Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Port-au-Prince (Agenzia Fides) – The General Curia of the Congregation of Dominican Sisters of the Presentation (Hermanas de la Caridad Dominicas de la Presentacion de la Santisima Virgen) unfortunately does not have definite information of the current situation of its communities in Haiti, even the distribution of aid to their homes and the necessary medical aid for the Nursing Home operating in La Plaine. Agenzia Fides has learned of the situation from Sister Gloria Luz Villegas, General Bursar of the religious congregation with two homes in Haiti, one in Port-au-Prince (which was completely destroyed by the earthquake) and another, “Notre Dame de la Presentation,” a Nursing Home in La Plaine, which has been badly damaged but continues to welcome people to provide medical services especially for first aid. Only recently, on Wednesday, January 27th, did two sisters who were in the Dominican Republic manage to travel to Port-au-Prince, but once arrived at the scene they were unable to communicate due to the lack of electricity and telephone services.
The community of Dominican Sisters in Haiti is made up of 10 religious: 3 from Colombia, 2 from Panama and 5 from Haiti. The native Sisters were able to check and see that their relatives are alive, but they have lost everything, including their homes. The community of Medellin (the Colombian Province), where Sister Gloria Villegas is located, managed to collect a large quantity of material aid that they will soon send to Haiti. Sister Gloria Luz said: “The Colombian people have been very generous with our Sisters and with all the people of Haiti since this tragedy." (CE) (Agenzia Fides 29/01/2010)
