Three Funerals and A Wedding

As usual many blog ideas have been running through my head for the past week and a half.

In the past week I’ve been to a funeral and a wedding, had one of our staff members tell me he gave Christ his life and has chosen to follow Him, and been told that Sheila’s daughter Staci* was sent away with “family” because they were obligated to do so (classic words to be used in restavek situations); Needless to say we walked away from that conversation feeling sick to our stomachs.

It was a week of many different emotions.

Tonight I sit her happy because Staci is here with us and moving in to Kay Libete A (The Freedom House). God worked it all out and she came back from her obligatory week with “family.” Praise God!

I also sit her with a heavy heart for this little girl who has not had a father in her life and who now has no mother. So many changes in such a small amount of time; knowing your family either doesn’t want you or feels like they can’t take care of you. Being 13 and totally, completely on your own, honestly having no one. I can’t even imagine.

Stepping into a place where you will be loved, cared and provided for, but also into a place where bonds have already been formed and routines established.

Pray  for Staci* as she makes this transition and for the other girls in the house as they too have transitions to make. Pray they will reach out to Staci, make her feel welcome and bring her into the family.

God brought me into Sheila’s life for a reason and I believe this was one of them. I believe at this moment there is no better place for Staci to be, I believe this is where Sheila would want her to be.

I’m thankful God is sovereign and He knows what He’s doing even when, especially when, we don’t. 

*Names changed to protect our students

(I must explain this blog title :) For those of you familiar with Adventures in Odyssey, there is an episode titled "Three Funerals and A Wedding" - the story of Ruth. This week I attended my third Haitian funeral and my first Haitian wedding and this is the first thing that popped in my head and I just had to use the title :)