Prayer. In the wake of disaster, heartache and despair, prayer is a powerful mechanism that brings people of all spiritual and cultural backgrounds together. At Cabrini of Westchester in Dobbs Ferry, NY, prayer is an important part of the daily corporate culture, and in following the horrific earthquake in Haiti, took the forefront of our relief efforts to raise awareness and support.
A prayer service was held in Cabrini of Westchester’s chapel where the Pastoral Care Director, Father Edwin Robinson, led Cabrini employees and residents in prayer for the Haitian Community. The moving service had a particularly special meaning for some employees of Cabrini, who are of Haitian descent and have family living in Haiti. Stemming from the desire of some of the Haitian staff, a collection was taken up and the $500 raised was sent to the Clinton Foundation for relief efforts. Prayers for the Haitians continue at Cabrini of Westchester daily, opening meetings with a prayer for their relief, as well as during the daily prayer over the PA system at the noontime meal.
By coincidence, before the disaster struck, Cabrini of Westchester had purchased a beautiful photograph by Victor Gagliardi of two Haitian children looking over a balcony. Mr. Gagliardi’s photography from around the world adorns the walls throughout Cabrini and in 2009 he visited Haiti and snapped this breathtaking and candid photograph. For the prayer service, the photograph was placed on the altar, which for some represented the people of Haiti as well as the innocent state of the country when it endured this destruction. The picture, that now hangs in the second floor dining room and was originally viewed as another piece of Mr. Gagliardi’s magnificent art to admire, now serves a different purpose: to remind us all of the suffering, struggles and heartache the people of Haiti had to bear these past few weeks, and to pray for them in the weeks to come.
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