Message from the Vincentian International Territorial Vice-President for South America Equatorial North, Eduardo Marqués Almeida, who lives in Haiti (24th January, 2010)

NATURAL DISASTERS
www.ssvpglobal.org

Dear Father Gregory and José Ramón,

I hope you are well. Yesterday, for the first time, I left Haiti for a meeting of international
donors in Montreal, but, with God's help, I will back there on Thursday.

I was visiting the house of the Daughters of Charity (DC) in Port-au-Prince. I will
prepare a report a bit more complete and personal about what is happening in Haiti,
but, for practical reasons, the news items I have are the following:

1. As you will have seen already through pictures, the school and the provincial
   house of the Daughters of Charity are totally destroyed.
2. Until now, we know about one deceased among the Daughters of Charity, who
   was at a university.
   Thanks be to God, there are no more losses among the DC, Lazarists, and AIC.
   Unfortunately, there is no news from the SSVP on account of communication difficulties.
   During the week I will try to get more information, once I am back in Haiti.
3. All assistance should be made through the DC. They have built a camp at the
   school's soccer field and they are attending the sisters, fathers, and AIC. They
   are also organizing the attending of the sick and poor of the community.
   Example, the list of medicaments they made and which Andrea is obtaining in
   the Dominican Republic.
4. The province of the Dominican Republic of the Daughters of Charity is also the
   point of support for the relief assistance. They are centralizing all assistance in
   money and they send in trucks to help to Haiti. I have spoken to Sister Servia
   (Provincial of the Dominican Republic) and she will send me the bank account
   number. For the DC in Haiti it is dangerous to go to a bank in these moments.

It is impressive to see, what Vincentian vocation means. Only this can explain the
forces and wisdom to serve, as I am seeing it in Haiti. Please, keep praying. Now, as
always, the lights of the television cameras will leave Haiti and those will stay who
really want to serve. You are the instrument of God, which, even physically far from the
disaster, can give us strength.

Pray always and more and more, that Saint Vincent may make us stronger and wiser
than we are, to serve our masters.

Please forgive me that I am not answering all emails, as I should, but slowly I will
respond when time it permits.

With my affection,

Eduardo