Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Today's gift.

Hey friends.

Happy Easter! He is risen and risen indeed. This was definitely a meaningful Easter for me, following a contemplative, if self-guided, Holy Week.  There's just something about the good news and the unabashed joy of Easter that I need, especially living here. Haiti, at first glance, is not a place that's overflowing with good news, and so I delight in this most important and most joyous of Gospel celebrations. Not to mention that there was ham. And turkey. (Turkey!) And all sorts of other delicious food that I pretty much never get around here. It was good, guys. I hope yours was also.

Today was back to school after a pretty long (and much-needed) Spring break. It was good to be back, to see the kids, to settle back into a groove. Except I have one student who consistently gives me a hard time, and today was no exception. I found myself telling him (already! first day back!) that if he was going to waste my class time playing, then he would use recess time to finish his work. Most days I shake my head in frustration, swearing that this kid must hate me. (Teacher friends, anyone hear what I'm saying?) Thankfully, he shaped up at the last second and accomplished the bare minimum requirement. (That's more than I often get from him, so I'll take it.)

Fast-forward to after school. I was at this kid's house, because I tutor his older brothers and sisters a few afternoons a week. As I was talking to some of the kids, he called my name and beckoned me over. When I approached, he held out his hand, and in it were three small seeds. He explained his offering- they are the seeds of a beautiful purple flower that is growing in their backyard. He gave me strict instructions about planting and watering them, then deposited them gently into my hand. From there, we paraded around the backyard garden, me with my little seeds still tucked in my hand, and I listened to him wax eloquent (in his really sweet, 9-year-old way) about all the plants and vegetables and how to care for them, acting appropriately impressed when he pointed out veggies he had helped plant.

Some of you know that I've been on the lookout lately for God's gifts. I know they're all around and I just have to look for them (cue Chicken Soup for the Soul cheesiness here...). But I can sometimes get discouraged about life in Haiti, and I have trouble catching them. But this one today just hit it out of the park. If you're a teacher and you've had difficult students, you can probably appreciate how meaningful this was. There was no trace of stubborn defiance. I had no need for my Mean Teacher Face. These moments were treasures, pure and simple.

Will this kid be ornery tomorrow? Eh, there's a decent chance. And will he make me feel ornery? Probs. But today was a gift that I think, somehow, will give me the grace to deal with tomorrow. And when those pretty little flowers start blooming (pray for them, I'm a terrible gardener!), it will remind me of grace, and God's goodness, and his gifts.

And the only appropriate response for such a lovely gift is Thank You.