Doctor Zilda Arns Neumann – Founder and Co-ordinator from the International Pastoral da Criança (Child’s Pastoral) – was invited to visit Haiti by Monk Aguste Dufreine and Nun Glória Inês Gonzalvez, both belong to the Religious Persons Conference from Haiti. The goal was to present the work from Pastoral da Criança in this caribbean country, she was accompanied by Nun Rosângela Maria Altoé.

 

Doctor Zilda was received on January the 11th in Airport by Ms. Roseana Kipman – Ambassadress from Brazil in Haiti, following she met Nun Glória Inês Gonzalez, from the Conference of Religious Persons Coordination Team, The Nun brought them to where they would be accommodated: the House from the Conference of Religious Persons from Haiti. During the course of the day, Doctor Zilda came to see the Public Market in Puerto Principe and the poor ward Cité Soleil in the city outskirt. Observing the reality of life from children and their families Doctor Zilda commented: “I knew I would see poverty in Haiti, but I didn’t imagine that it would be so aggressive”.

At January 12, again with Ambassadress Roseana Kipman, they participated in the mass celebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio from Haiti: Monsignor Bernardito Auzé, to whom she spoke for 1 hour after the mass. She also attended a presentation of the Social Context of the country to the National Caribbean Conference there gathered, prepared by the Jesuit Priest Kawas François.

Afterwards, Zilda went to CIFOR (Inter-congretional Center of Religious Formation), laid in the front of Church Sacré-Coeur de Turgeau, where she presented a speech to around 150 Priests, Religious men and Seminarists, in which the showed the video from Pastoral “Festa da Vida” (Life’s Feast), then talked about the Pastoral da Criança.

In the ending, after much of the public was gone, they stayed a bit writing addresses, e-mails and telephone numbers down, a great earth tremor shook the building, and it fell into the ground, taking the life of Doctor Zilda and many other Religious men and Seminarists that there remained.

It was also predicted to this trip: a speech in the National Caribbean Conferences meeting; a visit to the Daughters of Mary Help construction in Cité Soleil, where she would speak to teachers and local leaders; a visit to the Village Cité Soleil; a visit to the Nutrition and Health Center in Cité Soleil; a visit to the military basement of Minustha (United Nations Stabilization Mission In Haiti); a meeting with the Ministry of Health Familiar Health Office of Haiti; a reunion with Puerto Príncipe’s Archbishop – Monsignor Serge Miot; and a reunion with World Health Organization (WHO) - Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Haiti.