Still thinking Haiti

Just came back from another Creole lesson with a very good teacher, Pe Andre. He gets better week by week and, of course it follows that so do we.

He helped me write an email to Pe Jose at Sen Michel and today Pe Jose sent an answer. He compliments me on my Creole. I'll have to tell him of the excellent help I received from Pe Andre. I forwarded it to him so that he can get the nuances out of the message; I only half-understood it.

I have been impressed with Pe Andre since he first visited St. Francis parish. And I find Pe Jose to be a much different priest, but very admirable in his demeanor (quiet, thoughtful, funny and kind) and in watching him preach to his flock.

I've had somewhat of an epiphany, to quote the person I'm about to mention, when I read Jess's diary of our Haiti trip. What a gift it was to be able to read her inner thoughts and feelings. She is, as were the other three students, very humble, thoughtful, and full of faith in God. And she is a great writer! Makes me very glad to know her and to have her trust.

Another great writer, a lady I've been reading in the Sunday paper every week for over 10 years, Sharon Randall, wrote the following a few months ago:

"What we do collectively is a measure of our society. What we do individually, one on one, is a measure of our soul." Sharon Randall, 3/2/2008

It is a wonderful signature tag line that I've been using on the "Luthierforum" a forum of very good people, very skilled luthiers, who have taught me much and some of whom have donated to the Haiti team. It says a lot about our team, I think.

It fits. It fits Jess and the rest of the team.