This morning we sent out in our current update the story of a family of 5 orphans. Well, here is, as Paul Harvey would say, “The Rest of the Story” — and a wonderful ending that we just found out about this afternoon:

“Three girls and two boys, all siblings, were cared for by their mother in PAP. The mother had a regular business of selling at the market, and had left in the morning as usual the day of the quake. When the quake hit, the three youngest were outside while the two oldest girls were inside. The house collapsed upon them and they both sustained leg injuries as they were hit by falling cement blocks. They spent the next four days without food and water. Everyone assumed that they were dead. On the fourth day after the quake the two tried to make a loud noise to be heard. Others outside did hear the noise and a neighbor began to chip through the rubble and concrete using only a hammer. They were extracted and rejoined their three siblings, but did not know the status of their mother.

The children waited, and heard the news that the market where their mother was planning on selling had collapsed. Many people were killed there. Their PAP neighbor eventually took them out to their grandmother’s house in Hinche, having had no word from the mother, but she is old and does not have the resources to care for them. A friend knew of the Caneille relief and and suggested they would be welcome and cared for seeing that they were now orphaned. The five arrived on Feb 7th with only the clothes on their backs. They have their own tent, while housing is in the works, and they need some basics.

On Sunday we had a chance to sit down with them at Bastia & Betty’s house and hear their story, introduce ourselves, and let them know how much we were sorry for their loss, and reassure them of our love and concern for them. It was a sad day for them though, and it was their lost mother’s birthday. They responded with sincere thanks, but said that they didn’t believe their mother was dead, but that they had faith that God and protected her life and that they would find her somehow.

On Tuesday, Bastia took the oldest girl into Hinche to get shoes for the rest of them, amidst other shopping needs. As she was in Hinche her phone rang. IT WAS HER MOTHER!!!!

As it turns out, their mother had suffered very serious injuries to her legs, and in the rush of getting people cared for, she was whisked off to the Dominican Republic without any notice, and without her having any means of contacting her children. At the first available moment to call, she did. They all have a wonderful and miraculous story of how God had provided for them in a time of great need.
PRAISE THE LORD!”

Lane Gibson