We have received a report on the devastation of Hurricane Mathew in Haiti, written by Sister Zelinda Caversan, Daughter of Charity and director of the Vincentian School “John Paul II,” in the capital of the country, Port au Prince. According to Sister Zelinda, the house of the Daughters of Charity in Meyer, in the rural area, was affected, but the sisters are fine. The Daughters of Charity have developed a project there with poor farmers. The harvest has been lost completely. The sister says that hunger will increase. This is the report:

Hurricane Matthew has affected Haiti in full force, on October 4, Sunday, and 5, Monday.

The capital, Port au Prince, has not been affected too much. The hurricane moved north and skirted Port au Prince, moving from Haiti to Cuba. Port au Prince suffered heavy rains and strong winds, especially during the night from Sunday to Monday. Nobody could rest.

Thanks to God’s mercy, Port au Prince — where there are three communities of Daughters of Charity and where, from the earthquake of 2010, thousands of families are living in tents — was not badly damaged, there were no casualties, and we are fine. There was a lot of rain, strong wind and people were evacuated, but no casualties in the capital.

The biggest problem was located in the south of the country. In the department of Grand’Anse, that is, in Jérémie, Les Cayes and Jacmel, the hurricane passed directly over, pouring water and land tearing everything that was put forward.

Thanks to the media, it has been seen totally destroyed not only the city of Jérémie, but also the cities of Cayes and Jacmel, where there has been a large number of victims and affected.

In the Diocese of Jacmel, in Meyer to be exact, where a community of Daughters of Charity is set, a part of the house of the sisters it has been damaged. But the sisters are fine.

Three sisters of the Provincial House in Port au Prince (my community), managed to reach Meyer three days after the hurricane, finding a great desolation. Some twenty houses had been torn off and moved by the wind. All coconut, avocado and banana plantations were torn off and thrown to the ground. Farmers have lost their entire crop. Hunger will increase.

Not far from Cayes, in Coteau, where there is a place of pilgrimage dedicated to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, only two houses have not been damaged and remained standing, according to information provided by people who came from there.

There is a project, organized by the sisters, to go to Cayes and Jeremie throughout the week, if the roads provide a safe passage.

I think everyone knows that humanitarian aid, thanks to God, is arriving to Jeremie on airplanes or ships.

Sister Zelinda Caverzan,
Daughter of Charity.

We ask our entire Vincentian Family to increase prayers for the people of Haiti, devastated by this disaster.