Pilgrims of Hope: My Six Months in Haiti Kkottongnae
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Written by Fr. philip
When I first arrived in Haiti, I carried with me the dream of serving God and His people. I imagined the work would be difficult, but I did not fully understand how deeply a place could shape your heart, or how quickly the people could teach you the meaning of faith and hope.
From the very first day, Haiti was full of surprises. As we left the airport and headed toward our community, the road was filled with gang members, boys holding guns. These were sights I had only seen in movies. This was my first time seeing such a reality with my own eyes. In that moment, fear filled my heart, and I found myself asking silently, Can I survive this journey?
But the moment we entered Kkottongnae village, everything changed. Standing in front of the house were our Kkottongnae family members, Brothers and Sisters—m, waiting for my arrival. They had even prepared a welcome card for me. Though I arrived with fear, their warm welcome gave me hope. It was my first lesson in Haiti: hope often meets us exactly where fear tries to overwhelm us.
Haiti is a land of both suffering and resilience. It is a country where poverty is not just an issue, it is a way of life. But it is also a place where hope refuses to die. Every day, I saw this hope in the eyes of the poor, the abandoned, the forgotten, and the marginalized. They are the ones who taught me the true meaning of being Pilgrims of Hope.
At Haiti Kkottongnae, I met people who have been abandoned by society, yet they still welcomed us with open arms. I met the sick who cannot afford medicine, the lonely who have no family, and children who live without certainty of tomorrow. And yet, despite all of this, they still smiled, still prayed, and still trusted God. That is the spirit of Kkottongnae. Kkottongnae is not just a place. It is a living testimony that God’s love is real and active in the world. It is where the poor are not seen as burdens, but as brothers and sisters. It is where the forgotten are given dignity. It is where love becomes action.
The first three months were not easy. There were moments when death felt very close. At one point, three families died, and we had only one refrigerator to store the bodies. We had no choice but to place all three together. It was a painful and heavy experience.
Yet, even there, hope was present. What gave me deep consolation was that I was able to give two of them the Anointing of the Sick. In one particularly moving moment, I was anointing a woman, and before I could finish the prayer, she passed away. Standing there, I felt both sorrow and peace. Sorrow because of the suffering she endured on earth, and peace because I believed that her suffering had ended, and that she would now enjoy eternal rest with God.
Those moments taught me something profound: hope does not deny suffering, it looks beyond it.
During my six months here, I learned that hope is not an idea; it is a journey. It is not something we feel only when life is good, but something we carry even when the world is dark. Hope is the courage to continue, the strength to serve, and the faith to believe that God is working even when we cannot see.
Here in Haiti, we truly live by hope. And for me, one of the most beautiful moments is during the Advent and Christmas season. In the midst of poverty and insecurity, the people prepare their hearts with joy. The songs, the prayers, the simple celebrations, all speak loudly: Christ is born even here. That joy, born out of hardship, is real hope.
There were days when the suffering seemed overwhelming. I saw the wounds of poverty and felt the pain of abandonment.
I remember the faces of those who came to us, many with empty hands and heavy hearts. Yet, when we shared food, prayers, and love, I saw something change inside them. It was not a miracle because of us, but because of God working through us. And that is the beauty of Kkottongnae: it is a place where God’s presence becomes visible through the simple act of loving others.
Hope Through Compassion. There was a young man named Gil who needed surgery but had no money. I shared his story with friends, and people responded with generosity.
When Gil finally received the surgery, the relief on his face was unforgettable. It was healing not only for his body, but also for his soul. It reminded me that hope becomes real when we choose to act.
One of my responsibilities in Haiti was assisting in the formation of our Kkottongnae Brothers. Helping in the formation of novices, Postulants and aspirants. Accompanying young men who were discerning a life of service was a sacred experience.
I saw their hunger for God and their desire to serve the poor. Their zeal reminded me that hope is not only for those we serve today, but also for those who will carry the mission forward tomorrow.
Growing Hope from the Soil. Another humble but meaningful project was starting a small garden. We planted vegetables, lettuce, onions, peppers, despite heat, pests, and limited water. Slowly, life began to grow from the soil. That garden became a sign of hope. It reminded us that even in harsh conditions, life can flourish. Even in suffering, God can bring fruit.
The Jubilee theme for 2025, “Pilgrims of Hope,” is not just a slogan, it is a calling. It reminds us that the Christian journey is not about comfort, but about walking with those who suffer, those who are forgotten, and those who wait for a sign that God still cares.
In Haiti, I learned that hope is not a luxury, it is a necessity. The people may have little, but they hold onto hope with their whole hearts. They taught me that hope is not something we find; it is something we give.
I thank Haiti with deep gratitude, for the people, for the lessons, and for the grace to serve. God’s love is not distant. It is present, alive, and working in the midst of pain.
To be a pilgrim is to move forward even when the road is difficult. To be a pilgrim of hope is to bring light where there is darkness. And to be a pilgrim of God is to love without condition.
May we all continue to walk this path of hope, together, with courage, and with love. Amen
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