Justice and Peace Work in Haiti

What it is

Sister Mary Alban believes in social justice and practical help. And so she works with poor women and children. She meets with women on a monthly basis at Hospice St. Joseph in Port-au-Prince, founded by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Tipton, Indiana and the diocese of Lafayette.

"We stay, trying to better the life of the very poor women and children by sharing with them. I do small commerce starts, create rent co-ops to help them keep their little homes, help them pay for schooling for their children, assist them in illnesses which are often fatal, and help with nutrition for malnourished children."

And so she has assisted in house building,

"It's not my main work—it just happened. It started with a woman whose house was falling down. The house was just made of stone and cement, without structural support. So the heavy rains came and the rainy season and one corner started to go and then it just collapsed. For the new house, we used the remaining stones for the basement and added cement blocks and a tin roof.

"Most of the women have no husbands and many children. So the biggest help you can give them is not having to pay rent—ownership is just like gold for these women. Then, when I saw other women needed homes too, I did my novena to St. Joseph asking if I should get into this. Towards the end, I received a call from Morrow Park about a donation - did I have a special project I could direct it towards? So I got my answer…" (Soon she will have seen the 23rd house constructed)

A published writer for newspapers and with many books to her credit including Peace Is Possible, Sister Mary Alban is writing a series of booklets in Creole about peace work. The 20 booklets, called "Building a Culture of Peace" will go to parishes, and members of the religious conference. Animators of youth groups needed tools to use in their work. Sister Mary Alban is creating them. She describes the books as "full of instruction and activity: if they do it, they'll remember it."

The Vision

Sister Mary Alban is a long-time activist for peace and social justice. A former teacher, she has also represented the Sisters of St. Joseph at the UN, especially in the area of disarmament and the environment. She lived for seven years at Matt Talbot House, a house for recovering alcoholics, before going to Haiti. She spoke some French and had participated in Haitian liturgies and wrote on LDCs (least developed countries by certain criteria!) when working at the UN. One thing led to another, like a persistent call.

"Visiting a poor and struggling country can bring a conversion. I believe in feet first, not head first: go and participate so as to speak from experience, not just hearsay. Although I made an initial six-week commitment to Haiti with fear and trepidation, Haiti hooked me. (That's how God works!) I asked and was given permission to return with no end time. Now here I am, taking up my "vocation within my CSJ vocation:" i.e. the work of Building a Culture of Peace initiated by the UN for the Jubilee Year 2000.

Challenges

"It's a very noisy country: the dogs bark at night, the roosters crow and often one is wakened by gunfire. There are many blackouts and always uncertainty of what is going to happen. The phones go out. Just getting places on the tap tap (the back of a truck, general transportation) is strenuous. It's hot, dusty, pollution prone. Roads are bad and there are no streetlights. Security is practically nonexistent. It takes a long time to get things done. There are many frustrations. We foreigners have a hard time to adapt to all that. But when I ask myself: 'Where would you rather be?' - that shuts me right up! On January 25, 2004, 1 will celebrate 15 years in Haiti."

What sustains her

Sister Mary Alban names what sustains her,

"The faith of the people who choose life every day. They are so grateful to God for all they receive. Bondye bon! There are no suicides here. One learns not to be so greedy. It is a privilege and reward to be able to share our goods and the lives of the Haitian people and their beautiful children.

"My CSJ community and many friends and donors give me great support, moral and material. Fellow missioners, too, are special sustenance.

"Of course, prayer and Eucharist take first place. I couldn't survive and be happy without the presence of God. Each night I give thanks for the gifts of the day and 'let it all go' into the hands of God. God confirms me daily."

Her favorite prayer

God of power and compassion,
keep us from all harm.
Give us strength and freedom of spirit
and health in mind and body
to continue your work on earth,
especially in Haiti. Amen.