A few weeks ago we learned that we were not the only displaced missionary-type people in the teeming metropolis of Waco, Tejas. That was pretty surprising. Another man who has lived in Haiti the last four years now finds himself healing in Waco. At the time it seemed too soon to try to contact the person based on the horrible loss he'd just suffered, and our position as total strangers to him. I made a mental note to try to find him later.
Last Thursday I woke up with him heavy on my heart and confirmed his email address with the friend who told me he was in Waco. I fired off an email asking if he would have any interest in meeting for dinner. Later that day around 3pm our son-in-law called to say a man had left a note at the YMCA (where our SIL works) asking to get in touch with us and could Chris pass that message to us. Come to find out we were looking for him, the same time he was looking for us and God matched our timing exactly to the day, and even down to the same hours.
Tonight we met with him for dinner. He shared his January 12, 2010 story. He spoke of the feeling of riding a building as it went down to the ground. He talked about being trapped and helpless and waiting on rescue. He talked about the silence right after the earthquake, the eerie silence. Mostly he talked about losing the love of his life, his wife of multiple decades, his princess. He shared memories and stories and the love and adoration in his voice brought tears. Like so many others, he is grieving what he lost, thankful for what he still has, and trying to find a way back home, back to Haiti.
Please pray for J. and others like him who grieve the loss of their precious spouses. We were more than blessed to meet this gentle and kind man tonight.
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