Today was unlike any Thanksgiving I've had before. It was not about overindulging in more food that anyone could possibly need or about having a big fancy family get together. It was basically a "regular day". But, today I felt more thankful that I ever have on any previous "Thanksgiving Day".
First thing in the morning, a team from Mississippi arrived to do some work for us around the house. They were amazing! Between 7AM and 5PM, they went to a hardware store to buy supplies, build a tin roof shelter over our generator, tore out rotting walls in a bedroom and replaced them, installed a ceiling fan, painted a large shelf, and spent quality time with our kids.
While they were busy working, Dorothy and I discovered that our refrigerator finally died on us (it had been repaired many times and never worked well). Because we have so many mouths to feed and it is so warm here, we needed to get it replaced quickly. Elections are Sunday and no private vehicles are allowed on the roads. Not to mention that violence is prevalent the week of elections. We decided that we needed to drive back to Tabarre (for the 3rd time today) and buy a fridge. So, we scrounged around for some money and between the two of us we were able to come up with $1500 US. The prices here in Haiti are usually double what they are in the states, so we expected to pay an arm and a leg for a new fridge.
We hopped in the truck and headed off to a new hardware store. I was AMAZED. I wanted to take photos of it to post on my blog, but I knew you would not be impressed. Only someone who has been living in Haiti for a while would be impressed. It is comparable to a Home Depot or Lowe's (on a much smaller scale with less selection). Dorothy and I just wandered around in amazement at the choices and good prices. I felt like I teleported to the US for about 30 minutes. They had about three different types/sizes of refrigerators to choose from, and we were able to find one that would fit in our kitchen. Thank you, Lord...It was only $939 US! We couldn't believe it! We were able to buy a can of paint for my bedroom, a fridge, a hammer, a small ladder, and a few other small items for less than $1000. Last week a group came and gave us exactly $1000. God's provision is so good!
Like I said, we have so much to be thankful for. Today, I did not sit down in front of a table heaped with countless steaming dishes of food and reflect on my abundant blessings. I was able to literally witness God at work blessing us with things that we desperately needed. Today I was truly thankful.
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