AMERICA/HAITI - “God is present in Haiti with the presence and participation of so many men, women, and children.”

Turin (Agenzia Fides) – Father Antonio Menegon, Camillian founder of the first Mission in Haiti which has been operating since 1995 through the community health center “Foyer Saint Camille,” sent a letter of thanks to all who have so far worked to bring relief in this tragedy. In his update, sent to Fides, we read that "earthquakes continue to destroy the little left standing and terrorize the population that is now exhausted. In addition, there is the violence of armed gangs who steal and murder, and the mass exodus from the capital to other cities and towns in the island, as well as the remaining danger of epidemics and the lack of fuel, food, water, and medicines. Even in Jérémie, a small town in the south of Haiti where we have a religious community, we have gotten to work to help people arriving from the capital. On Saturday, January 23, 3 volunteers (two nurses and a maintenance worker) working in our hospital will come in from Italy and bring, in addition to pharmaceutical drugs of primary importance, a sum of money for the most urgent needs. Another Camillian religious who is himself a doctor has already arrived in Haiti and we are organizing the shipment of other containers, which will start when we have some news of where and how they can reach us."
"Dear friends of the Camillian mission and Haiti in particular - he wrote in his letter of thanks to the religious - with these few lines, in addition to these news, I wish to express profound thanks and gratitude of the Camillian Community for all you have given the people of Haiti, especially for our mission. In these days, we have felt the presence and the proximity of so many people that give us the strength to continue to hope that people can recover. Thanks to your help, we are able to make the first steps towards the people of Haiti, who are weeping for their dead and who have lost everything they had. Over time, we will be able to channel assistance towards a broader work of reconstruction, but now we are working on emergency needs, which we are trying to meet thanks to your support."
"In a previous comment I said that God does not reveal His presence in Haiti with traits typically attributed to His omnipotence (e.g. miracles)... but He reveals Himself instead through the presence and participation of so many men, women, and children on this occasion, who have tangibly demonstrated that the world is not only full of evil, but rather that there is a superabundance of good and that in the heart of every man there is a great treasure of brotherhood, compassion, and love that continues alive and well. In disasters and in times when humanity experiences its limits and its fragility, even its evil tendencies and creatureliness, God can take the best out of man. I managed to get in touch with our missionaries, who are so grateful for the great spirit of solidarity and the extraordinary generosity of everyone, religious institutions and the laity, the press, groups, associations, companies, organizations, and many, many people of good will. Thank you for what you have done and for what you will do and especially thanks for the friendship, affection, and closeness that you have shown.” (AP) (Agenzia Fides 22/1/2010)