Dear Friends and Companions of Hands Together,
I just got off the phone with Father Tom. He shared that yesterday one of our workers who was delivering some papers to us was shot and killed several hundred feet down the road. During this past week, the ever-expanding gang violence and battles for territory have spiraled out of control. Indeed, the intensity of this fighting has spread to within two blocks of our headquarters, with almost constant gunfire as gangs fight each other over territory that they can conquer and extort. Tom told me his hearing is so bad he cannot hear the gunfire at night, and he considers it a blessing.
Throughout all of this, the Becky DeWine Schools remain open. Understandably, they are not firing on all cylinders, but they do provide an environment for the children to receive the love, formation, and protection from the horrors around for at least part of the day. I will be heading down there in about a week to help Tom, and we will have much more news for you then. Also, here is a video from Jimmy, one of our high school graduates, explaining the perspective from someone from Haiti.
It’s heartening to see the courage, camaraderie, and courage between our staff and students as they find a way to keep our schools open, while most schools have been shut down since last spring. It is clear our students love our school and love learning. It is inspiring to see the lengths the students will go to get to school in the morning.
