Pastor Victor lives in the city closest to Terre Blanche, called Gonaives. Gonaives was hit hard by the tropical storm season last fall, and many people lost everything. I asked Pastor Victor how the hurricanes affected his family, and he told me through an interpreter that their home was flooded and badly damaged and that he and his family had to climb up onto the roof of their house and stay there for seven days while they waited for the waters to recede.
As he told me about the experience, M. Herold, who was interpreting the conversation, stopped to interject that his home had been destroyed as well. He lost everything he owned – every piece of clothing, every household item – and even his car was washed away by the wall of water that flooded the city. His home was practically destroyed, but they have nowhere else to live, so they are trying to rebuild it slowly, as money and time become available.
These are my friends – I remember them from years past – and even in the midst of this kind of devastation they still make their way to Terre Blanche to help those even less fortunate than themselves. If I hadn’t asked, I wouldn’t have ever known how much they have suffered since I saw them last year.
Perseverance, long suffering, faithfulness, contentment, joy. Lord, may I learn something from the way these people press on in the face of adversity!
