Besides Brother Olizard and Eliane, there is one more vitally important, local Haitian member of HSHM who deserves mention. He is such a critical part of Holy Spirit Haiti Mission, that I don’t know what we would ever do without him. Bertone is the HSHM’s primary interpreter, driver, and consultant. By the end of a single mission trip, everyone knows that Bertone is: 1) awesome, 2) a loyal friend, and 3) a true Christian.
First off, Bertone is not your average Haitian. Unlike most Haitians, he isn’t
afraid of trying new things. Bertone went to school to be an Agronomist,
a.k.a., professional farmer, and he worked hard to be the best in his class. He
can tell you every type of mango and banana they have in Haiti. He taught me
how to make cacao from cocoa beans. Bertone speaks English so well that I
forget he’s Haitian. He is a patient teacher, (especially of Kreyòl or
kwi-making). He goes to school in Port-au-Prince to learn to operate
construction equipment, works for Living Waters of the World fixing water
purification systems, and plays the saxophone for his church. He can also make
brownies. Like I said, Bertone is pretty awesome.
Bertone is a loyal friend. He will go to great lengths to help a friend in need, (including his neighbors, a crippled woman, and a struggling single mother). We never did seem to make it down the mountain without giving a ride to one or more of his friends, none of whom had a car. Bertone was furious when Bob was shaken down for money by the Haitian police; his scowl is a sight to behold. When I neglected to tell him that I was sick, Bertone was very upset. Bertone helped me with all of my needs, including things like the bank, buying vegetables, and getting to the orphanage. I would absolutely trust him with my life. With respect to the mission, he always drops what he’s doing to help out, even if it means making a completely unplanned, 3-hour road trip to pick up critical paperwork.
In the Bible, Jesus says that the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these. Bertone has all of the good qualities of a child. He is a simple person. For example, he doesn’t want to move to the U.S. He loves his country and its simplicity. Bertone’s joy when we saw the Canadian’s miniature helicopter was the same simple joy that lights up the face of a child. When there was a man on stilts walking around for a festival, he literally stopped the car in the middle of the road to watch. I absolutely hated to break it to him that fried foods are bad for you. His honesty and artlessness is astounding. Bertone’s moral compass has two and only two cardinal directions: good and bad. If Bertone says it’s a “bad thing”, then it is. Humility is probably his best trait. How many people can ask advice and take instruction from someone half their age? The point is, that he’s such a good Christian, that we need him to be Catholic. Pray for that, people!
In conclusion, the Holy Spirit Haiti Mission should be proud to have this man as part of its team. I, myself, am proud to call him my brother.