#3 Fri Mar 5: Maps and Language

Hello, All,

Today it’s all about maps and language. Ray called from Atlanta where he’s working this week and wants me to look for our map of Port-au-Prince. The roads are in different places now, I said... if they are still roads at all. But he feels more secure with a driver and translator if he has a map. We’ll be working in different parts of the city at times, and his having a map is important. So I’ll look in all the corners at home where we tuck maps. Maybe somewhere between Orlando, Boston, and Chicago.

For me, it’s language. I’ll work on my French today, and am happy we’ll be learning Creole from Josephine Maitre when we get back. Monday I met Joseph and Josephine who are starting a small Haitian congregation in El Cajon, in San Diego. El Cajon. Haiti. Creole. That’s a map right there, huh? Creole is the language of the people, everyday all-over-the-country language. It’s about time we learn it so we can speak and listen heart to heart.

But I’ll work on French today. I’ll be with the hospital staff most of the time and can use my high school French there. But what about the faith language? For the naming and memorializing those they have lost in the quake? One of the purposes for my going is to help memorialize ... name... consecrate... those who have for the most part utterly disappeared. What are the words for that? My high school French “dialogues” didn’t touch on that. I learned “I like your green sweater,” not “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Especially when I want to say “In the name of the Lover, the You, and the Whoosh.” Really. That’s what I know. It’s the Lover and it’s the You and it’s the Whoosh and a whole lot more. Don’t you think? Maybe we need a whole new language.

I spent yesterday on the road to Pasadena (another map) for some time with Bishop Swenson. I left early knowing traffic might be bad and thinking maybe I’d see a Michaels or Aaron Brothers on the way for art supplies. I’ll have art supplies ready at Grace Children’s Hospital in case the staff or kids want to paint a rock, make a bag puppet, or emote a picture. Do you know how many Michaels there are between Vista and Pasadena? And Targets? A lot. Traffic was a breeze (though very slow coming home) and the time with the bishop good. It was private-- prayer-- love for Haiti.

QUESTION:

Can you find me a French translation of a standard Christian funeral? I don’t trust my online translator. It may take “Receive (Name) into the arms of your mercy, and give me… “Receive (Name) into the limbs for from your wonderful, or something weird like that and if I say that in Haiti in all seriousness everyone will fall to the ground laughing. I’ve googled everything and have come up with zip. Even zip would be better than limbs... wonderful...

:)

Lynne