Haiti Church and Walking Tour

by Elizabeth Foot  

              

There is a carnival going on here and, I guess, just like the US, Saturdays are the night to go out. The music is amazing; exuberant and joyful. Those were the feelings I felt when I heard them going by my window, but at 4:45 am, I was not ready to return the love.

                But today I was. It’s Sunday: God’s Day. The Church service started at 7 am and despite efforts to be there on time, we walked over around 8 am. The service ended around 10:15 am—meaning it was hours longer than any service at Epiphany. For those hours, I struggled to understand before giving up completely; anyone sitting behind me would have seen me perk up at any words I knew and then watch me put my head down again when I realized I’d have to wait a while before I recognized anything else. Since my French speaking and hearing ability borders decent, I was left to enjoy the service with all senses save comprehension. [Parts of the service are in Creole; cognates may be few – Ed.] I saw how nicely everyone was dressed: the girls and women were in dresses and bows, boys and men in dress suits and ties. They swayed with the music of the chorale group—led by a women in a pale coral dress and voice that filled the room. The acolytes surrounded the altar and one of them spread incense. The toddlers were amazing, they just sat quietly with their mothers. If they didn’t sit still, and one boy was running around the whole time, it was outside.

                I learned after the service that the church was built on what used to be the school’s basketball court. I also saw where the old church used to be, but now it’s just cinder blocks and wire foundations; they are getting ready to rebuild it. The only room that remains from the earthquake five years ago is a small room off to the side, the sacristy. The room is in good shape but it looked lonely sitting at the top of some steps and surrounded by grass covering the old ruins. As Carol Hokana said “Those cinder blocks represent hope. They’re so simple, but so strong.” I want to thank Carol for expressing what seems so true.

                As a high school student, I am lucky enough to say this culture is a shock to me. Yesterday, on our way from Port-Au-Prince to Leogane, we saw things you only see in movies: pigs in the street, piles of burning trash, policemen patrolling streets with intimidating guns. Yet the people seem hopeful, just as they were at the church today. It’s incredible and I have really never seen anything like it. All I could keep thinking was, as we were driving yesterday was, if there were pigs, or cows, or goats roaming the streets in Boston, we would call Animal Control to figure it out, or we would just run away. But here, people and animals are living side by side (I don’t know if there is animal control or not).

                But back to today! After lunch, we will be heading off on a walking tour of Leogane. I’m excited to see the area as well as get some exercise. I don’t know what exactly we will be seeing but that makes it all the more interesting because, for some of the “returning varsity members”, they’ve already seen it but it is my first time and my first impressions have yet to be made.