“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.” Psalm 34:8
Back in the day, I wrote an article for Trinity HOPE inviting people to imagine what the life of a cook might be like in Haiti. Also back in the day, yet another ‘imagine’ story was written by John Hall and it took a glimpse into the life of a child attending the Lutheran school in Thomassique in 2006. I happened across John’s story, and am sharing it today.
“Envision with me this plausible account by a boy named Kevin who shared this story through an interpreter. It was a hot March morning and a neighborhood rooster and hunger pangs woke me. My older sister and I started getting ready for school. My little brothers were crying because they were hungry. I didn’t ask if I could have any breakfast because I knew the two slices of bread and small serving of beans my family had divided the night before was all the food we had.
The walk to school was one of about four kilometers. The road was rutted and dusty and today there were a lot of people on it hurrying to the market with things they could sell or exchange for things they needed. Men led cows, women walked with huge loads on their heads, trucks loaded with people and their goods bumped by in clouds of dust. When we reached the center of town, people were already setting up their spots. There were lots of things; goats, chickens, corn, tomatoes, onions, dirt cakes, shoes, clothes and tools and all of these things could all be bought by those who had a little money or something to barter. I paused briefly beside a lady selling beans and rice and said a silent prayer to God for my Papa to find enough work today to buy some food so Mama would be cooking it when we got home.
But today was a special day as well. We had been told that a Trinity HOPE mission team might be at our school (L’Univers Lutheran) School in Thomassique to talk about our getting one of its feeding programs. When we arrived a big, dusty vehicle was parked in front of the school and the mission team was in our school yard taking pictures of some of the children who were bringing wood so the food could be prepared if we truly got such a blessing. I wished I had found some wood this morning.”
This was an actual account of this small boy named Kevin and one year later God had provided and the children were getting a meal at school each day. When that year’s mission team visited the school to see how the program was working, a young boy rose and asked if he could read a letter he had written for his entire class. It was Kevin and the letter said in part: “Thank God for providing and Trinity HOPE for feeding us. The food is so good. We love to eat it. Please do not stop feeding us.” Today, this school is feeding 649 students. Beni soit L’Eternal!!!
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay