Meeting Our Tender Mercies daughter--Solome

Last time we were there, Christine (read two posts previous to find out more) took Damion and a few other people to the outlying villages to check on children who are too far away to get to the school each day. They came to a house with five children playing outside. The oldest girl, about 12, came to greet them with a beautiful smile. Damion asked who this child's sponsor was, Christine looked it up and said "the Hamilton family". I think it took everyone a few minutes to catch on that it was OUR Hamilton family! As it was explained to her, she grabbed Damion's hand and bowed down on her knees to show gratefulness and respect. From what I hear, they had a joyous and very emotional reunion where many tears were shed. From Solome a chance to meet her parents, as she calls us, and from Damion in actually seeing with his own eyes and meeting the one that we've been feeding and clothing for several years in real life! Damion gave her a picture of our family to keep and she immediately snatched up the picture and walked straight to the house to hide it, staring at it and smiling all the way.

Funny thing is that two years later, my friend Roxanne, who had just been to Africa, called me and said "You'll never guess what happened! We were way out in the jungle among the villages and saw this old woman by a house. She didn't have any clothes on, but saw us and excitedly ran to get a blanket to wrap herself in. She was so excited to see us and came running out clutching something in her hand to show us. When she opened her hand, it was a picture of you guys!" Roxanne was so excited and told her that she knew us and that we were very good friends! It's funny how something that delicate as a picture, can be saved and kept as a treasure for so long (in such a difficult and dirty environment!)

Anyway, that's the story! Now, we are writing letters to Solome and her siblings to send back with Christine next week. We hope that they are blessed and can find someone who reads English!