The Salesians of Haiti were waiting for this visit with great emotion: “Seeing Fr Adriano produced a great sense of joy in the heart of every Salesian and the same hope we experienced with the Rector Major” Fr Jean Jeannot Sylvain, Vice Superior of the Vice Province said, as he welcomed Fr Bregolin, as he left the helicopter.
The Vicar of the Rector Major began his visit that same Tuesday afternoon: the first stop being the Salesian parish located in the Cité Soleil district, one of the poorest in the capital city. Here the parish priest Fr Florival Elan showed him the serious condition of the parish and mentioned how on 12 January about 40 youngsters were gathered there and miraculously managed to escape death.
Afterwards the Vicar of the Rector Major met the Salesians from the “Ecole Nationale des Arts et Métiers” (ENAM), which was completely destroyed in the earthquake, and he was also welcomed by some teachers from the Mini Schools of Fr Bohnen (OPEPB), who in spite of the great difficulties are actively engaged with Fr Olibrice Zucchi Ange in preparing for the new school year.
Fr Bregolin then visited the “Lakay”, next to ENAM, where he was joyfully welcomed by many youngsters. The same happened at Pétion-Ville, where some of them gave him, according to local tradition, the gift of a coconut.
Yesterday 3 March the visit continued at the Léogane centre, almost completely destroyed and at Jacmel, which had also suffered serious damage. Here Fr Bregolin met some Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and a group of young people who were attending the final year of the School of Philosophy in their Institute, to whom he spoke words of comfort and hope for their future.
In the afternoon, once again at the ENAM, Fr Bregolin met Lady Catherine Ashton, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security and Vice President of the European Commission who expressed great appreciation for the work being done by the Salesians in Haiti. Afterwards he met the leaders of the Italian Civil Protection Service and of the military forces who are working in the Salesian centres in Haiti. Among these was Naval Captain Gianluigi Reversi, Commander of the aircraft carrier “Cavour”.
On ANSchannel there is short video summarising the day.
Pubblicato il 04/03/2010
