Think on These Things

I've been trying to focus on the positive while I've been down for the count with typhoid... I've been attempting to work out my funny bone by watching funny movies (my mom's favorite prescription for when her family gets sick :). I've been taking my mom's advice so much that I think I could apply for a job as a movie reveiwer! :) I turned movie watching into an 8 hour day of work! I could also start my own weight loss program called "Got Typhoid?" as I've lost 5 pounds this week! It's amazing how you can make one slice of pie last 3 days when you're nauseous and have a funky white coating on your tongue. And using a rusty can opener can be an amazing workout when the furthest you've traveled all day is to your spare bedroom in a 700 square foot apartment. But I feel like having typhoid is right on par with getting a tape worm for weight loss-- rather effective, but you still have to work the bugs out!

So in light of thinking about happy things, a few weeks ago I saw the neatest thing. And the memory has been warming my heart even on days when I've had the worst chills!

That day, I was craving cookies. Big time. So, I set out down the street headed to the closest cookie vendor. And wearing my favorite skirt. It's always nice to try to feel kinda pretty in the 105 degree heat. As I walked, I heard some familiar shouts from children.

"Blan (white girl)," they called out as I strolled by. I smiled and debated on answering with my typical response, "My name's not 'Blan,' it's Diane."

Before I decided, I walked by 2 women. One was short and stocky and pushing a wheelbarrow heavy laden with a giant steel pot in it. The other was tall and slender and perfectly balancing a medium sized pot on her head. And then with the same insistent voice that the children yell out "blan," they called out, "Diane!"

I was quite surprised! I didn't recognize these women. And the way that they yelled my name is not the way that a friend typically greets you. Creeped out, I continued down the road to my cookies. After buying several packages of the tasty little coconut cookies, I turned towards my home again. And passed the same 2 women, who called out in the same way as before.

I felt the Holy Spirit prick my heart through my armor. When you leave to go out on the street, often you steel yourself. You know that the children will call out to you. Often, people will stop you and ask you for things... money, water, toys, a radio, your hand in marriage. Some are truly in need; others are just playing a game to see your response. But I felt clearly that God wanted me to put down my guard.

So, slowly, I turned around, forced a smile, and said to the women, "Ah, I see that you know my name, but I'm sorry that I do not yet know yours!"

The women smiled broadly and introduced themselves. We attend the same church, and they had seen me introduced in front of the congregation several months ago. They live on the Saline-- the poorest part of town-- and were headed to Kay Pov Yo, or the Home for the Destitute, with food. The shorter lady pulled the lid off her pot to show me a heaping mound of rice and beans. The tall, slender one took down her pan and showed me a red fish sauce that emitted a tantalizing aroma. While impoverished themselves, they feel strongly that the church needs to help those less fortunate, and they had volunteered to take food to Kay Pov Yo. Our church does that on occasion, they explained to me.

And they complimented me on my skirt, one that my mom had given to me recently. And they complimented my mom's good taste in clothing. And they thanked me for coming to Haiti.

And I was thoroughly humbled by their generosity. And their kindness. I'm also so thankful to know that others love the downtrodden ones that have captured my heart. And the memory of it still makes me smile. :)