God gives us this

Shucks, missed Michelle Obama! But good of her to drop by.

Today, I went to a meeting for the Cellule d'Urgence et de Reconstruction de Leogane (CURL), the committee I mentioned in my last post that formed to bring local voices to this effort. I strained to use my Kreyòl to understand the French; not perfect, but am almost sure I understood this message "It is Easter, the season of rebirth. We are grateful to the blan who understand that."

We also stood for a moment of remembrance. April 12 had passed, the 3 month mark.

In the hospital later, I told a woman she had advanced breast cancer. I didn't realize I was the one to break the news, for one of the docs had passed her to me to work on referral options. In discussing these, I just mentioned it, "because you have cancer, you would need medicine after surgery." Her eyes sharpened, "O, m gen kansè?"

Apologizing, trying to be present, explained the rest: she doesn't have many options. Go home, or mastectomy with no adjuvant chemo, or find a private oncology clinic she can't afford. She explained, "I don't have money since the movement January 12. I can't know what I will have now. God gives us this."

A large tarped wooden structure went up last week, the first major building to be rebuilt in Leogane (many more trucks & heavy equipment around now, exciting!). What was it? The church, built new around the altar that survived.

I can't even imagine the faith of people around me right now. I'll never have it, but I'm glad they do.