Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Washington (Agenzia Fides) – According to a statement sent to Fides by the Jesuit Refugee Services (JRS) in the USA, two leading Haitian Jesuits will be hosted next week by their confrères in Washington, D.C. Fr. Kawas Francois, S.J., and Fr. Lazard Wismith, S.J. will arrive in Washington on April 13 and depart from the city on April 16, 2010.
Fr. Kawas Francois, S.J. is president of the Jesuit Interprovincial Committee for the Reconstruction of Haiti and founding member of the National Committee for Reflection and Action. Fr. Lazard Wismith, S.J. leads Jesuit Refugee Service in Haiti. Their time in Washington will offer an occasion for reviewing the current situation in Haiti and examining the areas of greatest need.
While continuing to maintain its presence along the Northeastern border, JRS Haiti is focusing its current relief efforts in the Port-au-Prince area, working in seven camps that serve the needs of more than 21,000 displaced people in and around the capital.
JRS/USA National Director Fr. Kenneth J. Gavin, S.J., who visited Haiti in the aftermath of the January earthquake, will host Fr. Francois and Fr. Wismith, during their time in Washington.
The Jesuit community in Haiti has also organized the National Committee for Reflection and Action (Cellule de Refexion et d'Action Nationale - CRAN), composed of Jesuits and members of Haitian civil society who work together on an ongoing basis to accompany the Haitian people, their leaders, and the international community in their efforts to rebuild Haiti.
In a note to Fides, JRS/USA Communications Director Christian Fuchs commented: “For many years Jesuit Refugee Service has had a grassroots presence in Haiti and has provided humanitarian assistance to displaced Haitians in both the Dominican Republic and along the Haitian border. In addition, JRS has responded to the needs of Haitians following successive natural disasters, a food crisis, and repeated hurricanes.”
JRS accompanies victims of the earthquake by providing pastoral and psychosocial assistance for both individuals and groups. JRS is also providing assistance in coordinating committees in the camps through management training sessions and regular meetings so that the displaced people are able to develop their own recovery and reconstruction initiatives. (AR) (Agenzia Fides 10/4/2010)
