It was just another typical day in Haiti – heading out to do more village time in the scorching heat.
We went to a village nearby called Titayen. The bus dropped off us in the middle of the market with people and cars everywhere. As our two teams were turning to head down a side street and start ministry something grabbed hold of me. I looked down and saw this little boy wearing an oversized blue and white plaid shirt, dirty dress pants that were 2 sizes too big, and worn out green Crocs. Then I felt his hand reach up into mine with a grip that told me he would never let go.
He never left my side all morning. His name is Jonah.
As we were walking from house to house and talking with people Jonah was right by my side, wrapping my arms around his body or burying his head into my stomach. At the end of the morning we stopped at a school and just sat there for a bit. We some pictures, but after a while Jonah’s smile started going away.
That’s when the Holy Spirit spoke to me – “You have a love for kids. You don’t need the same language to communicate My love. Go play with My child.”
I grabbed Jonah’s hand and led him to the rickety play set. He became a different boy at that moment. That was the first time all morning I saw him acting like a little boy. He didn’t have to worry about anything other than having fun. His smile came back, he started laughing, and spoke to me in Creole. It didn’t matter to him that I didn’t understand him; all he cared about was us going down the slide together.
Tom joined us after a bit and we brought Jonah to the teeter-totter. He started laughing and laughing and nothing could wipe that smile off his face. His laugh is precious.
When it was time to leave the school Jonah grabbed my hand and didn’t let go until we had to part ways at the bus. During our time together I told him “Jezi remen ou” and “Ou remen Jezi” – “Jesus loves you” and “You love Jesus?” He smiled and nodded his head.
I’m not sure where Jonah headed off to when we left. I know one this is for certain though, I will never forget this day with him. He taught me that I’m never too old to go down slides and to find the joy in the little things God puts in our life. He may have forgotten about me the moment I left, or he might still remember a strange white girl going down slides with him, but what I pray he remembers is “Jezi remen ou”.
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in there distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” James 1.27
