There on the dessert table were numerous little pots of dirt with a leaf coming out of the center.   “I figured, if we eat it, it will be easier to understand the revelation of what we are… Here try some!” Offered Precious. 

I was reluctant, but I went for it.   Wow, what an amazing dessert. 

For the next six weeks, both on Wednesdays and Sundays, Pastor George had me speak, as a revival broke out.   The congregation was thrilled to learn about the biblical festivals, and every week, they raised a love offering for us.   By the end, their love offerings, together with our congregation’s help, provided us with the necessary funds to head to Haiti. 

I would not be able to fit all the amazing things that happened in those six weeks in this story, nor would I be able to mention all the wonderful friends we made, and the things they did for us. 

I do want to mention a beautiful young man formerly named DeMarcus.  The very first time I met DeMarcus, he asked me some question about being holy.  I explained to him that the word holy in Hebrew, means unique, set apart, unlike anything else. “…Like your hair.” I explained while rubbing his head.  He frowned, with a curious smile, trying to figure out what I meant by that.   I realized right away that DeMarcus was himself “holy”, unique, set appart, unlike anyone else. 

  Behind that beautiful frown /smile,  the endless questions, that amazing giving heart, was a young man who’s childhood was robbed by a nightmare of ruthless emotional and physical abuse.   At some point, I must have mentioned the blessing of bringing the first born offering to the house of the L-rd, and his Grandfather was delighted to have a first born redemption ceremony for DeMarcus. 

  “Will these horrible memories go away once I am redeemed?”  Asked DeMarcus with tears in his eyes, having come out of being shut down.  

“I don’t know… But I want you to write down every single memory on a sheet of paper and bring it to your first born ceremony.” I instructed.

When the day of the ceremony came, DeMarcus came up to the front with a list three to four pages long.   It was clear that writing this list was very difficult.   He wanted to read the list out loud, perhaps to vindicate himself, or maybe to vent his sorrow.

“No!..” I instructed as he was about to read.  “Before you do anything… You are about to become a redeemed first born; you have the authority to hold on to that list, in order to condemn the person who hurt you… Or, you can destroy it, forgiving that person and setting them free.”

There was a pause.   DeMarcus frowned.  His eyes flooded with tears.

To be continued