Eaten by Rats

Yesterday I made mention that a sister at Bible study said rats were in her house. Everyone in the circle laughed and made light of her request. Haitians are harsh in that way. They seem to handle heartaches that way - everything from losing a loved one to tripping over a rock. Nonetheless, Alex and I made a plan to go see this dear one's house with her to find out if we could help with the problem. A small side note, I've been praying that we could have a team build her a house or provide her with housing. I've been telling her that I've been praying this for months and she seems to think I'm all talk and no follow through. I know God hears my prayers though.

All to say, today she met us as planned and we rode in the truck to her house. Tony, Mickie and the team rode along as well after a heart breaking visit with Gislene. We arrive at the mud/stick hut where this dear lady removes the shoes of her three children to show us where rats have literally been eating at all of them. The rats have eaten through their shoes, their fingernails, socks, and bed sheets. This one little room mud hut has holes all in it where rats are visibly scrambling in and out through the night. The children are humble and well mannered. It broke my heart to see such a thing. Literally an entire family being eaten by rats. The mother begged us to help keep the rats out. We spread rat poisoning in the holes and tried to fix the drippy roof made from tarp to keep the water out as much as the rats. As we left, the rain started for the third night in a row. I can't sleep just thinking about rats eating this entire family. What a disturbing and real problem. Please lift them up in prayer with us.