EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO HAITI EARTHQUAKE DISASTER
Death in Haiti of Guerlie Guillaume-Sam announced by Bp. Provenzano

January 16 - This afternoon I received word of the death in Haiti of Guerlie Guillaume-Sam, sister of the Rev. Sully Guillaume-Sam, a postulant for reception into this branch of the church and presently in an Anglican year of study at The General Theological Seminary in NY.

Please keep Sully and his entire extended family in your prayers and remember them all during Masses this weekend.

Bishop Provenzano

The following are exceprts from a presentation by Sully Guillaume-Sam on Sunday, January 17, at St. Jude's, Wantagh, and shared with our readers by the rector, The Very Rev. Christopher D. Hofer, and with the permission of the speaker.
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Good morning St. Jude’s
 
I am here this morning to remind you that my fellow Haitians have no wine, and they lack basic resources.
 
For those of you who may not know or remember my name, I am Sully. I have been known here at St Jude’s as the former Roman Catholic priest. But, more than that, let me introduce myself to you as a Haitian brother, a fellow Christian, who happens to be a former Roman Catholic priest. 
 
I want to thank each and every one of you who has been showing concern and great compassion to me, and to my fellow Haitians. Thanks ... for the emails, phone calls, text messages, inquiring about my people, my relatives, and myself.
 
I want to thank Fr. Christopher for giving me the opportunity to be in your midst this morning, addressing you on behalf of my fellow Haitians. Most of you, if not all, are aware of the recent tragedy of the Haitian people.

This is not the first time that Haiti is in the news. Whenever Haiti is in the news, that means something, somehow, has happened bad. If it is not a political, social or economic crisis, it is a natural disaster.  If it is not a hurricane, it is an earthquake. Today, it is a devastating earthquake.

The suffering and the death and agonizing are unbelievable.  It has reached a peak for my family and me - I got word yesterday that I lost my own sister in this tragedy.
 
Sometimes we wonder what Haiti has to offer to the world besides poverty, political and social crisis, catastrophes, calamities, sufferings, tears, and empty hands. Offering all the time empty hands, which are open not to give, but to ask, has put us in a painful and shameful social position. 

Would you think we like offering empty hands? Would you think that we like asking? Would you think that I am comfortable talking, asking, and calling, this morning, upon your generosity? No! Why am I doing it? I am doing it because the Gospel, the needs, the cries, and the sufferings of my fellow Haitians compel me to do it.
 
This morning, I am standing in your midst with empty hands, yes, but not with an empty heart. I am standing in your midst with my heart full of hope, full of faith, full of grace, and full of thankfulness.

I am thankful when I remember that it could be worst. This is how we, Haitian people, find the energy to continue to believe, to pray, and to sing songs of praise.

We are proud to tell you that, despite all disasters, we are far from being discouraged. We still believe that God is with us, and crying with us.

We still believe that we can get over this disaster.  We still believe that you can help us get over it. We still believe that we cannot get over it without your help, your prayer, and your financial assistance. Don’t get discouraged with us.
 
Thank you all, and God bless you!

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January 17 - According to CNN, "It's still unclear how many people have been killed in Tuesday's earthquake; the prime minister suggested there could be several hundreds of thousands."