Saturday, January 16, 2010

GONE...reports from Haitian Episcopal Church

Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Port au Prince (l) completely destroyed by the earthquake along with murals painted by native artists.

The Diocese of Haiti (Eglise Episcopale d'Haiti) is the largest and fastest growing Diocese of the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church is a Province of the world-wide Anglican Communion. The Episcopal Church comprises the United States and 13 foreign countries (Haiti being one). Below are some notes from folks on the ground in Port au Prince which is the center (and strongest presence) of the Episcopal Church in Haiti.
Jan. 15, 2010: Update from Canon Beauvoir, Dean of the Seminary in Haiti and a priest in the Diocese of New York. The Rev. Canon Oge Beauvoir called the Trinity Grants Program office today by cell phone. Canon Beauvoir reported that he and his wife are safe and staying in a displacement camp organized by the Bishop of Haiti. Canon Beauvoir is providing leadership at the camp, which is holding roughly 1,000 people. The Sisters of St. Margaret are also there helping people. He described grim conditions.

"It is hard to get food and medicine because everything is closed," he said. At this point, they have water, but the camp only has access to one water tank, and the water is running lower. There is a single truck that takes the injured to the hospital and the dead to be buried. The hospital has been turning back some of the injured. "They can't take that many," said Canon Beauvoir. At the time of the earthquake, Canon Beauvoir and his wife were in their home. "I thought the house was going to crash," he said, but they managed to escape without injury. "For the first time I was certain I faced death. I was certain we were going to die." Bishop Duracin's home was destroyed and his wife was injured. She has been brought to a hospital run by Partners in Health, one of the few still open. "The Bishop has nothing left," Canon Beauvoir reported. Before the line failed, Canon Beauvoir described a litany of buildings that had "crashed" - the seminary, the convent, the university, the trade school. "It's scary," he said. -------------------------------------------

January 13, 2010 From The Rev. Ajax Kessner, priest in the Diocese of Haiti and Deputy to General Convention:

Dear Friends in Christ: We have devastating news to share with you from Haiti in the aftermath of the earthquake yesterday. According to reports I have received here in Les Cayes, the damage in Port au Prince and areas around it is terrible. There is no Cathedral. The entire Holy Trinity complex is gone. The convent for the Sisters of St. Margaret is gone. The Bishop's house is gone. The College St. Pierre is gone. The apartment for College St. Pierre is still standing. Bishop Duracin no longer has a house in which to live. In Trouin, four people were killed during a service. In Grand Colline, the church is gone.one part of St. Martin of Tours is gone. In St. Etienne Buteau the church, the rectory and the school are gone. In Les Cayes, BTI is OK, but some people were injured trying to get out of the buildings during the quake. The rectory in Les Cayes is in very bad condition.

The Rev. Kesner Ajax Executive Director, Bishop Tharp Institute (BTI)8 Rue du Quai, Cayes>> Tel. Office: 011-509-2286-4676>> 011-509-2286-4677>> Mobile: 011-509-3445-3346>> 011-509-3724-8376>> Mailing address:>> 100 Airport Ave>> Venice Fl. 34285>>>> Or>>>>

Partnership Program Coordinator>> Episcopal Diocese of Haiti>> C/o Lynx Air>> P.O. Box 407139>> Fort Lauderdale, FL 33340

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