EARL FAMILY NEWS: What Does Gratitude Look Like?

So if ever I have wondered what "gratitude" looks like, I won't again. I KNOW NOW!! It is the look on the face of someone who did not know how in the world they would provide warmth and food for their family this winter --- unexpectedly receiving a truckload of wood!!!

This is the only means of warming their homes, cooking their food, and surviving a winter that these families have. And here are pictures of one of the best days I have spent this year~~~

Arville and Agim made all the arrangements and found a very benevolent man that gave us such a good price (when he found out why we wanted so many loads of wood) that we were able to supply 12 families, instead of the ten we had the money for, with enough wood to last this winter.

Arville and Agim Paying for the Last Load of Wood

Cutting the wood and loading it on the truck

And then we take off-----

The Neigborhood Where Most of the Families Live

On the days of the deliveries, I (not having done the work beforehand) came along and visited with the families while Arville and Agim unloaded the wood. I used the excuse that I had to take pictures --- well, it worked!

The children were at the kindergarten when we delivered the wood so as not to have any discussions at school about which families got wood delivered and which didn't. We did not have the money to provide wood for all 40 families (not all of them were as in great a need - without any other recourse either), and we did not want the families who received wood to feel ashamed about it. Here is a photo of one of the older children who had come home from school while we were there.

At one point, we got on the wrong street (more like alleyway) and so we stopped to ask where the family lived.

As it turned out, Agim had to call Habibe to find out which way to go. He says that he has had to do that alot in his lifetime (ask her which way to go, that is). HA!

I was invited into every home we went to --- and treated royally. What a humbling experience! But what a joyous experience, as well. In every home, I was offered tea, coffee, or juice. I learned (from Habibe) a long time ago, not to refuse -- even though I knew it might be a sacrifice for them to offer.

The drink was made even more delicious by the conversation about their children and what the "Future of the Family" kindergarten had meant to them this year, how excited their children were about learning, and about how they wanted to go to school NO MATTER WHAT!!

In most homes, several generations live together. Four of the women in this picture live and work together (2 of them were cousins who were visiting). These women share all the responsibilities for the cooking, cleaning, laundry, etc. This was the room where they eat, visit, and one family (of the 4) sleeps. There were 2 other small rooms - divided out by curtains - where the rest of the families sleep. So this truckload of wood actually supplied 4 families for the winter.

In two of the homes (probably the 2 poorest, in fact), I was given a gift (a crocheted doily in one and a towel that had handmade lace added to the bottom of it). Now you are talking about humbling!! I wish that each of you could have seen the joy on their faces when they gave these gifts to me.

I was invited back to visit longer after the holidays are over. I assured each of them that Habibe and I would be happy to come back when we had more time to visit.

These families know where the money comes from for the kindergarten and the wood -- and so they all told me to say, "thank you" to all the churches in America who have helped them this year. So here is your "thanks" from them, as well as, from us.