June 14, 2011

I love the nuances of language, the meaning of words and the ways they work together. In Spanish, the word esperar has two very distinct and intertwined meanings ~ to hope, and to wait. Sometimes you must wait a lifetime for the things you hope for; and there are some things you hope for that you may never see in this lifetime.

Today as I walked across the bridge from the Dominican Republic into Haiti (and was trudging across the vast expanse of mud and waste left from Monday’s Free Trade Day), I looked up and saw a friend. I don’t know my friend’s name, although I promise you that I will find it out the next time I see him. My last encounter with him was up by the bridge a 6a00e552ed7b75883301538f3247f9970b-500wi few months ago on another Free Trade Day. He was standing there with his crutches, missing one leg above the knee, and he looked into my eyes and pleaded for me to give him some pesos so he could eat. It was his eyes that won my heart in an instant. There was a twinkle of life in them, in spite of his rail thin condition, but there was also an honesty that cut into me like a knife.

I turned away for one moment to as discreetly as possible grab 100 pesos (about $2.63 US) from my wallet. Then I reached back around and grabbed his hand, as though I was just shaking it to say hello. When he realized what I’d given him, he didn’t know whether he should cry or laugh. He grabbed me and began to literally get down on the ground in front of me. Although he was Haitian, he understood Spanish, so I quickly told him, “No, please get up!”; and I quickly pulled him back up to face me. Then I told him that I was nothing but a man, just like him. I told him it is only Jesus who matters, and that he (my friend) was just as important in Jesus’ eyes as I was. In reality, I’m sure he is much more important in Jesus’ eyes than I am, but my Spanish isn’t quite good enough to get that deep so I left it at that. 

Today as I started up the steep hill to the main paved road through Ouanaminthe, I saw my friend had been picking through the garbage from yesterday ~ in hopes he might find something of value to eat or to keep. I knew he saw me, and I knew he would find a way to come over and talk for a moment. What’s amazing is he walked straight up to me and the first thing he did is look at me with his beautiful, smiling and piercing eyes, just like before.  Then he reached out and hugged me. He didn’t ask me for anything, not one thing, although I gave him another small gift. It is no wonder to me why Jesus said that the last shall be first. Some day soon, my friend’s wait will be over; and he will no longer be the last in line.

Till next time,

Craig

P.S. The little child you see above lives directly across from our mission house in Ouanaminthe. I was amazed as the little girl was left by herself for almost an hour to cry and wallow in the horribly filthy street.  Her bloated belly is a sign of severe malnutrition.

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