Franciscan Mission in Haiti Suffers Damage

A catastrophic earthquake in Haiti that has claimed nearly 2,000 lives, a number that is likely to climb, also toppled a pediatric hospital in St. Helene that was a mission of the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Sisters.

Additionally, the convent, which houses the three sisters in Aquin, also incurred significant damage, the extent of which remains unknown. 

Sister Martha Ann Abshire FMOL, who helped found the Haiti Healthcare Project in 1988, said the 7.2 magnitude earthquake on Aug. 14 caused the second floor of the 30-unit hospital to pancake onto the first floor. Miraculously, it appears there were no deaths at the hospital, which treats malnourished babies and young children.

The earthquake center was less than five miles from Aquin and St. Helene. 

Sister Martha Ann said three sisters staff the mission but one is on vacation in her native Brazil. The other two sisters were on the road when the earthquake struck, which they said likely saved their lives.

As a result of the damage to the convent, they are currently sleeping in their car.

“It’s a matter of what we are going to do to see about being able to do the repairs,” said Sister Martha Ann, who was present in Haiti in 2010 when an earthquake struck the country, although that damage was less severe.

“My biggest concern is trying to find an engineer who understands construction and can go down there and evaluate (the convent) to be able to repair it or see if it’s safe,” she said. “The sisters are afraid to stay in the house because it has been damaged.”

Sister Martha Ann said adding to the complexity is no supplies or donations are being accepted because of road conditions, political unrest and gang activity.

“It’s pretty tough,” she said. “How are they going to get supplies in? It’s a moving target as to what to be able to do.”

Sister Martha Ann also expressed concern about the status of the parish church, St. Thomas Aquinas, the namesake of the town, which is located in southern Haiti on the Caribbean Sea. Aquin is French for Aquinas. She said the parish is 300 years old and is hopeful to receive photos of the church.

She said several hours elapsed before the two sisters were able to contact the order’s motherhouse in Paris.

“When I heard there was an earthquake and where it happened, my heart literally hit the floor,” Sister Martha said. “I had this pit in my stomach, this ache, because I know what the sisters are going through.” 

“Those two sisters are the least experienced of the three (one has at least five years of missionary experience in Haiti, the other perhaps a year),” she added. “They are super brave.” 

The mission was founded in 1988 in response to a growing number of Haitian babies and children dying of malnutrition. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

“You must understand the mindset and healthcare of Haiti,” Sister Martha Ann said. “There is nothing free.  It all has to be paid for in advance, otherwise you will not be able to get any service.

“You are caught in a situation where if you don’t have money, you don’t have care.” 

She and mission co-founder Sister Althea Jones FMOL, who died in 2002, were able to build the hospital through donations and grants. Since that time, many babies have been saved. 

The mother, grandmother or the custodian of the child is taught how to properly care for their babies, with the goal of them being able to return to their villages and teach other mothers how to take care of their children and prevent malnutrition. 

The FMOL International Congregation manages the mission and the sisters in Baton Rouge continue to support it financially. They also operate a health clinic in St. Helene. 

For now, Sister Martha Ann is hoping through a friend in Haiti to contact a local engineer to inspect the convent. From that point, the future is uncertain. 

“There is a commitment to be there,” she said. “My job is going to be to see if I can get some grants to be able to rebuild where we are located.”

“Prayers are so important right now,” she pleaded.  “Please pray for them and the sisters of Haiti.”

Sister Uyen Vu FMOL is hosting a rosary at 7:15 p.m, daily on her Facebook page. 

People can also donate monetarily at www.fmolsisters.com/haiti-project/give.

All of the donations will go directly to the mission.