Devotionals

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In 1979, I had the opportunity to test my vocation as a nun for ten days in Port au Prince and Kenscoff, Haiti. I have never forgotten the pain that I witnessed and the work that went on to alleviate it. Assistance was offered by the church in the form of donations and education about simple things: relationships, farming, sanitation, and health along with faith in God.

There were was a woman walking in rags tied together that barely covered her body trying to keep up with a man who was riding a horse. Beautiful mountains stood majestically, but totally denuded of trees and the topsoil needed for farming. Those near the upper portion washed clothes in the rivers that provided water for those living below. There was so much poverty and yet I met persons who had eyes filled with a deep faith and trust in the Lord. They could teach us much about God’s grace and the riches of an intimate relationship with the Living God.

The Bahamas is so affluent in comparison. Many illegal immigrants brave treacherous seas to land clandestinely on our shores, or furtively sail towards the United States. We offer work permits to those with agricultural and other skills but we cannot absorb the numbers that search for a better way of life. It is a tragic situation that is best understood by those who have the opportunity to visit Haiti for themselves.

Years before, in Montreal, I had met the Haitian students who wore mink coats and drove expensive cars. When I put all of these places and faces together, I saw a complex and challenging problem that would not be easily addressed with my people caught in the middle of strong political forces.

Twenty-seven years later, we have no clearer picture, and no simple answers. Boats capsize and lives are lost, while some arrive safely under the cover of darkness. The trafficking of human cargo continues as long as there are persons who dream of a land of milk and honey, and lay their lives on the line to provide for their families.

Advent reminds us of an even greater sacrifice made by God our Father who sent an only Son to die that we, the human family, may be saved. Jesus Christ bore humiliation, torture and crucifixion on a cross just for us, each one of us. What is our response to such love? How do we in turn show love to one another? For what do we sacrifice everything? For what are we willing to die? Let us remember that the best gift we can receive this Christmas is the gift of eternal life.

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