Mother Mary’s
They arrive at Mother Mary’s with Ti Mon, Jocelyn and her baby just in time for dinner. The nuns quickly swarm around them. They guide everyone but Matt into a nearby women’s dorm and close the door. Matt’s not sure what to do with himself until an older priest approaches him. Not clear on the protocol for meeting a priest outside of confession, Matt does what he does best. He grins and says, “Hola, padre! Sak pase?” Father Vitor bursts into laughter, “Well, that wasn’t the password but you must be Kevin’s friend.” Matt begins laughing, “Well that depends. Who wants to know?” Father Vitor takes Matt by the elbow and says, “I think we might be able to help each other. Do you know much about the Ti Legliz base community in the south?”
The sisters help everyone get cleaned up and show them their sleeping areas and the bathrooms. Ti Mon has fallen fast asleep in a chair and is snoring softly. One of the nuns tucks him into a cot next to Jocelyn’s bed. Then an older nun asks Ashley if she can speak with Jocelyn alone. Ashley looks at Jocelyn questioningly, until she nods her head. Ashley gives hugs to everyone and goes downstairs. Father Vitor is finishing a long story that involves a lot of hand waving and laughing. When Fr. Vitor’s laugh turn into a yawn, Matt stands up and says, “This Aussie needs his bed before Santa arrives!” This interrupts a game of dominos and everyone says their goodbyes before Ashley and Matt return to their guest house.
Upstairs, Jocelyn is sitting on her bed, crying and rocking her baby while Ti Mon snores on his cot. The older nun sits on a bed across from Jocelyn’s, reaches out and holds both her hands until she stops crying looks up at her. “My name is Sister Maureen. I wasn’t always a nun. I was once a mother.” Now they’re both crying. Sister continues, “But it wasn’t my choice. Much as I sense this wasn’t yours either.” Jocelyn seems afraid to breathe but shakes her head, “No. He never even asked me.” Sister Maureen nods gently and pats Jocelyn’s hand. “Me either. But you must know. This isn’t your fault!” Jocelyn begins crying even harder, “But I didn’t even fight him. I couldn’t believe it was happening after so much time.” Sister Maureen just shakes her head, moves onto the bed next to Jocelyn, and puts her arms around the young mother who sinks into her and weeps quietly.
Jocelyn’s sobs slowly subside. She takes a deep breath and wipes her eyes. Sister Maureen says kindly, “You’ll be OK. We’ll help you but it’s not safe for you here in Port-au-Prince.” Jocelyn points to her bruised and cut face and nods. Sister Maureen asks, “Do you have anywhere else to stay?”. Jocelyn shakes her head bleakly. Sister Maureen then asks, “If you were able to flee the country, would you?” Almost without hesitation, Jocelyn nods her head vigorously. Sister Maureen considers this and asks, “How much would you risk? Would you risk everything, even the life of your child?”
Suddenly, Sr. Maureen stops abruptly, a look of surprise on her face, “I’m so sorry! What is your daughter’s name?” Jocelyn smiles just a bit and replies, “Espwa”. Sister Maureen’s face breaks into a contented smile, “Oh! That’s our answer. Hope. With Faith and Love… Tomorrow morning, a few sisters and I will take you to Port-de-Paix. Ashley and Matt left an envelope with US dollars to get you to Miami and beyond, if God wills it. We’ll get you on a boat that’s headed for Miami. Just tell anyone who asks that Espwa’s father is dead, but that you’re trying to reach his family in New York. It’s true but not in the way they’ll think. Don’t worry about the child’s light complexion. The blan on those Coast Guard cutters can’t tell one brown face from another.”
Christmas Eve, 1991
Solange arrives at Mother Mary’s very early with a large bag and is greeted warmly by the guard. She’s not wearing her NY Yankees cap and is dressed like a market woman. A passenger van is parked in front of the house with its rear doors open. Solange puts her bag in the its cargo area, then joins Sister Maureen, Jocelyn, and Espwa in the kitchen. Sr. Maureen looks up and smiles when Solange enters, “Oh, good! Perfect timing. Jocelyn, I’d like you to meet Solange. She’s a friend from a church in the south and will be traveling with us this morning.”
Jocelyn says good morning to Solange, who smiles back at her kindly and returns the greeting. Sister Maureen is putting bottles of water into woven bags as Father Vitor comes into the room with Ti Mon. Solange sees Ti Mon, gets down on one knee and asks “Who’s this gro neg?” Ti Mon looks up at her shyly and Solange cracks just a hint of a smile. “I see you’ve already met Father Vitor.” She looks at Ti Mon with a serious face before winking, “Please don’t give him any more white hair!” Ti Mon giggles and then Father Vitor says with a overly hurt expression, “Oh, oh! I’m right here…” Solange smiles at Ti Mon again and sits back down at the table. Jocelyn is nursing baby Espwa. Solange gently pats Espwa on her little head before looking into Jocelyn’s eyes, “I won’t be joining you on the boat, but I’ll make sure you get on one safely.”
The morning roosters begin to announce sunrise, which adds a sense of urgency. A few more nuns come into the kitchen to help Jocelyn get Espwa nestled in her carry sling. Then they take Solange into a nearby room. In a few moments, she emerges wearing a blue nun’s habit. Ti Mon looks at Solange in surprise, his mouth hanging open. Father Vitor sees his expression and bursts into laughter. “No, Ti Mon, it’s not quite that easy. She’s not really a nun but since it’s Christmas Eve, Sister Maureen said it’s OK to pretend.”
Solange gets into the van’s shotgun seat and Sister Maureen climbs in the driver side. They wait for Jocelyn to finish saying her goodbyes to Ti Mon. He is almost frantic now, sensing that Jocelyn and Espwa are leaving him behind. Jocelyn hugs him tightly and Father Vitor joins her as they hug and rock the small boy in a group hug of four with Espwa nestled between them. Time seems to stop as Ti Mon cries softly, his body shaking as he swallows a last few sobs. Looking up at Jocelyn, he asks in English, “You’ll return?” Jocelyn looks into his eyes and finally says, “Little brother, I will see you again when Bon Dieu allows it. But you won’t need me now. You’ll stay here and spend Christmas with Father Vitor and the brothers and sisters. Then when Solange gets back from our trip, she’ll take you to meet some new friends in the countryside.” Father Vitor quickly adds, “There’s a boy named Jedi who could really use a big brother!” Ti Mon has calmed himself and watches the nuns help Jocelyn into the van with Espwa. He still seems unconvinced until Father Vitor asks, “Have you ever seen a donkey climb a mountain with a little man on its back?”
As the engine starts, Sr. Maureen looks back at Jocelyn and Espwa in the rear seat. “If anyone stops us, just pretend to be very ill. We’re taking you and your baby to a mission hospital in Cap Haitian.” Jocelyn smiles wanly, “It will be no problem to feign illness. Should I also practice some Hail Mary’s or something?” Solange snorts with laughter, “No, please don’t. Because I don’t know any of that either. This rosary is pure trade craft!” Sister Maureen starts to back the van out of the courtyard and chuckles, “By the time we get to Gonaives, the soldiers and their gangs will be very drunk. I’m counting on that and their unwillingness to commit atrocities on Christmas Eve. Especially with a van full of nuns and a child in their care.” Solange laughs again and says to Jocelyn, “We would have given you and Espwa nun habits too, but even those illiterate Macoutes would see through that.” The women all laugh as Sister Maureen gets the van moving. As they pass the cathedral, Baby Espwa burps and they laugh even harder.