The Master Weaver

By Susan Wallace

I sometimes think of God’s plan as one beautiful tapestry that will not be revealed to us until we meet Him. God’s plan involves all His children. He wants us to love and help each other as He loves and helps us.

Each of us is one thread in the tapestry, but all the threads are needed. In this life, we need each other to do good works and to accept good works. The Diocese of Norwich Outreach to Haiti (Outreach) is one example of people loving each other and helping one another.

Almost 40 years ago, lay people and religious from the Diocese of Norwich, including Bishop Daniel P. Reilly, visited Haiti. Their interest, care and concern for our Haitian brothers and sisters and our Gospel mission have carried forward to the present day with Outreach to Haiti.

Thanks to our many friends, fellow Christians, and religious, we are able to walk with and provide life-saving and life-enhancing aid to many in Haiti including the 60,000 men, women, and children who live in the neighborhood we serve, Christ Roi (Christ the King). Outreach intentionally hires Haitians to work with us in our ministry.

The vast majority of Haitians are extremely poor, and the country has few safety nets to help people with life’s necessities. Outreach runs a medical clinic, healthcare services, a food and nutritional supplement program, an educational sponsorship program, a microbusiness development program for mothers, to name just a few of our efforts. We also have a twinning program that promotes relationships between parishes and schools in the United States with parishes, schools and clinics in Haiti. These relationships are built on God’s love and foster a better understanding among God’s children.

Throughout the many years of our ministry in Haiti, relationships have been cultivated and support has been shared to help those in need who have few places to come in from the storms of life and receive support. We love each other, we support one another, and we learn important lessons. A board member received a note this year from one of our artisan friends in Haiti who shared that he and many Haitians are praying for us as we live through the pandemic. He didn’t mention any of the many problems they are facing, he just wanted us to know that he and the Haitians are praying to God on our behalf and that they are thankful for our friendship.

Our Haitian friends understand the interconnectedness; that each of us is a thread in God’s tapestry and that when all the threads have been woven it will be a spectacularly beautiful masterpiece. My wish for all of us is that we share our time, talent and treasure with our neighbors next door and in other countries. Our lives will be enriched for doing so.