Sing! Pray! Dance!

My wife had a hard conversation on the phone this morning.  She came in the room and began to cry.
I sat with her on the bed and held her.  That's all she wanted, which was pretty amazing because I told her she could pick from anything in the world.  I could have been doing dishes for a week, which in Haiti isn't so easy, especially when we're hauling the water in 5-gallon buckets.
"Just a hug."  She said.
"Easy enough." I said.
While we were there in that moment, Tikilene walked in the room.
Immediately she reacted.

"No crying!  Don't do that!  You don't let life make you sick!  With everything, you've got to sing!  You've got to pray!  You've got to give it God!"
I realize I'm witnessing the profound, as she's standing there with that gorgeous smile, in her little white hat with her red Raggedy Ann t-shirt, holding a broom in her hand, yet a bounce in her step like she might as well be dancing a waltz in a ball room somewhere.


This woman...this Haitian momma, who's lived a life a hundred times harder than mine, than anyone I know,  has this joy, this hope, this dance in her eyes because of one reason.
She's found the source!
Tikilene can work all day, and never stop singing praises.  Even on days when she's sick, she's still smiling.  The day her husband got hurt on the moto and banged up his leg really bad, she still gave glory to God.
When the owner of the house was here, she worked one morning from sunrise through the sunset, and I took her home in the dark of night.  She was wiped out.  Still, when we talked on the way home, her voice was full of love.  Tired, but not empty.  Not dry.  Not finished.  Because she knew where to find more strength, more peace, more love.   These days I always give her a ride home on my moto.  Most times she tries to sneak out and leave without my noticing.  Not because she likes to walk the 2 miles to home after a days work, and not even because I'm a crazy driver.  It's because she'd rather walk for an hour on tired, worn feet than bother anyone or put anyone out.


I decided we should take her advice.  God put her here in our lives to show us something beautiful.  How to give it all over to Him. No matter the circumstance.


I put on some thumping music. Something with a definite beat. We got up and began to dance.   I made up some moves for Kari.  She laughed and said that this is what really needs to go on Facebook!   Never in a million years. :)


Tikilene saw us dancing and began laughing.  I showed her my moves.  She nodded with a smile, then she began to dance.  Better than all of us!   This Haitian momma's got moves!   Bringing praise to Jesus in the middle of Haiti, and all the other harshness melts away...