22759: Nlbo: Wanderson Lebeau's passing went unnoticed (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Nlbo@aol.com

There was no Haitian "active" in the community at  Mr. Lebeau's funeral. The
e-mail I  mistakingly sent to a "yahoogroups" because it took four days  to
learn about Tony Audate's funeral arrangements from an out of state person was
the only "announcement" sent. No written notices about Wanderson Lebeau's
funeral or passing originated from any  Haitian lay and religious " leaders." I
dont' watch TV nor do I listen to Haitian radios. I am not sure  the Haitian
radio hosts have announced it. If they had, some "leading figure" in the community
should have been there.
Again- Who is( are)  "on top of things," "keeping an eye", "keeping track of
things" in the Haitian community of Boston as a whole?

I am sad for this 23 year old who died tragically in a car accident on July
5th in Saugus, Mass.  But I feel even worse  because there was no Haitian
priest, or pastor,  no Haitian community person in Wanderson Lebeau's funeral on
Friday the 16th.

A Euro American missionary conducted the funeral liturgy in Creole which most
of those young people did not get anything out of. The hymns were also
entirely in Creole though there were white and Hispanic congregants.  In the Haitian
churches, be it Protestant or Catholic, the ministers don't take into account
that services  for 40 to 80 year old Haitians born in Haiti are and should be
different from those presided for young people growing up in this country.

Our Lady of Grace in Chelsea  was nearly full to capacity. Gradually young
folks in their  teens and in their 20's packed the sanctuary.  Among the adults,
there were close 200-300 young people, black ,white, and some Hispanics,
protestants, catholics,  unchurched, and non religious. The 18, 20 year olds were
uncosolling.   The overt griefing made the hour funeral mass feel longer.
Those 200- 300 young people were on their own. They tried to hold one
another. At one point some of them said they were tired. A white woman and myself
were the only adults trying to help, give water, console them, physically
restrain those who were kicking  and throwing themselves around out of uncontrolling
grief.  I wanted to call some priests and even pastors and told them to come
and help.  Trying to restrain people when they are out physical and emotional
control require a lot of physical energy. Some of the 20 year olds are bigger
than me. The assistance of some strong men would have been helpful.  (Feminists
may not agree with that).  The white woman was very helpful though she may
have been hysterical.

After everyone had left, 30-40 of those young people stayed outside the
church. Some of them came inside and sat quietly. During this quiet time, when 30,
40 young people were calm, the presence of a consoling religious person out
there with them would have made a major difference. Someone with a religious
garment would not have to say anything, just be there with those young folks
while they were sitting quietly thinking of their friend who will be no longer
with them.  I did not notice when the white woman left,  but I stayed with the
group until every one of them was gone which was an hour after mass.

The absence of priests, pastors, active lay Haitian Catholic and Protestant
"leaders"  or media persons in Wanderson Lebreau's funeral is another evidence
that young Haitians in the Boston area are physically, spiritually,
psychologically, and intellectually  on their own.

The following excerpt from Leonard Pitts' reacting to Bill Cosby's comments
in  Miami Herald on July 9 echoes well,

"It should make us all sick to our souls to watch our children die --
spiritually, intellectually, physically -- knowing that black people can do, and
indeed have done, so much better than this.

 So when Cosby calls himself a tired man, I read it less as a statement of
fatigue than one of frustration. And who can blame him?  Hell, I'm a tired man,
too."

So am I.
NL