I spent a long weekend recently on the east coast of Espiritu Santo Island with Toara and Hannah. They live in the midst of a coconut plantation, and are furthermore surrounded by cows, chickens and pigs. They are sustenance farmers… primarily living from what is produced in their gardens. Fruits and veggies that were available during my visit were beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, plantains, grapefruit, taro, fresh coconut juice, and island cabbage. Yum! They cook over an open fire, bathe and wash clothes in the stream that runs through their land (it’s technically Hannah’s brother’s land, as Toara is from Tongoa Island and moved to Santo to help Hannah’s family in their coconut plantation), and utilize an outhouse for their toilet. They recently added a 50w solar panel and car battery that allows them to run some low wattage 12v LEDs at night - they’ve gone big time!
Hannah and Toara aren’t a part of a large congregation (some Sundays it’s just them and their kids assembled together), and they’ve never “taught and baptized” anyone. Nevertheless, it was clear to me after just five days with them that they are living for Christ. What do I mean? While I was present with them, I couldn’t stop picturing Jesus’ words as recorded in Matthew 25:31-46. A primary example of this relates to the children at their house. Toara and Hannah have given birth to Steven, Willy, Priscilla, James, and Sarah. They work hard to provide for their needs. It is clearly evident that they love these children and desperately want to instill a faith in Christ in them. But the list doesn’t stop there…
Yanik was born to Toara’s sister, and is about 14 years old. I don’t know the details, but he has been living with Toara and Hannah for a long time (perhaps his entire life). They love and provide for him as if he were their own, and he is blessed to now be a part of a Christian family.
Joel Robert joined the family at birth, a little over three years ago. He was born on a ship at sea to a woman with severe mental problems. One of Toara’s distant cousins was the father (they were not in a relationship). He was unwilling to care for the child, and the birth mother was incapable, and so Toara and Hannah took Joel in as an infant, as they were considered “next of kin.”
Anies (pronounced “Annie-yes”) was dropped off at Hannah and Toara’s house last December by her father. She is approximately 5 years old and has cerebral palsy. I don’t know if her biological parents were ever married, but know that they are no longer together. The bio-mother came and got Anies in June, but returned her in less than a month because she was “tired of dealing with her.” The bio-father drops a package of diapers off at the road once a month or so, but has little else to do with assisting the family in raising Anies. Hannah can’t leave Anies alone for any length of time, and since she’s getting too heavy to carry, this greatly inhibits her ability to go and work in the garden as she needs … thus, Toara’s workload is increased as well. Hannah bottle feeds Anies three or four times per day, as she never learned to chew and swallow, changes her diapers/clothes regularly, and bathes her in a large washtub. She also works hard to help Anies’ flexibility and mental stimulation.
The brief glimpses into these three children I’ve provided don’t do justice in communicating what a difference Toara and Hannah are making in their lives. Or rather, what Jesus is doing through Hannah and Toara. Would you please be praying for this lovely Christian couple, as they struggle and sacrifice in order to be Jesus to the least of these? What a great reminder and example of Christlikeness they are to me!
No comments:
Post a Comment