|
ARTICLES
 Roanoke teen finds Easter joy in Haiti
By Jean Denton
Special to The Catholic Virginian
Easter this year was one that Michelle Fame will never forget.
Neither will the hundreds of faithful surrounding her who packed Sacre Coeur Church in the remote village of Cabestor, Haiti, for a joyous Easter Sunday Mass.
It was only the second day of Michelle’s first visit to Haiti, but the Salem High School senior and member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church was fully involved in the celebration.
The typical lively Haitian Mass was accentuated by the largeness of the Easter feast, and Michelle clapped and swayed with the assembly.
She was especially moved by the young liturgical dancers who in their light, flowing gowns and bare feet surrounded the altar and rhythmically, gracefully gave visual expression to the Resurrection. It was a natural connection for Michelle who herself has been dancing since she was a little girl.
When it came time for the presentation of the gifts, the dancers went to the rear door of the church and Michelle watched as they placed baskets bananas, coconuts, mangos and other offerings on their heads.
The music rose, the people sang and the dancers began to dance up the long aisle in time to the gentle beat.
From the altar, Sacre Coeur pastor Father Hermann Heriveaux grinned as he caught Michelle’s eye and opened his hand toward the procession in a gesture of invitation.
Unhesitatingly, she doffed her sandals, sneaked out the side door and re-emerged at the back of the church where she slipped into the procession before it was even halfway up the aisle. The other dancers smiled broadly as they opened a place for her.
She easily picked up the step following the dancer in front of her, who carried a live chicken in the basket on her head.
The tall, blonde American teen rocked as one with her dark fellow dancers in procession. As they moved through the assembly toward the altar, an audible whisper of excitement passed among the people who nodded their heads and smiled in approval and appreciation that Michelle was joined with their community.
The music slowed and the clapping died down as Fr. Hermann placed the last of the gifts at the altar.
Opening his arms to the people he said in Creole, “You see how Michelle danced with us? It reminds us of the unity of our church, that we are one in Jesus Christ.”
It was a blessed moment for Michelle and everyone present. It was particularly gratifying to her parents Tom and Leah Fame who watched in delight.
Tom Fame had initiated the OLPH twinning relationship with Cabestor (previously part of the larger St. Gabriel Parish in Lascahobas) 12 years ago. Since then he, together with Fr. Hermann, has guided and coordinated the work of the two parishes in building two schools with construction of a third about to begin.
The effort also has produced a feeding program, provided the salaries of a dozen teachers and includes a new water project.
Michelle, the last of the Fames’ three daughters to make the trip to Haiti, was part of a small OLPH contingent on the Easter visit. She said being with the people in and around Cabestor helped her better appreciate her father’s commitment to the project.
“It made me understand why Dad does all the things he does down there,” she said. “He’s got a good reason.”
As for dancing in the procession, she explained, “Even though you know a lot of what’s going on in Mass because it is the same (everywhere), there’s not as much you can actually do, because you don’t know the language. So for me it was pretty neat that dancing was a way I could actually participate with them without language.”
She said the experience was similar after church when people gathered outside and a group of excited young people surrounded her.
“We couldn’t talk because of the language difference,” she said, “but we could have fun and communicate just by movement and doing little dances together.”
Indeed, the children and teens whooped and laughed as Michelle and a few of the other girls traded dance steps.
The next day she walked down the road through the Cabestor area with the other Americans, greeting passersby.
Several strangers called her name: “Michelle!” they said to her surprise, then, strangers no more, they explained, “We saw you dance at church.”
read related article »
back to top
|
