Josie

My dear friend Josie died today, the sweet and steady wife of Pastor Claudin that many of you have prayed for over the years. I've shared with you the stories of so many children lost, the miracle of Christie, I've shared the stories of babies lost again, of the miracle of little Claudel...You've sent money to help them for my birthday, medical friends have shared good counsel, so many of you have asked and prayed. 

Now Christie is six, Claudel is three, and little Claudie was born in August. Since his birth, Josie has struggled increasingly with health issues and high blood pressure, and with a medical system that can't really be called a system. Nor medical. 

After a week of feeling terribly sick, suffering delirium, and today a seizure, she went to be with the God she so very trusted, leaving her dearest friend and three precious children behind. 

She and her family are very dear to us. The kids and I were to be in Haiti this week and next (Matt has been in Florida the last several days and was going to take us to Fort-Pierce and put us on the plane), and I allowed the current (and let's face it, constant) precarious political situation and the concerns of those I'd wanted confirmation from to keep us away. 

I am undone. 

I am thankful He is not far away, not unable, not helpless, not undone.

Please be praying for Claudin, pastor, father, dean of student life at Emmaus and brother, and Christie, Claudel, Claudie and Josie's dear family tonight. Matt and Claudin just hung up and he's steady, faithful and in utter shock.

A few of the sweet, heart-wrenching memories to share tonight...

Nora and Christie

Friday evening, the hospital sent Josie home...and she is now bedridden, but very happy to be home.  We spent some time with them today, and I wish all of you could have sat on that bed with me.  

It was so dark in her room, and she's flat on her back, all day and night.  While Matt and Claudin caught up and the kids played, she started back through her story from these last weeks and months, speaking more than I have EVER heard her speak, so happy for some company and so bored.

It was by far the most inspiring hour of my week, her sharing trial after trial after trial, calling each, "another chance to grow in our faith," calling our God "the Master of the storm", explaining to me person after person who have suggested God should be questioned, suggesting they try a voodoo approach, suggested they turn away from God.  

She told me how God has always been faithful.  Told me how she always will be.  Told me how God is the only one who can give them this baby, can hold this miracle...but that even if He doesn't, she will trust Him.  Praise Him.  Follow Him.

As she articulated her faith, it gave her courage...

She told me again and again that our prayers have been as heavy to her as things she could hold in her hands, and I left her the Father she trusts so unwaveringly with such a full heart, heavy with prayer and inspired by her spirit of praise.

When Claudin planted this church as a student, with many new converts, he and Josie felt strongly that they must live in the same community where the church was, so that they could serve the church well and live in community with it's people.  Today, that means they live away from both of their families (very uncommon here), and yet pour out their lives in an incredibly poor area where there is one and only church.

I was thankful, today, walking away through the village, my heart being pulled all over the place, that his family is a faithful light in this community, not outside of struggle, but in it, through it.     

  

Please keep praying for Josie and for her baby, a little girl...these are long days and she's still far from the due date with much risk as she lies.

(Josie lost the little girl referred to in this post on November 26, 2016, between sweet Christie and Claudel).