"His father asked me: "Can you please baptise him?". I was caught in surprise because that was actually the only thing I was really able to do. I did not hesitate, I took some water in my hands and after praying with his father and the Sisters, I baptized JP. It was a very moving moment and my heart quietly shouted to God: he's not only your creature now, he's your son! Please have mercy..." I wish to share a beautiful story of a child (J.P.) On Saturday, Sept 12, day of the Holy name of Mary I went with Fr. Rick to do clinics at St. Joseph's with the Sisters of Charity, commonly known as the Sisters of Mother Theresa. As usual, when we go to the slum areas, we go by motorbike so to easily make it through traffic. But in this area even the motorbikes have a hard time to get through as the church is in Croix des Bossales, nowadays a street market where people sell their crops occupying every inch of the street in such a way that if you throw a needle in the air it will never touch the ground on its way down! During the French Colony, this market place was also occupied by people, but who where unfortunately sold as slaves. It used to be the slave market.
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“What art of living do the Haitian people know? It is not a secret, it is that by God’s grace, we can become perfected rather than destroyed.” Spotlight article by David Horvath, PSN Fr. Rick Frachette arrived in Haiti to start an orphanage. Not knowing much about the country, its history or its language, he quickly realized that the biggest problem facing the children was a complete lack of medical care. The first hospital he helped form was started as a hospice for the dying, but Fr. Rick was determined to instead begin working to save lives. Father Rick is a doctor, priest and community organizer who has been living and working in Haiti for over 25 years. He is the founder of the St. Luke Foundation, an entirely Haitian-run organization with over 2,000 full time employees. He is also Director of Medical Services, Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos International. Described as a “transformative figure” in Haiti and the world, Fr. Rick and his team runs the St. Luke Foundation and have built orphanages, clinics, primary schools and a free pediatric hospital serving one of the largest slums in the Western Hemisphere. The reason for the success of these efforts lies in the absolute commitment to direct partnership with the people and empowering the communities served. This excellent seven minute video was created for his Opus Prize Award in 2012 More on Fr. Rick:
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