Given up.
Her first husband,
A young man,
Committed suicide.
And when God orchestrated
Her second marriage,
She was overjoyed.
The couple loved Jesus,
And He opened their eyes,
Wide,
To the plight of orphans
And widows.
So they simply followed
Him to Haiti.
It was just after the
Earthquake
And God "dropped"
The first orphans into
Their laps.
They claimed them as
Their own,
Made a home,
Would she have continued
If she had known?
Someone shot her
Husband,
The one who had come
To help, and
Love,
And serve.
Despite the anguished prayers,
He died.
Most widows would have
Quit.
At times she wanted to,
Wondered what's the use.
But she hung on and the
Kids hung on to her,
Their mom.
I heard her story today,
One of unspeakable pain
And ever present danger.
But her narrative was
Overpowered by joy
And courage.
God seems to sift her
Day after day,
Refining her,
Fitting her for her
Mothering task,
Her administrative task,
Her impossible task that
Only He can do.
Most women would have
Just given up.
But not Nicole.
Not Nicole.
Not Nicole.
(You can contact Nicole at eyeswideopenint.org)