Frantic Souls

Robert Brutus

Description

Through a series of odd, disastrous and happy events that occurred in the life of a young boy, Frantic Souls share how resilient and courageous human being can be and still live a happy life.
The book explored the struggle of two different families for the faith of Christianity and the world of voodoo. You will learn about catastrophic events of a sick child, the marriage of a father to the world of spirits, the difficulty of becoming a Christian, the pain and suffering of a struggle society, and natural disaster.
Frantic souls explained the inner nature of life in a dictatorship society.
While attempting to share actual events, the author strives not to turn this account into an autobiography. It is rather a series of excerpt from different life incidents that have shaped the character a true believer in Christ. Despite all, the young boy grew up to become a very productive member of society in a distant land.

Sujets

• Personal Memoirs
• Vudú
• Puerto Príncipe
• Haití
• Biography
• Resilience
• Haiti
• Christianity
• Résilience (physique)
• Autobiography
• Léogâne
• Duvalier
• Voodoo
• Port-au-Prince

Informations

• Publié par: iUniverse
• Date de parution: 25 janvier 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781663240743
• Langue: English

Extrait

Frantic Souls
 
Resiliency in life
 
 
 
 
ROBERT BRUTUS
 
 
 

 
 
FRANTIC SOULS
RESILIENCY IN LIFE
 
Copyright © 2023 Robert Brutus.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
Author Credits: Robert Brutus
 
 
 
iUniverse
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.iuniverse.com
844-349-9409
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
ISBN: 978-1-6632-4073-6 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-6632-4074-3 (e)
 
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022910348
 
 
 
 
iUniverse rev. date: 01/25/2023
Contents
Chapter 1 Foreword
Chapter 2 Preface
Why Frantic Souls
Chapter 3 Kindergarten Incident
Chapter 4 Historical Context
Chapter 5 The US Owes Haiti Billions
Why does the US owe Haiti Billions?
Chapter 6 The Beginning
Chapter 7 Arrival
Chapter 8 Grandpa Normil
The Daniel and Joseph incident
Chapter 9 Cautious Father
Chapter 10 Loss of a Friend
Chapter 11 Bully on the Loose
Chapter 12 Formative Years
Chapter 13 Voodoo Environment
Chapter 14 My Grandmother
Chapter 15 My Grandparents – Father’s Side
Chapter 16 Looking for a Cure
Chapter 17 Christianity in Haiti
Chapter 18 Shrine and Rituals
Chapter 19 My Parents’ Wedding
Chapter 20 Wedding with the Spirits
Chapter 21 Sister’s Illness
Chapter 22 My Religious Believes
Religious Views in Haiti
Chapter 23 Political Exposure
National Pride
Chapter 24 Mother Nature’s impact
Hurricane Flora
Chapter 25 Understanding the Culture
Are the people of Haiti cursed?
Chapter 26 Borlette or Gambling of a Culture
Chapter 27 Road to America
Medical School Ambition
Chapter 28 First trip to the United States
Chapter 29 How Faith in God grew
Chapter 30 My Father’s Illness
Chapter 31 Phone Calls
Chapter 32 In Dallas/Fort Worth
Chapter 33 On My Way to Miami
Chapter 34 Arrival in Port-au-Prince
Chapter 35 Arrival at My Mom’s House
Chapter 36 Saturday Evening
Chapter 37 At the Funeral Home
Chapter 38 Showroom
Chapter 39 Eve of the funeral
Chapter 40 Wednesday—Hertz
Chapter 41 Unforgettable Tax
Chapter 42 Money-Saving Tricks
Chapter 43 Unexpected Disappointments
Chapter 44 Negotiating Table
Chapter 45 Crucial Phone Call
Chapter 46 Thursday Morning—Get a Car or Else
Sizing clothes for the burial
Chapter 47 Friday
Chapter 48 Funeral
Chapter 49 Procession
Chapter 50 Sunday Dinner
Chapter 51 Back to the U.S.
Chapter 52 2010 Earthquake
Chapter 53 Trip Preparation
Chapter 54 St Louis
Chapter 55 Fort Lauderdale
Chapter 56 Fort Pierce
Chapter 57 Port-au-Prince: 2nd Airport
Chapter 58 Earthquake Destructions
Chapter 59 Trip to Family Members
Chapter 60 Community Hospital – Day 1
Chapter 61 Community Hospital – Day 2
Chapter 62 General Hospital – Day 3
Chapter 63 Visa Quest for Natasha
Chapter 64 Faith Tested
Chapter 65 Precious Memories that Last
Chapter 66 Food of Haiti
Chapter 67 A Woman to Remember
Chapter 68 Book Summary
Chapter 69 Acknowledgments
Chapter 70 Frantic Souls
Chapter 1

Foreword
I have known Bob for almost 30 years. We met in Omaha, Nebraska, where we worked for the same payment processing company as software developers. We started as coworkers but quickly became personal friends. It didn’t take long to learn from Bob how knowledgeable, entrepreneurial, and creative he is. Sometimes he would tell me about his rental properties and the extensive improvements or fixes he was working on, doing all the work himself. It seemed that there was nothing Bob didn’t know how to do. I still remember one of my visits to Bob’s home, where he got his guitar and played it for me. I was so impressed at his skill level on that acoustic guitar.
I spent much time with Bob and his family over the years. He would often share stories about growing up in Haiti or about his family members still living there. So, I thought I knew quite a bit about Bob and his life. However, after reading Frantic Souls, I learned that there was so much more to Bob’s life than I had ever imagined. This book gave me a deeper understanding and appreciation of Bob’s life growing up in Haiti and greater insight into the Haitian people, their history, and the numerous challenges they face. Although we left Nebraska over a decade ago, Bob and I have kept in touch. I consider Bob, a lifelong friend, and it is an honor and privilege to introduce you to Frantic Souls.
Randy Rasmussen
Chapter 2

Preface
Why Frantic Souls
Frenetic is a term used to describe ongoing anxiety, worry, and unease about routine duties. The definition of “Frantic” in the dictionary is “desperate or wild with excitement, passion, horror, and anguish,” which accurately sums up how I felt during the events I can remember.
With an easy-to-follow format, “Frantic Souls” conveys compelling scenarios, from commonplace family tragedies to natural disasters and political turmoil.
I’ve observed that disaster victims typically allow themselves to wallow in regret and suffering. Some people speak up in front of everyone, while others let their emotions paralyze and imprison them. If you are among those who learn from life events and do not let emotions make you weak, you can handle everything life throws at you. You will keep calm and focused.
Over the years, the news media has attempted to capture the complexity of the Haitian people. Sadly, they frequently fall short of accurately presenting its multiple origins, which are rich in theological anomalies and are the foundation of its intricacies.
But slanted media also downplays the immense pleasure of its residents and other parts of its culture as the first independent black nation by emphasizing political upheaval and natural disasters. Its intriguing mythology and expertly prepared cuisine have fed the spirits of those who take the time to recognize its abundance.
Because I’m neither a journalist nor a well-known published author, Frantic Souls purposely lacks the flare of exaggerations to appeal to a specific audience. Such a tactic would decrease the event’s authenticity and restrict your ability to empathize with others who are going through similar struggles.
I’ll talk about what Haiti represents and how the development and culture of the nation have affected my own experiences several times.
I didn’t start keeping note of these happenings to produce a book; instead, I intended to leave a detailed record for my children and future generations to reference. That morphed into an actual book that could be published.
Finding the appropriate framework to describe these interactions grew more challenging over time as the frequency of telling each tale increased.
I’m from a region where most people have a distinct, unfavorable sense of being. From the parade of self-serving governmental policies to mother nature’s assault of persistent strikes, I’ve learned to maneuver through pains with grit and endurance.
The music and songs of the island’s inhabitants have ingrained folkloric traditions.
Most of our soulful lyrics are epic tragedies and dismal rhymes, yet despite the underlying melancholy of the chorus, the grounded beat always gives a sense of exhilaration. Whatever your mood, it’s a fantastic and joyful beat that may inspire you to dance.
I’m often referred to as the worrier by my oldest daughter. Even though I’ve been lucky, I frequently picture the worse since I know that anything may happen at any time. But it’s not that I constantly worry; it’s a sign of awareness and readiness. This style of thinking came about as a result of my discovery that life is a rollercoaster; positive and negative events may and will occur at any time, and I can go about my everyday activities without these events interfering with how much fun they are for me.
Even though many individuals struggle throughout their lives, some seem to have had considerably more painful events that have given them the ability to cope with life’s challenges better than others.
Unfortunately, individuals frequently label a group as “cursed” when they witness it suffering more than they should. If such occurs, you should inform these self-appointed judges that you do not feel God has condemned you. This tactic will show them that you know the potential for some of these uncomfortable scenarios.
God will give you the courage to deal with everything life throws at you because He is with you, and you have nothing to fear.
I left the island and came to the United States roughly fifty years ago. My parents gave me my initial name, Jean, and my middle name, Robert.
The English term John, or Jean in French, comes from the Greek name Iohannes, which came from the Hebrew name Yohanan.
I’ve been called man