Monday, January 16, 2012 at 05:47AM 
These last few may also be helpful. The first is of Sr. Katya overlooking the ruins of their nursing home, the foyer. The second is another of the tent villages. The third is Sister Marie Margeritte with a resident. The fourth is overlooking Port Au Prince. The last the cross at the convent, now the temporary house to the music school.
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 05:34AM From the guesthouse of Matthew 25 which is a bit higher in elevation than the surrounding city, I can hear 1000s of roosters crowing from different places throughout the area. I've never heard so many in one place over such a vast area.
I leave here grateful for many things but mostly for the gift of faith that connects out lives, connects us with the mission and work of God in the world, and calls us forward to new life. This new life we are called into, if it is anything it is a deep mutuality, where we are one on the journey of maturing into the full stature of Christ together.
Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 09:38PM This trip to our sister parish more than exceeded my expectations in that we grew significantly in understanding our sister parish and school, in learning about our sister parish priest and his family and the context for ministry. I am grateful for the heart and soul Tina and Rob brought to this trip. They were outstanding travel companions who made excellent connections with the people they met.
Even though I have only been in Port Au Prince for only two days, I have been grateful for 1. A mirror 2. Sleeping without a mosquito net. 3. Paved roads 4 Infrastructure.
I miss the sweetness and faith of the people we stayed with in Port-de-Paix. The essential parts of life come clearer when there is less stuff to worry about or to engage you. I miss the vibrant singing of the people in churches in the countryside.
Angela Galbreath has been our host here in Port-Au-Prince. She has been a warm, gracious guide for us the engage with the people engaged in ministry here. What an amazing person responding to a call.
The Sisters of St. Margaret are enthusiasts for Christ's ministry and it was wonderful to be with them in Haiti. They do such important work here with St. Vincent's school and the Foyer, their nursing home. Marie Margarette, Sister Sarah and Sister Katya were inspiring to be with.
It was wonderful to see Marckenson our translator in Port-de-paix back at his home parish this morning at the cathedral with his fiancée.
As Carolyn Hasgill said, "once you go to Haiti, you will never be the same". This is very true. I pray I will not get too absorbed by the stuff in my life and live well with the people around me.
I go home grateful for so much.
In Christ, Jon
Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 12:37PM 
This morning I played trumpet on the hymns at the cathedral. The organists hymn book was in tatters and stained. He said he was sorry for the condition of the book, but it was under the rubble for two months.
The sisters showed us their convent which now houses temporarily the music school which has built a temporary structure to house the school.
Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 11:32AM 
Today we worship in the temporary building where the Cathedral congregation worships. It is an outdoor structure with a roof. It is simple but sufficient. We were welcomed and I was invited to play the trumpet and played the Prayer of st. Gregory before the service began. It is so helpful to see the people of God continue in their work and ministry. As Fernande the first woman priest of Haiti said "Our mission must continue". The work of God must continue.
Last night I was so sorry to hear of the tragedy of close friends of the Komjathy's. We included the Newman family and their friends in the prayers here as they deeply grieve the loss of the parents for the three boys because of the violent act of her estranged husband. It is helpful to see life here go forward even in the face of such a terrible tragedy. The death of the boys' parents is a sorrowful tragedy, and my prayer is that they will find a way to go on and their friends and family can see that it is possible.
I was so grateful to see Pere Gesner Montes here at the cathedral, who baptized my daughter Sarah when he visited St. Paul's 12 years ago. Also it was a joy to see the sisters of St. Margaret, particularly Sarah Randall and Marie-Margaret. Also at the cathedral was Marckensen, our interpreter in Port-de-Paix and good friend along with his fiancée Daphne.
There are still some members of the cathedral who are living in tents but not many at this time.
After the service, we attended the annual meeting where the plans for the new cathedral were being discussed. They are still struggling with the governments plans for the city center and knowing exactly how they can rebuild.