Rev. George Miller
May 15, 2022
Acts 17:16-31; Haitian Flag Day
There is a unique thread that runs through our readings from the past 2
weeks- the unknown.
Last Sunday we met a girl who was enslaved, yet we never got to know her
name.
Today, Paul talks about an unknown God, empowering people to realize that
there are things that greatly affect them, even if they aren’t aware of it.
In other words, we’ll never know the name of the girl who was enslaved,
but her existence affected the life and ministry of the disciples.
The people in today’s reading may not know who the unknown god is, yet
they know enough that there is a God.
Just as we may never truly know how a pagan priestess,
a seamstress,
an old woman living with mental illness, and
a 21-year-old female lieutenant
shaped history,
but we’re about to find out.
These are 4 women who played a role in the Independence of Haiti, and unlike
the enslaved girl in last week’s reading, their names are remembered.
Cecile Fatima; Marie Sainte Dee Bazile;
Catherine Flon; Suzanne Sanite Belair.
Today we celebrate Haitian Flag Day with our Sister-In-Christ, Carnide. We celebrate the red and blue because Haiti’s
history is our history too.
Columbus landed in Haiti in 1492, a mountainous area the size of
Maryland. By the 17th Century,
all the Indigenous people were killed off.
Just as the enslaved girl in last week’s reading was exploited, enslaved women
and men from West Africa were brought over by the French to endure harsh, forced
labor.
By 1789 there were 556,000 enslaved people from Africa. There were 24,000 free individuals of mixed
race, and 32,000 European colonists- a few were considered the rich elite; the
rest were overseers and peasants.
In 1791 a perfect storm came together.
The peasants were tired of being poor.
Those of mixed race sought equality.
The enslaved wanted freedom.
War began. So costly was this war that
Napolean had to sell the Louisiana Territory to America, doubling our nation’s
size: Louisiana, Arkansas, Nebraska, Missouri,
Iowa, Oklahoma,
Kansas, Minnesota, the Dakotas, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.
By 1803 the revolution was won, a newly constructed flag was marched out
in the public square for all to see, and the nation was restored to its
original Indigenous name- Haiti.
How did Haiti get there? Who are
the women who played a part in Her-Story.
There’s Cecile Fatima, a priestess who played a part in starting the
revolution. Supposedly the daughter of a
Prince, she led a religious ceremony that prophesied the fall of the enemy.
Catherin Flon, a seamstress with her own business. Her godfather was the leader of the revolt. When victory was imminent, he cut the French flag
in half, and from those scraps she created the Haitian flag.
Marie Sainte Dee Bazile was an elderly woman living with mental illness,
most likely stemming from being raped at 18 by her master.
When Flon’s godfather was killed by the enemy, his body was left in the
public square to be desecrated.
Marie walked into the violent crowd, her eyes serene. She picked up his body,
carried him into the center of the cemetery where he was buried by soldiers.
Then there is Suzanne Sainte Belair, a free woman born of mixed heritage;
she chose to fight in the Revolution.
At 15 she married the Brigade Commander.
For 6 years they fought side by side, as equals. She was promoted to Sergeant than Lieutenant.
One day, they were chased by the French army, and she was caught. Her husband willingly handed himself in so
they would not be separated.
Both Suzanne and her husband were given the death sentence. Infront of a crowd of slaves, forced to watch
lest they get any ideas, he was shot.
Because she was a woman, seen unworthy of being executed by gunfire, Suzanne
was decapitated.
She refused to wear a blindfold.
Infront of that crowd of enslaved sisters and brothers, her last words
were “Liberty! No to slavery!”
At 21 she died.
At 21, Suzanne Sanite Belair, a freed woman, was willing to die than to
see her people oppressed.
Though the French had intended her death to scare, this brave woman who
had been fighting for 6 years said “Long live freedom! No to slavery!”
Overtime she became known as the Tigress of Haiti.
Thank God we now her name.
Because now she joins the ranks of other heroes like Judith, Shiphrah,
Puah, Mary, Martha, Esther,
who show us how to subvert,
how to act for what’s just,
how to maintain dignity,
how to stand for what’s right even when surrounded by what is wrong.
No wonder current state leaders don’t want history taught in school.
Imagine if Haitian Flag Day was taught in America, and all of those
living in Louisiana, Arkansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Kansas,
Minnesota, the Dakotas, Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana got to know just how they
came to be Americans.
Imagine how powerful it would be for our young daughters, nieces, and
granddaughters growing up to know that someone of a different faith can be
welcome into her nation’s legacy.
How powerful to know that women had businesses for centuries and the work
of their hands influence history.
How powerful to know that someone living with an aging body or someone
living with mental health related issues can and do matter and make a difference.
How an elder person can courageously enter an angry crowd, carry the weight
of the world upon her shoulders, and inspire soldiers to show respect.
How powerful it is to know that when given the chance to live a life of
blind freedom, a teenage girl chose to open her eyes, and fight for what was
right.
When faced with assured death, she did so with grace and the words “Freedom. No to slavery.”
Inspired by Paul, we could say that in all of these acts, we see the
activity of God even though God is not mentioned.
In these acts, we catch gimmers of how the God of justice and humility moves.
In each of these stories we see that it is not just the men or the young
or the most fit or those of the right religion who make the biggest difference,
that God has a way to move through all of us, in many styles and vessels. Gentile, old, young, slave, free.
So as our Haitian Sisters and Brothers prepare for Haitian Flag Day,
as gather their outfits, polish the flag poles, sweep the highway, practice
their dances, let us also celebrate.
As Haiti’s children throughout the world sing out in joy, we are joyful
too, because freedom is freedom is freedom.
And when there is freedom- there is GOD.
Love live Haiti.
Long live America.
Long live
Liberty.
Amen.
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