A Little Pot Goes a Long Way!

Mirlande, so surprised to learn that we had African American- non Haitian- people in America. She was totally flipped out to meet Dr. Jackie when she visited a couple of weeks ago. It took me forever to convince her that Obama is not a Haitian that went to America.

Mirlande is our precious, God sent, young lady that we are putting through school and employing as Joy's helper with the kids after she gets out of school everyday. She lives here in our house with us. She is a mountain girl that God has a special plan for.

Last night we got home late because we had been working at the mission. I was starting to feel sick again and I told Mirlande how thankful I was for her help. She looked at me and said that she owed me everything. Confused I asked her what she meant. She started the story with do you remember the hurricanes last year?

In 2008 Haiti had the worst hurricane season in their history. Extensive flooding killed many and displaced thousands more. Mirlande's family was not spared. A typical Haitian family has a little house but the kitchen is not inside. They cook with charcoal so they have an outside kitchen under a little hut. The flooding washed away thousands of families' kitchens and all of their pots and pans and cooking supplies. So after the flood I came down with Tracy, and Toby, and Bob and we bought 10,000 pounds of food to distribute and brought with us pots that we had the people of Tri- City Baptist in Conover, NC collect for us. We distributed those things to families in need.

Mirlande said that I had not met her yet but her family lost all their pots. They had no way to cook for weeks because their neighbors did not have pots to borrow either. Then she saw us giving out pots here in Montrouis. She said that I came to her and gave her the best pot in the whole bunch. She left immediately to make the hike back up the mountain to take it to her mom. She said that when her mom saw her coming down the road with the pot on her head she began to scream and praise the Lord. She and all her neighbors used that pot that day for the first hot meal in weeks. Mirlande said her family prayed for us and that God would bless us for our life saving gift...of a little pot!

I hate to admit it but I don't remember the pot. I don't remember giving it to Mirlande. I remember thinking how much trouble it was going to be to transport all of those pots and get them through customs. I remember being frustrated as people pushed and shoved and fought to get the pots as I thought "they just want anything free". But for Mirlande it was a gift directly from her Jesus that she loves so much. It was an answer to her families prayers. I praise God that He does not give up on this old selfish, proud, self centered Georgia hick and chooses to use some of His precious children to teach me to be more like Him. Please Lord, don't give up!