Wednesday, was one of those hurry to wait days. We all needed to be ready right after breakfast so we could go and start working on the kid’s school uniforms for distribution day on Friday. It seems like all of Haiti is run on the fact that there is only one key for every door and the person who has the one key is always off to some meeting or getting supplies in Port-au-Prince. So we wait for a while and then readjust the morning or day.
The little church that I grew up in Hubbard, Nebraska has been actively following my mission work the last few years. I have shared with them my experiences and they felt moved to help this year with sewing kits. Marian Painter, whose daughter goes to the same church we do in Chillicothe, heads it up. I was so proud of my little church; they got together 15 sewing kits for me to give to her for distribution. She gives them to the second years girls. They have proven that they are serious about the class and have completed enough work to even begin little private jobs or altering their own clothes themselves. These kits allow them to have the items to do this. When we went to Marians only 4 of the girls/ladies were there and today they were working on little dresses that they were embroidering some pretties on the collars of the dresses. When they are done with those, they will be donated to one of the orphanages there in town. When Marian donates the fabric that is what they do. If they pay for the fabric themselves they can do them for their family or to sell. We had a wonderful visit while we were there.
Then we were off to our family. We had decided as a team what and how we were going to tell them about Claudson. We arrived to find most of the family there. We told them that we would love to sit and talk with them./ Papa immediately started going from neighbor to neighbor to borrow a chair to have enough for all of us to sit on. Once that was completed we shared with them how sick Claudson was. We did not share that he was not going to make it to be an adult. Just that he was very, very sick. We did describe in great detail what was actually wrong with his heart. They shared with us that momma Adalene was very sick during her pregnancy with him and afterwards. So who knows what may have caused this condition. I then went on to explain how excited we all were that all the boys were now going to be in school, that momma had a job and then we told papa that he as of Sept. 1st was going to be employed also. He was so excited and so happy and started praising God. I had shared that his last prayer need from his last year was for him to find a job and that God always hears our prayers, but out of obedience we wait for his answers. One of our translators asked if they plan on having any more children, because that could altar him hours able to work. He shook both hands in the air, and in said, NO, NO, NO...We all smiled and laughed. Then papa shared something that none of us knew. That papa and mamma we not married yet. I said “WHAT”, you need to make her an honest woman, all of us laughing together. Alex, who is the same age of my boys, said we need a wedding. So before God and all of us, a slew of neighborhood children and a group of curious neighbors, Alex had papa get on one knee and he repeated the vows to her as Alex had said. I think momma Adalene was blushing. Then the proclamation was made, and now before the eyes of God and these witnesses, you are now man and wife. Cheers came from everywhere. What fun. Then I said, you may now kiss your bride and he did. Momma blushed more. We were all smiles. We again thanked God for all he had done in this family’s life. Just before leaving, I asked papa and the translator to come in off the porch and I shared how proud and touched I was to see his devotion to his children and to momma. We shared hat because his job would not start until Sept 1st I knew he would need a little cash to get him by. I gave him $40 to get food to keep them until his first paycheck. We hugged me and in English said, “We love you.” After going back out we all circled with hands and I prayed for God to continue in their lives. After my prayer, we asked papa if he wanted to pray for us. He was slow to begin, but them my word, the words just flowed from him with praise and thanksgiving as to what God had done for them. He thanks God for his American family and asked God to watch over us. His prayer went on for some time, it was so touching. Then just before leaving I asked what we could be praying for them. He looked at me and said that they had everything they needed. I have thought about that for some time now. They have 5 of the 9 children still at home, they live in a 12x12 space, their meals are mostly rice and beans, they do their laundry in the river and they have a son that will not become an adult. I praise God for all the things he shows me while I am here. Happiness is not about things.
Just got to compound and we have power, so quickly posting. Just found out one of the vehicles has a flat, actually a split on the side wall. It cost $200 for one new tire, prayers for that to become available.
Love and the Peace of God be with you all
sue
No comments:
Post a Comment