We were really excited, too, until week 5 whenever I became really sick. Please be praying for strength for Matt and I both as he is working overtime playing with Lily, doing all of his and Lily's own cooking and trying to keep the house up in the evenings, and for me as I am sick almost constantly and trying to keep up at Emmaus and Miss Lily during the day!
Meanwhile, nothing's slowing down for 24/7 morning sickness! Dr. Rodney gave this training on Cholera to school children on Monday...
...followed by another successful training here in Saccanville yesterday. Everyone was quite relieved to hear that we are not being poisoned, one student was actually a bit proud to hear that it was HIS country that put a vanished Cholera back on the map, and several others were quite disappointed that they forgot to ask Rodney if they could start eating fish yet, because they are missing it.
English conversation on the subject in class today proved them to be quite well informed and very ready to share the same information with their congregations this weekend...immediate reproduction of good material, you gotta love it.
However, it didn't take long for the epidemic to hit the Emmaus family. On Wednesday, night watchman and good friend James received news that his mother died of the bacteria that morning. James was raised by his single mom in Port-au-Prince. She had eight children after him with 5 different fathers, and used her body to make enough money to feed her 9 children. A few years ago, James left Port for Saccanville to be trained as a Voodoo priest so that he could make enough money to support her and his 8 siblings as the oldest male.
Not 10 days passed in Saccanville before Pastor Janiel led James to the Lord, dashing all hopes of being a profitable witch doctor, but transforming this young man forever. He stayed in Saccanville with the only spiritual family he has ever known and has grown in the church and in the Lord tremendously, and for the past few years has been the night watchman for the Seminary 5 nights a week, working alongside of Shay.
james, and 2 of his sisters
Losing his mother Wednesday doens't just mean that James lost his mother. He is now solely responsible, not just for her funeral and those arrangements, but to provide completely for his 8 younger siblings, the youngest of which is a six year old girl. We've spent a lot of broken time with him this week, and he simply has no idea what he is going to do. He is well over the national average for income at the Seminary, but that still only totals $100 a month, not even enough to GET his 8 siblings here, much less turn his bachelor pad four walls into a home, feed 8 more mouths than usual....you get the picture.
Please pray with us for this special young man, for the burdens before him and that the Lord would give him wisdom, peace, and all he needs to face this situation.
Oh dear, I'm sorry you're feeling ill. I know how that goes - I pray it will pass and that you have the strength to endure. Remember it's only a season.
ReplyDeleteI will be praying for James, too. I can't imagine the anguish he is feeling but pray he finds peace (and an answer) with the Lord.