Instruction Chrétienne (FIC) by Jacques Lemire, fic. Have lost 1 brother, another is still under the debris, many are injured, 2 Canadians are waiting to return to Canada. Many of their buildings are completely destroyed. They provided brief news about other communities:
o Seminary, completely destroyed, many victims amongst the seminarians of various communities.
o Daughters of Mary, Many victims amongst the sisters
o Daughters of Wisdom, Sister Jeannine is deceased
o Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny, no news.