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總會長於二月十一日晚上，抵達聖多明哥機場。他受到多明尼高共和國省會長Vichtor Pichardo神父的接待，他並於二月十二日早上，伴隨總會長乘坐直昇機，前往海地首都。於地震後三十日，這位鮑思高的第九任繼承人抵達市中心飽遭蹂躪的首都太子港，從空中目睹廣大範圍的破壞。 直昇機降落於多明尼加高共和國大使館的所在地，大使館在地震中受損，不適宜再使用。在場的有新任長上Sylvain Ducange神父、上任長上Charles Jacques神父，以及海地母佑會省會長Marie Claire Jean修女。多明尼高共和國駐海地大使亦有到場，他表示自己是慈幼會舊生。
接著，他探訪在地震中，建築物及生命均飽受摧殘的慈幼會地方：國立工藝學校 (ENAM)。陪同著探訪隊伍的，有來自美國東部會省慈幼會傳教辦事處的Mark Hyde神父，他已於數天前抵達當地，協調救濟工作。總會長探訪該學校不同的禮堂，視察受損破壞程度，並在埋葬了十二名慈幼學生之處停步，作短暫的默禱。 當他站在一堆仍埋沒著約一百五十名青少年遺體的瓦礫前面時，心情顯得更加沉重。在庭院滿是一堆堆瓦礫的沉寂中，使這嘆息聲更令人悲痛：「這怎麼可能！青少年正展開他們的人生呢！」總會長向正在移走工藝學校瓦礫的意大利民防及消防隊員講話，強調著這個慘遭破壞的地方現在有其重要性及神聖性。
總會長同時接見由海軍上尉Gianluigi Reversi率領的意大利代表團，這名上尉為意大利海地分遣部隊航空母艦Cavour號的司令。代表團的新聞發言人說：「我們希望與慈幼會士一同工作，因為我們也在這裡，看到他們對青少年及窮困者所作的貢獻。」 總會長稍後到訪由慈幼會管理，受地震破壞而不宜使用的Cité Soleil堂區、位於Drouillard的接收營地，以及準會省總部。即使看到慈幼會各中心飽受破壞而滿心悲痛，查偉思神父仍總能帶來希望及樂觀的精神。 於一月三十日獲任命為海地準省會長的Ducange神父亦反覆說：「對於總會長的到訪，我們感到十分欣慰，並感到整個修會的共融。這鼓勵我們勇往直前，克服一切困難！」
首日的最後一站為Fleuriot會院，是海地各修會的初學後培育院，在地震中完全倒塌。總會長以鼓勵的言詞道出他的建議：「我們必需重建我們慈幼會士的培育工作，為能繼續為當地教會提供培育服務。」 最後，他與已開始展望將來的準會省議會開會。 Giving hope and a future (ANS – Haiti –Port-au-Prince, 13 February 2010 ) – Joy and sorrow, dismay and hope marked the first day of the visit of Fr Pascual Chávez to Haiti. Speaking to the youngsters and the Salesians he said “Our purpose is, first of all, to give hope to Haiti.” The Rector Major had arrived in the evening of 11 February at the airport in Santo Domingo. He was welcomed by the Provincial of the Dominican Republic, Fr Vichtor Pichardo who yesterday morning 12 February accompanied the Rector Major to the capital of Haiti in a helicopter. Having arrived at Port-au-Prince, 30 days after the earthquake which devastated the heart of the capital, the IX successor of Don Bosco saw from above the vast areas of devastation. The helicopter landed in the grounds of the Embassy of the Dominican Republic, which had also been made unfit for use by the earthquake. With the new Superior, Fr Sylvain Ducange, and his predecessor, Fr Charles Jacques, as well as the Provincial of the Sisters in Haiti, Sr. Marie Claire Jean, there was also the Ambassador of the Dominican Republic to Haiti who introduced himself as a Salesian Past Pupil. The first stop was at Pétion Ville. Here the youngsters welcomed Fr Chávez with joyful songs and a traditional dance. “As sons of Don Bosco, cheerfulness is our attitude, and we are moved by a spirit of optimism as we believe in the re-birth of Haitian people and in the re-founding of the Salesian charism in our country,” Fr Ducange said in his welcoming address. In his reply the Rector Major once again expressed how he himself and the whole Congregation were close to them, full of hope: “Before thinking of re-building the walls it is necessary to give hope to the people and to the young.” He then visited the Salesian places most affected by the earthquake, both regarding the buildings and with the loss of life: the “Ecole Nationale des Arts et Métiers” (ENAM). Accompanying the group was Fr Mark Hyde, from the New Rochelle Missions Office, who had already been in Haiti for several days coordinating relief efforts. Visiting the various halls of the Institute and noting the damage and destruction, the Rector Major stopped for a few moments of silent prayer at the place where 12 Salesian pupils were buried. Much greater and much deeper his emotion in front of the piles of rubble which still cover the bodies of about 150 youngsters. The silence in the courtyard filled with rubble made more heart-rending the exclamation: “How is it possible! Young people just starting out on life!” The Rector Major spoke to the Italian civil defence and fire service workers who are removing the debris of the Enam, stressing the significance of the place and the sacred character it tragically now has. However, life has not stopped in the ENAM. The youngsters and the staff of the “Lakai” welcomed Fr Chávez in a short ceremony with songs and an address. “Now we must look to the future; it is up to you to give hope to Haiti,” the Rector Major told them. At the end, the youngsters of the “Lakai” gave Fr Chávez an oil painting. Here too the Rector Major met an Italian delegation led by Naval Captain Gianluigi Reversi, Commander of the aircraft carrier “Cavour” from the Italian contingent in Haiti. “We wanted to work with the Salesians because we have seen, also here, their commitment to the young and to the poor,” the spokesman of the press office of the group said. The Salesian parish of Cité Soleil, rendered unfit for use by the earthquake, the reception camps set up at Drouillard, the headquarters of the Vice Province were visited next. In spite of the pain in seeing how deep the wounds suffered by the Salesian centres, Fr Chávez never failed to bring hope and a spirit of optimism. “We are very pleased with the visit of the Rector Major and we are conscious of the closeness of the whole Congregation. This encourages us to go ahead and to overcome all the difficulties!” often repeated Fr Ducange, who on 30 January was installed as the new Superior of the Vice Province of Haiti. Early in the afternoon Fr Chávez walked through the streets to see the places in the city most affected. Looking at the ruins of the Cathedral he said to those with him: “God is walking through these streets telling us that he is on the side of those who are suffering, those still under the rubble, those who have seen reduced to dust the little they had managed to achieve in their whole lives.” The last stop on the first day was Fleuriot, the postnovitiate house of formation for various religious orders present in Haiti, rendered completely out of action. “We must rebuild for the formation of our Salesians and in order to continue to offer this service of formation to the local church”, were the words of encouragement and the proposal of the Rector Major. At the end of the day he had a meeting with the Council of the Vice Province which had already begun to look to the future. |
【慈幼通訊社
第一站是
然而，工藝學校的生命並不就此完結。
到了下午，查偉思神父走到街上，視察市內受嚴重破壞的地方。他目睹主教座堂的瓦礫時向同行的人說：「天主正走過這些街道，告訴我們祂時刻陪伴那些受苦者、被埋在瓦礫堆中的人、和目睹他們一生的微小所得已灰飛煙滅的人。」