Help with Food
How do you know if your prayers have been answered or if you are an answer to a prayer?
Two years ago, immediately after the earthquake in Haiti, the Justice and Peace Commission at Prince of Peace started planning a way to help our Caribbean brothers. After a full year of trying to make some inroads with Catholic Relief Service that led nowhere, our path crossed with Barry Borror and Star of Hope USA just 10 miles down the road from us in Ellinwood.
He was the answer to our first prayer. We started talking seriously about some of us making a trip to Haiti to find a sister parish. Star of Hope has had missions in Haiti for nearly 30 years. It did not just surface after the earthquake like many organizations. Father Reggie Urban and I had thought about making the trip on our own, and although I felt like God would protect us, I was very happy when He intervened with Barry.
A well-seasoned missionary with many countries and a zillion miles under his belt, I knew we would be in good hands.
Our second prayer was answered by Tony Boursiquot, Barry's right-hand man in Haiti. Tony was asked to find a suitable parish for us to partner with and he found one with Our Lady of Perpetual Help just down the road from a Star of Hope mission in Boyer.
Barry and Tony have worked together for most of the time Star of Hope has been in Haiti and I'm quite certain they believe they have been the answers to each others prayers. Barry needed a visionary with solid people skills and Tony needed a vehicle to help his fellow Haitians.
At this point I'm going to stop numbering the prayers that have been answered on this journey. There are simply too many to count. Suffice it to say the Lord has been busy on our behalf.
Another prayer was answered when Father Roderick Mitial agreed to meet with us and embraced a partnership. Father Roderick speaks fluent English, which will make the ongoing communication between us much easier.
Father Roderick has literally built the three churches he serves as well as a school named Good Shepherd with 300 students.
A year ago Prince of Peace raised $600 from a St. Patrick's Day dinner and sent it to Father Roderick. The new church in Dubuission had a roof and the gift allowed him to put in windows and doors that he otherwise had no money for.
Last week, the team of Jan Frenzl, Joleen Tustin and I were able to tell Father Roderick about the nearly $7,000 collected during Mass the Sunday before we left. I was truly amazed at the generosity of my fellow parishioners. As we place the first $1,000 in his hands, we asked Father what he would do with it. Without hesitation, he said he would pay the teachers and staff. Father admitted that before we arrived, he did not know how he would pay them this month.
Barry has seen many such examples of God's amazing power and love and has a way of explaining things in a way that makes you believe it.
He said that God's time is timeless and nearly 30 years ago He had a hand in creating Star of Hope Haiti. He brought Barry and Tony together to do His work.
Star of Hope Haiti has been in place so that when our hearts were opened -- not only Haiti's need, but the very real one inside of us -- it would be there to guide us in our growth.
I know that we have planted a seed in Haiti that I hope will continue to grow. As I travel home tomorrow, I know that my many prayers have been answered and many more are in the works. I feel as if God has looked down on our little mission and has smiled.
I have found new meaning in my life and feel renewed in many ways. I am anxious to get home and share all of the ways that God has opened my heart.
In the end, it doesn't matter whether it was your prayer that was answered or if you are the answer to a prayer. It only matters that prayers are heard and answered. Believe it!
