WAKE UP! Year of Mercy Novena for St. Luke Foundation by Fr. S. Enzo Del Brocco CP

That same day at sunset I was coming back from the grocery store thinking that the day was over and already imagining to cook some pasta. I entered the gate and the receptionist ran towards me asking me to run inside to help a patient. I was quite confused and I was tempted to answer, "I’m not a doctor, what can I do?"  But again the voices came back: wake up, do not fall asleep! In front of me was a man with an 11 year child on his side and another in his arms with his legs and head hanging down as if he had no life. 

Two weeks ago I was in the U.S.A. giving mission appeals, trying to bring awareness to the conscience of people on how may brothers and sisters are suffering the lack of the fundamental needs: clean water to drink, food to eat, clothes to dress, meds, education, etc.

​While I was telling true stories about what we live constantly, I felt the question arising: Is this real? Are these stories true?
 
We all saw the tragic picture/video of the child rescued a few days ago in Syria and so many of us felt horrified, but did we need that image to realize what has been going on there for years? How many other Aleppo’s are burning in the world, at yet we continue to sleep, our consciences almost numb and unable to react.
 
The philosopher Blaise Pascal, meditating on the Passion of Jesus, wrote: “Jesus will be in agony until the end of the world, we must not sleep during that time.” (Pensees)

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How true are these words today! When you fly at night especially over the cities and towns of the developed countries, they seem never asleep, and yet the consciences of those who live in places where the means of communication are so fast and accurate can seem most anesthetized.
 
The day after my return to Haiti, I was going to celebrate mass as usual. I knew that I would probably have bodies on the floor to bury but when I arrived at the door and saw 21 small bodies in front of me I broke out into tears and paused in silence before I was able to begin singing for mass. I felt as their voices were crying: wake up, do not fall asleep!
 
That same day at sunset I was coming back from the grocery store thinking that the day was over and already imagining to cook some pasta. I entered the gate and the receptionist ran towards me asking me to run inside to help a patient. I was quite confused and I was tempted to answer : I’m not a doctor, what can I do? But again the voices came back: wake up, do not fall asleep! In front of me was a man with an 11 year child on his side and another in his arms with his legs and head hanging down as if he had no life. The man started shouting and I told him to not shout until the receptionist told me: "Father, he cannot hear, he’s deaf." The poor man was lost, with tears and fear in his eyes. The St. Damien Hospital could not take the young boy for he was 16 years oldand so I rushed them to the St. Luke Hospital were he was hospitalized.
 
I was heartbroken to see Lucson so malnourished, in pain, with his skin all broken and his father in those conditions. But at the same time I learned that evening from this dad how to never give up and that there is always something you can do no matter how poor or prevented you can be. If you just imagine that some months ago in Port-­‐au-­‐Prince three deaf people were stoned to death because people thought they were zombies, you can imagine what this man was risking at nighttime to seek for help for his child. The shining star is also the patient's little brother, Job, 11 years old who was holding the whole situation together, being the bridge between his father, his brother and the doctors. He stood there listening carefully to what the doctor was saying and trying to communicate with his father. He stayed overnight with them. What an example of courage, strength, and responsibility, at such a little age already dealing with the harshness of life as an adult. His name Job really fits him!
 
Nobody knew if he would of passed the night and so I blessed him with holy water from Mary's house in Ephesus given to me by a friend and I entrusted him to Our lady of Divine Mercy. I strongly prayed and felt the compassion, love and devotion of Lucson’s father and brother would have touched our Blessed Mother’s and God's heart. After four days with IV’s and blood transfusion, Lucson is back on track and is now on the malnutrition program. But still there was a problem. His father in his conditions was without work and so since two days he is now working with us and he seems the happiest man in the world. Obviously when he has to communicate he still shouts and wakes up the patients who are asleep, but everyone loves and admires him!