Anne's reflection

St. Vincent’s

In a broken city

in a broken country

in a broken world

A boy with no arms plays futbol 

and discovers a fun noodle

A girl with no arms paints a friend’s fingernails 

with her toes

A boy struggles to pray out loud and keeps saying “Alleluia” 

A precious girl, who can only smile, laughs when we sing “Frer-e-Jaques-- Margarette”

A doctor “happens” to meet a cardiologist from Ohio

in a hallway at a hospital

Physical therapists find a stroller and walker for a bed-bound child

A deacon wrestles with ten lively little ones at once

in a hot upstairs room

A med student is everywhere--saying what we can’t 

in words or signs

A man with no arms or legs paints works of art

A blind girl plays classic violin; a blind man, the accordion

Superman does the impossible all day

everywhere

A priest celebrates Eucharist

Children sing “How Great Thou Art” in French

A neuro-psychologist manages a pharmacy

Helpers soothe a crying child, escort patients, deliver prescriptions, 

feed little ones

Nurses and medical assistants play catch, paint fingernails, stick fingers

An American deacon assists at Eucharist (in French) at the rebuilt cathedral

A shepherd takes care of his sheep and plays hymns on his violin 

A man maneuvers a bus through impossible traffic on impassable streets

and delivers the team to and from a Holy Place

In this broken city

that overflows with color 

and tap taps named for Jesus 

and God’s children

In this broken country 

that keeps on keeping on

despite earthquake, fire, and flood

In this broken world 

Where Love lives