The sun blazed and dust swirled. Sweat dripped in every crevice of my body. My belly swelled announcing my third baby, expected to appear sometime that winter. My unexpected assignment that summer: to help start a jewelry business employing women in the mountains of Haiti.
I arrived in Haiti, excited and nervous. I knew I had to start by building trust with the women, but the task felt daunting with the cultural barrier between us.
A small collective of mamas gathered under the church awning to learn how to roll beads. As I prayed for an open door to connect with them, an idea flashed through my mind: I ran into the kitchen for a pitcher of cold water and a stack of cups.
A few of the women looked at me sideways as I approached their circle. No one said a word, and the awkwardness hung thick in the humid air. Then one of the women smiled and walked over to me.
“Dlo?” I pointed at the pitcher. “Water?”
She nodded.
The other women didn’t make eye contact, but Madame Moise took a risk and invited me to sit next to her. I watched as she held the skewer in her left hand and used her other fingers to roll strips of cardboard into perfectly-symmetrical beads. She spread glue over the beads to seal them.
She showed up the next afternoon with an English-Haitian Creole dictionary. “How are you?” she pronounced each word with care. Her question invited me in. “I want to learn to speak English,” she said.
“I want to learn to make beads,” I said, pointing at the rainbow-colored skewers full of beads drying in the sun.
After a few weeks, Madame Moise and I were exchanging a smattering of English words, Haitian Creole phrases and hand gestures to communicate. She helped me understand the process of cutting cardboard, rolling, gluing, varnishing, and drying the beads, and I taught her to use the tools to make the beads into earrings and bracelets.
Working side by side, I learned more of her story too. She lived on the edge of town with her husband, who was a teacher at the nearby school. They struggled to provide food and clothes for their kids, and her life narrative teetered on the edge of scarcity. She longed to save her earnings from jewelry-making to build a home, so we prayed and God provided, and with her hard-earned money she bought sacks of cement, one by one, to make the blocks that would build her a home.
When she proudly invited me over one day, I saw in her a new sense of dignity, and I experienced the same hospitality she had shown me that day I sat next to her to make beads.
_____
As our friendship has grown, we have experienced glimpses of God’s glory while walking with each other through grief. She prayed fervently over me when my husband was diagnosed with cancer in 2014 and later graduated to Heaven; I encouraged her through the death of her mother.
Through the years I have learned that sometimes friendships are forged unexpectedly, and we are often richer when we embrace the awkward and discover what we have in common.
The other day I received a video message from Haiti from her kids. They affectionately call me Mom since I am a godmother to them now. I responded with emojis and a selfie taken with my three daughters. Technology draws us close despite the miles and ocean between us, and I’m reminded of these words in Hebrews:
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us
not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another,
especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.
Hebrews 10:24-25 (NLT)
I didn’t know the offer of water would bear such fruit in our friendship, but it has. Madame Moise infuses me with courage. We motivate each other to keep acting and working with the love of Christ. We pray for each other. We cheer each other on. Her friendship to me is like cold water on a hot summer day — refreshing and life-giving.
Leave a Comment
Janine says
Dearest Dorina,
What a beautiful telling of a loving, enduring friendship that started with a glass of water. Jesus says that when we even give a cup of water, you do it to me. Imagine that out of that cup of water drew springs of everlasting water unexpected, that has quenched the thirst of sorrow in grief. What an unexpected tapestry in your life weaving of your husband’s unexpected departure to Heaven. It is such a beautiful blessing- the gift of friendships. Today, I was reminded of Hebrews 13:2 as well: “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers for thereby some have entertained strangers unawares.” What a beautiful blessing to call a onetime stranger, friend. I pray the Living and Loving Lord will bless you with more friendships and also, your beloved children. May He Lavish you with His Love and Peace. Janine in Toronto, Canada
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
Thank you, sweet Janine! I love how you applied this to the living water and entertaining strangers. So good!
Jas says
How delighted I was to read your post tonight. I just finished sending off dozens of emails trying to find a practicum as part of my Masters in Peace & Conflict Studies to NGOs in the US, UK and here in NZ. I don’t know where God will send me but I know he has cleared a path for me to be even doing this Masters a career change he has blessed me with a scholarship, given me energy and time to get to where I am when it all feels so overwhelming and stressful at times. Balancing 3 children, a husband and this I want to give up at times but then God appears in messages like yours. He reminds me I am on this path for him to glorify his name and spread his love. It’s taking the opportunity with a lot of faith to dive into community with others that creates change and we all have something to offer and it starts with a simple act of hospitality like a cup of water. Thank you!
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
Thank you for sharing! I’ll be praying for just the right opportunity for you, my friend!
Kathleen says
Lovely story…………………….
Kathleen says
That is a very lovely story. And who knows where/when they will meet another person that will become their friend.
Kathleen,
kathleenhenderson08@yahoo.com
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
So true, Kathleen! Thanks for taking time to encourage me!
Diana says
Oh, this is so good on this Monday morning!!!!!
When we open ourselves up to His plans, we often find unexpected opportunities to love others as well as being loved. I’m so grateful that He loves us so!!
I am always in awe of God’s goodness and extraordinary miracles both big and small because we say “yes”. He puts the exclamation mark in our stories where we would have put a period and lavishes us with His love through others when and how we need it to keep going!
Thank you for sharing your life with us so we can enjoy your journey of hope we can all find in Him ♡
Diana
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
Yes, Diana! We stress about the strategy too often when He is ready to surprise us with miracles!
Gail Noe says
Thank you for sharing this lovely testimony of God’s faithfulness in showing you the way to begin a friendship and a way to reach the heart of another whom you don’t know. Only the Lord can give us this kind of so special wisdom and opening our hearts to another. Blessings to you as you continue to grow in this truth
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
Thank you, Gail! That means so much!
Becky Keife says
I love what God does when we’re willing to take a risk, show up, and reach out! May we all look for opportunities to offer a cup of cold water…and be bold enough to accept one when it’s offered to us. xx
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
Yes and amen. I have to remind myself of this often. Showing up makes a difference!
silvia arvelo says
Thank you Dorina for sharing your story. I loved everything about it and it took me back to a recent trip I made to Guatemala–a trip I will never forget! Also, thank you for reminding me to push through the awkwardness of meeting new people and being open to what may come next. Blessing!
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
Silvia, I love Guatemala! I went on a trip there in college and the people made such an impression on my heart! I know it’s hard to face the awkwardness but it’s always worth it in the end!
Laura Thomas says
What a beautiful story, Dorina! I love how God uses the simplest things to teach us profound truths… it doesn’t get much simpler than a cup of water. Hospitality certainly starts with the heart, and yours was evidently open wide. Thanks so much for sharing! ❤️
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
Yes, Laura. Sometimes I forget and this hospitality has to be a fancy meal or big to-do, but we can welcome people into our hearts with simple gestures!
Michele Morin says
“Embrace the awkward and discover what we have in common”
YES!
And this is such an act of courage! Thank you for sharing how this worked for you as you crossed cultural and linguistic boundaries (Wow!) to make a friend and to make a difference..
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
Thank you for reading and encouraging, Michele! I did have to find courage!
Beth Williams says
Dorina,
God can make friendships happen with simple acts of hospitality. We just need to be
Beth Williams says
Dorina,
Hit wrong button. We just need to be open to His leading & plans. You never know who you will befriend if you act courageously. Get rid of stereo types, division & love everyone as Christ would. Send people smiles, texts, encouraging emails, etc. Let them know they are loved. Offer a simple cup of water or some food & just let the Lord do the rest!
Blessings 🙂
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
Such a good reminder, Beth!
Melissa Ens says
Hi Dorina! My favorite part of this story is how you prayed for an open door, the Spirit brought something to your mind, and you acted on it, leading to the next steps of God connecting your hearts. How often do we pray for God to do something or to lead us, but then we don’t pay attention because we aren’t really expecting an answer right then? I love how faithful God is to speak – in the simplest of ways – when we are listening. Thanks for the reminder to trust the simplest of directions. We never know what God will do with the smallest acts of obedience. He is always at work! Trusting Him with you…
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
Thank you for pointing that out, friend! I need to remind myself of that daily. Trust & Obey! 😉
Rebecca Jones says
Sounds a lot like living water flowing, even through language barriers and heartache.
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
Indeed! His water is always living and loving! 😉
Robin Dance says
Dorina,
What a simple challenge for us to connect on a human level; need meeting need, and ending up with mutual benefit. Water brings life and makes thing grow, and to apply that to a friendship brings new meaning :). This is such a good reminder that seemingly small gestures are huge in the Kingdom of God; look what happened with just a little bravery!! Such a lovely telling of this story. xo
Dorina Lazo Gilmore says
Thank you, sweet Robin! I love that we get to share a Living Water with people when we offer up friendship. Grateful for your friendship!