1 Corinthians 13 concludes by saying that love is the greatest gift of all. We have seen first-hand through the summer months that God’s ways are wonderful and God’s gives perfect gifts!
In early June we moved Trinity down to Cayes as her teaching responsibilities had ended in Bonne Fin. We were amazed at how ready she was to move back to the U.S. and on to the next (and then unknown) chapter of her life. It was only a short time before she was fully aware that she would not be leaving Haiti anytime soon. God provided a totally unexpected, new direction! Although friends for years with Joab Télusma, a wonderful Christian man, God opened their eyes to see his plans for their future together.
Love was growing! We returned to Ohio in June and Joab went to Indiana for a summer job. Trinity and Joab announced their engagement in July. It didn’t take long to realize a wedding needed to happen soon. Because of his visa, Joab had to return to Haiti by the end of September! So we dove in and set a wedding date of Sept. 12.
Then the 7.2 earthquake struck southern Haiti. We were so affected by the calls we got and the images we were seeing the first days and weeks. It was going to be another long road to recovery; probably longer than the hurricane five years ago. So many churches and schools were flattened or nearly destroyed. It seems impossible that school can start in October this year. It seems like there are unending challenges for the Haitian people.
September arrived and Covid was increasing! Were we going to be able to have a wedding? But God again opened the way and we were able to celebrate on Sept. 12 with friends from Maine to California, from the Carolinas to Florida! It was a beautiful day and many wonderful memories were made. We praise God! He is so good! Trinity and Joab chose John 17 for their wedding message:
“The glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as we are one: I in them and You in me; that they may be perfect in one, and the world may know that you have sent me and you have loved them and you have loved me.” John 17:22-23
Trinity had picked “TJ” (Trinity/Joab) as their nickname as a couple before we decided that the rehearsal dinner would be at TJ’s! Coincidence?
We also enjoyed a trip to Tennessee in late July with Evan, Leah and Eugene! We stayed in a cabin on Signal Mountain and took same day trips to Chattanooga. On the way home we stayed a few days in the Smokey Mountains too.
His Heart for Haiti 