The Foreign Service Journal, January 2011

numerous streets. We eventually climbed into Petionville, one of the better districts in the hills, where the main streets were lined with typical concrete buildings that seemed to have suffered little damage. But then would come a pancake, or a ruin with weirdly skewed slabs of floor or wall and a fan of twisted rebar. Turning, we were in the middle of a lively street market with more people than vehicles. We edged along, the church tower now within sight. The driver made to turn right alongside it even though the entire narrow alley was occupied by street vendors. Undaunted, he edged further in and lo, the waters parted. Clothing sellers with wares spread on plastic sheets hur- riedly pulled them into bundles and sacks to make way. This I’d never seen before. Mass, including a long sermon, was conducted in a mix of French and Cre- ole. I’d follow for a few sentences and then lose the drift. It was a very musi- cal service, thanks to a band of three electric guitarists and two drummers who played many interludes. The church overflowed with people cleanly and neatly dressed, devout and joyous. Communion was wafer-only, placed on the tongue by the priest. While waiting my turn, I pondered the con- trast between the hopefulness and op- timism of the congregation and the destitution of the slum I’d visited the day before and the still-fresh tragedy of the earthquake. I’ve never taken a more moving communion. I hadn’t expected the attitude I found among the Haitians. In 2008 Father Zucchi Ange Olibrice nearly died when an assassin shot him in the head at point-blank range. During the earthquake he narrowly escaped being crushed by jumping out his office win- dow. Undaunted, he continues to work 14-hour days to get Les Petites Ecoles back into operation. Then there was Marie J., locally employed at the U.S. embassy. She lost her house and car in the earth- quake and lives in a tent in her back yard. But she smiles: “I’m lucky. I’d J A N U A R Y 2 0 1 1 / F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L 37 The traffic on the airport road was the jumble familiar to me from countless countries I’d worked in or visited as an FAS officer. The Smar t Choice For Washington DC Fully Furnished Shor t Term Housing Rentals ▪ TDY Per Diem Rates Accepted ▪ ▪ 30 Days Stay or Longer ▪ ▪ Locations Near Metro All Over DC ▪ ▪ Any Size Apartment: Studio, One & Two bedrooms ▪ ▪ All Inclusive: All Utilities, Cable & Wifi ▪ ▪ Pets & Credit Cards Accepted ▪ ▪ Locally Woman Owned & Operated Business ▪ Signature Properties 1 (888) 812-3545 ▪ (202) 747-1800 info@sig ▬ properties.com www.sig ▬ properties.com