Day 4: serving a meal to every child

As we waited for Noe to return with cooked food, plates and water: I told the children a few stories. The first was about the boy who became St Francis And the second was Yertle the Turtle.
Here is a photo of Noe and others handing a meal plate to a child. Children first, followed by yourhand the parents until we ran out. The rest of us had no desire to eat, knowing that we could eat at will after we leave.

Day 4: return to Holy Innocents

This morning the songs sing by church musician at St Andre called us from sleep into prayer. We the drove back to Holy Innocents to get to know the children and adults more. Word spread quickly. At first we were greeted by 25, soon it was 50. An hour later it was 100. We served close to 200 meals. While Noe returned to fetch the meal being prepared, Regine and Proscille took control, as only good teachers are able. Soon the kids we learning how to play duck, duck, goose. Then they sang songs and danced. Later, with Regine's help I taught them "do you love Jesus, deep down in your heart".

Day 3: connections

In the evening, we set off from Hinche to visit Partners in Health facility where Paul Farmer began his journey when he was 19. It is also the sight of an Episcopal Church School, sharing the same campus. We had the good fortune to meet the Episcopal priest (Fritz LaFontant - in photo) who befriended Paul Farmer and helped start Friends of Partners in Health in Haiti grow to what is today. He is very proud of the partnership and the subsequent growth of the schools in the region Partners works in (19 schools). Their is another Episcopal Priest (Pere Kesner) here who is the chaplain for the hospital and the priest in charge for schools.

Day 3: road trip

This morning we drove with Noe up to Cap Haitian. Noe had to make a final presentation to the new priest there. The three hour country car ride was an adventure in itself, all dirt roads, driving through rivers, and endless valleys. Needless to say, there is a reason four wheel drive cars are built. In Cap we took time to be tourists and eat breakfast. The photo below is where the city is building a children's beach park. Those who traveled to Cap before (see blog posts from 2011 and 2012) will recall that this spot was a dump before when liter and bottles where literally knee deep. Could this be a symbol of the changes in Haiti?

Day 2 - what could be

Sorry for the delay.
On Wednesday we were introduced to the mission church: Holy Innocents. This community is about 40 min drive, mostly dirt roads, from Hinche. The people in this area are very poor, with no income. They live off the land. The church purchased some land, it's a good size plot, at least a hector. This tent is, believe it or not, the church and single classroom. Mind you, there is no roof.

This is where Noe wants to start his first school outside of Hinche.

He is inviting us to prayerfully join him in partnership.

Can we imagine, Can we see what Noe can almost touch?

More to come.

Day 2-3 email issues.

Dear friends, I am having connectivity problems ... Hope to post more Friday morning. Thank you for your patience and prayers.

Mark+

The Reverend Mark C McKone-Sweet

Day 2: Noe at the Altar of St Andre

Noe's first Eucharist. God speed and Alleluia.

Day 2: a wonderful day awaits

5am bells ringing. 5:30am singing in the kitchen. And a beautiful sunrise. Other than a strange and rather large spider in the ladies shower (harmless we learned) a good night was had. The first photo is the roof top of Saint Andre. This church and school were built by the bishop when he was a priest. Their long term partnerships and strong leadership over the years have this complex in great shape. (Recalling the 2008 floods in Hinche and 2010 earth quake)The second photo is of the school: 800 students.
Sending you peace from Haiti

Day 1 - rest between flights and photo

Here we all are! From left to right
Rick, Regine (Epiphany Teacher), London, Jonel, Priscille (Epiphany Teacher) and Rev Mark. This is Rick and Priscille's first visit to Haiti. Regine her second - both in 2013! London and Mark have traveled several times. As for Jonel, he has returned several times to his birth place. A radio man, he started a Haitian radio station in the Boston area. Radio: Echo Evangelique 89.9 FM- SCA

We are traveling to the city of Hinche, in the upper plateau. We are hosted by Reverend Noe and staying at the rectory the Episcopal Church and School: Saint Andre. From there we will learn, visit and prayerfully begin to quantify how to best develop mutual relationships with a school (not St Andre). We suspect it may look different to Epiphany than for Saint Dunstan's. Nevertheless mutual relationships that enable us to all go deeper with Christ and each other is our motivation.

Day 1 - take off

We are all on board, all six of us. Security took an hour and 15 min for some of us. And so another mission trip leaves from Saint Dunstan's Episcopal Church and The Epiphany School. Where will God take us this time? How will God call us into a deeper response to our baptism?

Prayerfully full of anticipation of what awaits,

Mark+

Compassion and Matthew 6:9-13

I need to process something. So bear with me please. It takes special moments, often unexpected ones to draw me into the power of God's Grace. What strikes me tonight is a deeper awareness for what I assumed to be a welcoming, unifying prayer shared by all, that may not be so in all circumstances.

When I was about 30 years old, I took a respite from the Episcopal Church, at a local Roman Catholic Parish. The priest of the parish invited to receive Ashes at the evening service. What shocked me was his invitation to also receive communion. I made it clear I was not looking for a new denomination. He smiled. I was anxious as i arrived that night. At that service, when we all spoke the Lord's Prayer, I of course competed the Lord's Prayer - alone with the priest. I never understood why the priest finishes the prayer or why Episcopalians share the entire prayer with the priest.

Well, there was no where to hide as heads turned. And so began the most amazing three years of parish as an Episcopalian in a Roman Church. In time I learned that often the Hebrew Scripture was read by Jewish spouses of parishioners at each service. I learned that this priest was always the first to stand in town or outside a synagogue when ever a hate crime touched our lives.

The Lord's Prayer, I have always experienced in every Christian setting and interfaith service as the one prayer that unifies all Christians. And yet, when I listen to the heart of those who don't want attention drawn to them, especially for how their tradition teaches the HOW WE pray the Lord's Prayer ... I find myself saddened that such a simple prayer would make any christian person uncomfortable.

The "nay Sayers" will tell me to keep offering the Lord's Prayer without hesitation. Don't water down our traditions anymore. don't apologize for being Christian.

Last I checked, we are all called to love our neighbor ... and to offer unconditional love in God's name. We are not judge but to listen and offer the hand of Christ to all. Jesus' teaching are abundant. The Lord Prayer offered to the disciples, despite Jesus frustration with them, was an example.

It was Father Bullock that taught me so much about Jesus Christ. So much so, a few years later at his funeral, I approached his brother, also a Catholic Priest and told him "I experienced Jesus Christ in the most remarkable ways in those three years".

That night I went home to prepare my papers for my ordination, as a priest in the Episcopal Church.

I wonder tonight what wisdom he would share with me now ... Other than to be bold in welcoming, incorporating, grateful, a beacon for peace & justice and the first to witness - for others -God's Grace. Focus less on the what "we" do and more on how God is asking us to open doors into people's hearts to Jesus Christ - with or without the Lord's Prayer.

Time to say my prayers for the night. Matthew 6:9-13 is a good place start.

Right?

Prayerfully,
Mark+