Work in Developing Countries

"This is where I want to be—I have a sense of finally doing something my heart has always yearned to do"

Sister Lorraine Malo CSJ

What it is

Three Sisters work with people in Haiti, a country identified as the poorest in the western hemisphere. They are: Sr. Mary Alban Bouchard, Sr. Lorraine Malo, and Sr. Rosemary Fry. Each Sister's ministry is somewhat different. What follows is a description of Sr. Lorraine's work.

Sister Lorraine takes care of poor and sick children at St. Damien's Hospital in a suburb of Port-au-Prince. The hospital is run by an organization called Our Little Brothers and Sisters. Most of the hospital's 92 children suffer from advanced malnutrition and the complications that arise from this condition. Her focus is on those who are critically ill, those who are abandoned and those who are rarely visited. She spends time talking, playing and showing affection to the children. Each afternoon, she runs a small classroom in the hospital for older children who cannot afford to attend school. One day a week, she assists at a clinic staffed by Mother Theresa's Sisters where the very poor are cared for. Most are suffering from AIDS or T.B. Often, patients suffer from both diseases.

The Vision

In the early '60's, Vatican II invited religious orders to respond to the needs of the Third World. The Sisters of St. Joseph asked for volunteers among their Sisters who would take up this challenge. Sister Lorraine bases her choice to work in Haiti on the belief that "if I am committed to Jesus as I profess to be, then working for justice and peace ceases to be an option for me." She sees the Sisters making small changes around them, changes that lead to hope.

"I feel that the smallest gestures of kindness help break the cycle of violence that is daily escalating on our planet," says Sr. Lorraine.

Challenges

Both water and electricity supplies are intermittent—usually operating twice a day for a couple of hours. Survival involves daily struggle for most of Haiti's people. Levels of sickness and malnutrition are high. Health care is almost non-existent for the poor.

What Sustains Her

Sr. Lorraine credits her prayer life with helping her maintain her soul choice in being in Haiti. She also speaks of "feeling the support and prayers of her Sisters in Canada more than ever." Despite the hardships, she says, "This is where I want to be-I have a sense of finally doing something my heart has always yearned to do." Her strong sense of working for justice and peace help her to remain in Haiti. But she adds, "Above all, I try to work from a stance of gratitude. I feel privileged and grateful to be there."

E-mail: lmalo@csj-to.ca

To learn about Sr. Rosemary Fry's work, see this link: Working with Courageous People Facing Great Obstacles

To learn about Sr. Mary Alban Bouchard's work, see this link: Justice and Peace in Haiti

To read about Sr. Patricia Dowling's work in Honduras, see this link: Developing Countries — Honduras