Pourcine-Pic Makaya – Shootings and violent clashes against the defenseless population continue to be reported. Among the latest incidents is a shootout between U.S. Marines and gang members, following gunfire outside the U.S. Embassy in Haiti. This latest episode has been described as “the most violent shooting” at the embassy this year and highlights the serious security situation in Haiti, where gangs, such as the one led by Jimmy “Barbecue” Chérizier, control nearly 90% of the capital. The devastating passage of Hurricane Melissa has not stopped robberies, car thefts, sexual assaults, and kidnappings for extortion.
In this world devastated by wars, a consequence of the strongest’s thirst for control over the weak, there are those who have decided to dedicate their lives to bringing hope for a better life to a people experiencing a dramatic situation, both due to the ongoing civil war and the particularly violent weather events affecting these regions. Among them is Father Massimo Miraglio, a Camillian missionary in Haiti, who recounts that he has finally managed to return to his village in Pourcine-Pic Makaya , where the Parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is located, of which he is the parish priest. “Since the middle of last week, I have finally managed to return to the Parish,” he writes to Fides. “The road remains very difficult, with several sections that must be traveled with great caution after the devastating Hurricane Melissa. While Jérémie was saved, the same cannot be said of the parish territory. The entire upper valley, where the Parish is located, was battered for two days by very strong winds and torrential rains. Many have lost their bean crops, their orchards have been devastated, and numerous goats and poultry have perished. Many houses, in the more remote areas, above the plateau where Pourcine-Pic Makaya is situated, have been destroyed. Three weeks later, the banana groves, the most affected, after being cleared, are beginning to raise the flag of hope: the first large leaf, a sign of rebirth. Many coffee plants have been severely damaged, and the nursery has lost its beautiful vegetation. People have lost a large part of their harvest.”
In this context of devastation but also of hope, Father Massimo highlights the priorities: “to clear some sections of the paths leading to the plateau and the cultivated areas to allow nature to recover. The school has resumed classes as usual,” the missionary adds, “and more than 50 people found refuge last week in the School/Church. A priority is to build a shelter for the next season.”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.