We Are Family

One of the cooks, Gislene, invited Hannah and me to come visit her house yesterday. However, it being Sunday, that is not allowed. I checked with Melonnie and it worked out that we could go this morning. I told Gislene I could go anytime before lunch so she told me to meet her at 10:00. I walked by the kitchen at 9:30 and she was already saying let's go, let's go - so we did. Her house wasn't too far up the mountain behind the mission. When we got there, she welcomed us and got us chairs. Her house was empty, nothing. She showed us the house and all of their belongings fit in one room. They sleep on plywood that has random stuff thrown over it to lessen the pain. It is her husband, her and their four boys. While we were talking, she proudly showed off all of her kids, who were so stinking cute. We asked them what they wanted to be when they grew up. Two of them said doctors and one said a pastor. The second youngest boy wanted to be a doctor and told us he was in the fourth grade, the same grade his oldest brother was in. He was so proud of how well he had done in school. We got to meet Gislene's husband. He came out and was standing really funny. He lifted his hand and that's when both of us were shocked. His left hand was completely lifeless. A car hit him four years ago and he had to have surgery on his side and arm. They couldn't fix the damage to his hand. He hasn't been able to work in four years. Money has been so tight, but they've been faithful. The family shared their struggles, which isn't something that happens often. Struggles are a known fact, people don't usually spill everything. Gislene started working at the mission in March of last year --I met her last summer. She is the sole provider for the family and what she makes is not enough. She struggles everyday to see the food that she makes for the Americans and knows that she doesn't have anything to give to her children. Despite their struggles, that family was nothing but joyful today. They kept telling us know happy they were that we visited. They have no idea how honored I felt to be invited into their home. I adore that woman and can see that she is raising her children into a future of Haiti, the change that is coming. We got to pray for them and with them. For me, it was such a privilege to pray for her and her family. The whole time, Hannah and I just kept discussing options, ways for more income, job possibilities, anything. We both felt a certain nudge, a nudge to do something to bless this family. The only real way we could provide is to unexpectedly show up with groceries at their house. We talked about the possibilities of buying seeds, but they don't have any land for a garden, or the possibility of buying chickens but what do they feed them. One thing we knew to be true was that God would provide, if only we ask. As we were leaving, we took pictures with them. We laughed and said we looked just like the rest of them and they agreed saying we were family. We were family, that hit me. I've never felt so blessed to be called family, to be accepted, to be loved unconditionally with a family, majority of them I just met an hour ago.