Letter From Prison: Father Gerry Jean-Juste

When we visited Father yesterday, he wrote a letter to his American attorney Bill Quigley. We have sent the letter to Bill. Father doesn't mind publication of the letter, so excerpts are below.

It’s great to have the visit of Dr. John and Maria today. I answered all their medical questions. . . I enjoy using my neck problem to keep the pressure on. . . So talking to Dr. John, I said my neck problem calls for attention and freedom. We use this phrase now: The Freedom Neck. It’s painful once in a while. I may live with it even though it diminishes my hearing some days. If I can use it to secure freedom for all the political prisoners and I, let it be. Do not worry too much when I say the truth about ache from the neck. The ache in Jesus’ body during His passion and crucifixion was hundred times more hurting. It’s nothing comparable. . .

As I am writing you today, my heart unfortunately is still bleeding. From my cell window, I watched some ugly events yesterday, the last day of Nov. 2005. . .

Early in this morning by 4 am more or less, the poor children, young ladies, and some young males, rush as usual everyday with usually two empty white jugs (a gallon each) to a pit half a mile north of the jail to get some water. They travel so far away from the top of Golgotha to the bottom pit for some water. It hurts me so much. Finally I yelled and talked to some close to my window cell and said, “Why don’t you come together and put pressure on the defacto gov’t so they can build a fountain or two near your place so you won’t pain so much to satisfy your thirst?” They were scared and walked away. This area is plagued with police headquarters and a jail. The repression keeps them docile, quiet. Oh, I remember Jesus yelling for some water while at the cross on the top of Golgotha. He said, “I am thirsty.” The soldier brought him vinegar. I breathe a little bit with the hope that maybe I may place a call for them with the next President. We never know. . .

The big event that makes my heart bleeding, the most touchy one for the day:

A (probably 8 month) pregnant woman- at 4 pm, I looked out the window, watching a pregnant woman leaning on a wall cross the street of my cell window. She was heartbreath. She laid on the wall with her 2 white jugs for almost 30 minutes without help. Facing south toward the mountain that she may have to climb, pitifully looking, she waits and waits. . . Meanwhile I call upon a cellmate Jack to find out what we can do for the woman. My emotion stops me from coming with a solution. I suffer, suffer, and still suffering as I’m writing these pages. The woman looks at the passer byers; no one offers help. Suddenly, she took her courage in hands and grabbed the two jugs, one in each hand and leaned upon the wall and made one step and two. I watched her going up the Golgotha. . .

Oh, Bill, Jesus was passing by and I was in awe not able to make any offering to him.

I forget, the Archbishop has taken away my priestly faculties.

Too bad. Too bad—

How long are we in Haiti going to thirst like Jesus and find no relief yet?

Let’s hope that some of God’s miracles may work thru us soon upon freedom, upon the return of democracy—

Keep up the good work! God’s Blessing always! Happy Holiday Season to you and all!

OUR GOD IS A LIVING GOD—

I SMELL FREEDOM COMING

THIS DECEMBER

&

WINNING OF THE ELECTIONS

BY THE PEOPLE

IN JANUARY

&

HAPPY HOLIDAY,
HAPPY HOLIDAY—

GOD WILL SHOW HIS

POWER THRU US ALL

Your brother,

Gerard Jean-Juste