"The rock thrower"

Sometimes one of the other long terms and I walk down our little mountain to a little shop to buy a drink. We will sit there while we drink it and just enjoy being part of the community. One thing often spoiled this time for us, I called them the 'rock throwers'. There was a group of girls that would pick up rocks and throw them at us as we walked by. These girls were in their mid-teens and often there was 2-4 of them. It was hard to understand what they were saying, but it was obvious that they were mad and were going to take it out on us. It was always a little scary because although they never actually hit us, they came very close. 

One time when we were walking by, I felt led to stop and ask the girl holding the large rock, "Why are you angry? Don't you want to be friends instead?" When I asked her this she froze, rock held in her hands prepped to throw. I continued by saying my name is Jennifer, I hoped that we could be friends, and maybe next time I walked by her home she would choose not to throw rocks at us so we could talk instead. This entire time she stood frozen and listenging but not responding. So with that we turned around and continued our journey up the mountain. When we turned our backs on her she did throw the rock...but it was obvious she purposely didn't hit us.  

A few weeks later we were walking through the area and I saw her again. This time she didn't have a rock, she remembered my name and she came over to talk to me. She told me she is 15 years old. Her dad died 2 years ago and since that time she has been unable to go to school because the family does not have money. She lives with her 4 siblings and her mom in a house with tarp sides and a tin roof. After speaking for a while, I told her thank you for talking to me and not having a rock. I was glad that we could be friends. When I tried to give her a side hug, her body was stiff. 

A week later I invited her up to Grace to just continue our relationship. We shared some water and a small snack with each other and just talked some more. She doesn't want to get behind on her school work so she helps two of her friends with their homework so she can learn along with them. She said she spends a lot of her time reading the Bible and helping her mom with the house. When I gave her a hug goodbye, she received it. 

Some time later, as I was walking to Grace, she joined me and we began to talk. I asked her if she goes to church to which she replied no, she does not because she does not have a dress to wear. I looked at her and saw that she had some jean capris on. I encouraged her to come as she was, I told her that I would wear my  jeans too so she wouldn't have to be the only one. She said she would think about it.

So the next Sunday came and I wore jeans. I have to say that it was an uncomfortable feeling. It is an unspoken cultural rule that women wear skirts or dresses to church and I knew that I was breaking that. However as I dressed for church I kept thinking of my friend Anachemie, and how I wanted her to know that God doesn't judge and welcomes her with open arms. I wore the jeans, Anachemie came to church, she borrowed her friends skirt. :)

Something fun I learned when she came to church was that I had been sitting with her little brother at church for the last 6 months. He had decided to adopt us as his 'church parents' and would always search for us so he could sit between us. He is a little 5 year old that likes to sit so he is touching one of us, if one of our kids have a fidget he likes to share, and if he misbehaves and I gently correct him he coveres his face with his hands and stays that way for 2-4 minutes. He is super cute. 

Needless to say, God has put this family in my path and now we are trying to figure out what God wants us to do. One thing I know we can do is get the 4 school aged children in this family into school. In Haiti you can not start school in the middle of a year, however next year they will be able to come and take the exams to hopefully be allowed entrance. 

I was able to bring them one box of Feed My Starving Children food to help support this momma and her children. I know this was a blessing as one of the times I met up with Anachemie, she had a bag filled with 4 cups of white rice. When I asked her what she would be having with the rice she said nothing, just rice; no beans, no fruit, no veggies, just rice. I know that this is just a temporary fix, however I will be continuing to meet with the momma and Anachemie to help them think of a way for them to begin supporting themselves. That is the key, sustainability and not dependance. But God has put her in our paths for a reason, I know that we have to respond. 

1 Peter 4:8

"Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins"

(even rock throwing:))

I love the quote: 

"Do for one what you wish you could do for many"

We are just going to keep helping the ones that God puts in our paths. If you think about it, we would love your prayers on this. That God will bless this family and that God will show my family who and how to help people. 

Anachemie's family

My beautiful friend Lisa and I (I don't know the little girl, she is from our school. She must have needed some love)

Its 90 degrees and they have jackets and HUGE sweaters on. I love Haiti!

Fellow long term, Bianca pumping water for the first time.