C'est mon Cantique

Today we went to 9:00 service at Holy Trinity Cathedral.  The worship service is held in a temporary pavilion built next to the crumbled cathedral which was destroyed in the earthquake.  Its lovely to see old friends and be greeted like family.  Of course, the two hour service is entirely in French and Kreyol.  The hymns are familiar tunes, like Blessed Assurance and Amazing Grace.  C'est mon cantique, C'est mon histoire  (This is my song, this is my story).  Grace infinie  (Amazing Grace). 
Wonderful to worship with the Haitians.  Even though my french is terrible.  When I got to St Vincents later this afternoon, I tried to get Frenel to sing with me, and we both started the "C'est mon cantique..." but neither knew the rest of the words. We both laughed over that.  

Moise and Jonas and Adrian and Samuel, Blenda and Dieumene and Clauricianne and Marie Carmelle.  All smiling faces to greet us, with JoJo welcoming everyone especially the new team members.  Claire took her guitar upstairs and sang with the younger children; joined by Mackenson they sang "Alleluia" by Leonard Cohen.  I sat with Kara for a few minutes on the bottom steps of the school, in the shady spot next to where Marie Carmelle sits.  I explained to Kara this is my favorite spot in the world.  

Returning to the guesthouse, we persuaded Gail (the guesthouse manager) to find us a driver and take us to the Hotel Montana.   A lovely 5 star hotel at the top of the mountain.  It too was destroyed in the earthquake, but has been rebuilt with its terraced  brick patios overlooking the city.  A memorial to the people who were killed on Jan 12, 2010 sits in a small but lovely garden.  We sat in the open air restaurant, watched the sunset while some drank gin and tonic (good for deterring mosquitoes) and others mango rum punch.  Oh, and did I mention vanilla glace (ice cream)  The Gin and Tonic was served as a glass full of gin with a separate soda can of Canada Dry Tonic Water.  Quite strong!

Dinner back at the guesthouse included piclise, my favorite Haitian dish.  John and I fight over this, and now Jaden Yencer has joined our spice/heat loving team.  Not bad for a kid from Ohio.  

All in all a lovely day, full of re connections with old friends and lovely places.  Tomorrow we start clinic, both medical and dental, and the controlled chaos begins.

Susan

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