It's about a 10 minute drive. I turn off of the highway onto a dirt road, passing the motorcycle taxis. The view at the curve catches my eye as it always does. The mountains proclaim His glory. It's a pretty day. After many days of rain, the rain has ceased. It's hot. No rain seems to be in the forecast. I drive up on the community to my left. Some moms are outside. Many are getting their laundry ready to wash -- partly by hand and partly with the 1/2 automatic machine. There's electricity today.
I find myself in her home and listen to her story about how she obtained the girls. She's their grandmother. Her Spanish is broken, but somehow it is so clear to me. She tells me how their father is her son. Their mother doesn't have a relationship with them. She explains that after the earthquake in Haiti, he needed help and they came to live with her. She's been taking care of them ever since. Don't tire of doing good. I look at where they sleep. Two small twin-sized beds. Very thin cushions. Everything is very neat and there is an interesting array of about 10 pairs of kids' sized sunglasses hanging on one of the pieces of wood. I wonder if they've been saving them every year when the dentists come. I smile. Her granddaughters are very sweet girls. We stand together at the kitchen counter and pray. God is there. He is good.
I head to another home. The mom isn't there. No one knows where she is. I'll have to visit another day.
I walk down the narrow path between houses and find myself towards the back of the community. She is crouched inside her house scrubbing clothes with her hands. She has a big tub filled with clothes and soap inside. I ask if I can chat for a while and know it's okay because I sent a note home so she was expecting me. I lower my head to fit through the doorway of the wooden house and grab a chair that I see from the other room and begin to chat about why I'm there. We talk about how she ended up taking care of "her" child. He was so sick, she explains. His mom asked me to be his godmother. He was 2 months old when she died. I fought to take care of him. I still take him to the doctor. My husband is sick and can't work. Back problems. I'm doing everything in our home. She smiles. But, God is good. I thank Him. She is different than many others. God is with her. She knows it. She's not defeated. She leans on Him. Don't tire of doing good. I encourage her. Don't be anxious but in prayer and petition with thanksgiving offer your request to God. And the peace of God which surpasses all understanding will guard your heart and your mind. She chuckles. Amen! Amen! And she thanks me for the visit.
I head out the door and remember another mom. She wasn't on my list, but she is struggling right now. She's been having some deep spiritual issues. Many are concerned about her spiritual welfare. She has a daughter in the pre-school at Makarios. I find her sitting in a plastic chair next to a hammock that her husband is sleeping in. There's a big radio on the ground and it's set to a Christian station. They seem to be on a commercial. I ask to turn it down. I read scripture, and I pray for her. It's a situation that only God can fix. He is God all-powerful. He always wins. I beg God to help her, to heal her, to fight for her. I pray that He will show Himself to her. She's not right. I don't know if she is a believer. I pray that she will come to know Him in a way that she never has before.
I stop by one more home. She is a part of the Literacy program and has 3 kids at Makarios. We sit outside where it is cooler on a rock and talk about the kids and how they are doing. She is a new believer and is attending the local church. She's a young mom with four kids. I ask her about sin. In the literacy class we've been talking about God and thus about our human condition as sinners. I ask her about her comment the other day that she is not a sinner. She says she was joking. I remind her that we all have done wrong. If we hadn't, we wouldn't need Jesus. We pray. I encourage her with some advice for her son who is having some behavior problems at school. She is a good mom. I pray for God to continue to grow her in her faith.
I hear a woman call my name. Well, a version of my name. It's her. She is a special needs woman who is often at the house at the entrance of the community. She cannot walk. She's often on the ground. She smells like a mixture of body odor and urine. She calls my name again, and I smile and head towards her. I touch her shoulder and greet her. As soon as I touch her she starts pointing to her back and to her stomach and begins to grunt. They hurt, I know. I pray for her. God, help me know how to help. Take these pains from her. I don't sing with her this time. She really likes that. I should next time I see her.
I haven't mentioned my shadow. He's about 2 and he likes to follow me. Sometimes, he is clothed, many times he's not. But when I turn around, I often find him following me. He doesn't say much and when he does it is in a language that no one really understands... a mix of baby, and creole and Spanish. He has sad eyes most of the time. I try to give him big hugs and show him attention when I can. He'll be at Makarios next year along with his sisters. May He know You one day, God.
It's well into lunch time at this point. I say my goodbyes, get in the car and head to the school. The rest of the day will be preparing for literacy later in the afternoon. Maybe I'll get to rest a little beforehand. I think about all that happened... the conversations, the people, and how I saw God. I'm encouraged and saddened at the same time. God is working.
May His kingdom come.
May they see Christ in me.
In Jesus' Name....
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| During the month of September, Family Empowerment guided the teachers around the various communities as they visited their kids' parents. We shared the gospel and encouraged parents in God's Word. Praising Him for some planted seeds. |
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| This is Jenny from Quisqueya. After we visited, three teachers from Emanuel House got invited to participate in a Makarios Psychology workshop about the importance of movement in kids' learning. "Ready Bodies, Ready Minds." It was a joy to host them here in Montellano and show them around the communities we serve. |
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| I travelled to Quisqueya with 3 Makarios teachers to train teachers in ZOO PHONICS, the program we use for the Pre-school classes here at Makarios. It was a blessing in so many ways. |
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Jenna, teaching the ladies about ZOO PHONICS. I got to introduce the girls to Aris. She's a house mom at a Boys Home in San Pedro. It was so nice to be loved and encouraged by her story after serving in Quisqueya.
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| I got invited to a baptism in the Haitian church in Chichigua. Two were baptized! |
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| Literacy began about a month ago. We have 11 women who have committed to learning this cycle. From women who have never learned to read before, to others from our first cycle who are reading, to a couple of new ones who have learned a little, it's been a challenge and it's been good!!! We pray for God to open their eyes to the words around them! |
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| SURPRISE! For my birthday, I had some friends come and sing to me. My first serenade. And, I got to spend some time at the beach with friends. God is good and reminded me how loved I am. |
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