I can admit it, I'm a chocolate freak! I love chocolate! I mean really, there aren't many who don't like it. But, chocolate isn't something that lasts too long in a warm and humid climate and it certainly doesn't travel well! A few weeks ago at the market I found one of my favorite white chocolate Toblerone bars which I bought immediately. When I got home and figured what it cost me it was $3.75 U.S. Ouch! Oh well, it was worth every tasty piece! Two weeks ago a team was here and one of the members bestowed upon the Starfish office a large tin with a variety of chocolates all individually wrapped in brightly colored foil each bearing it's own secret flavor. I honestly set it aside and forgot about it (after all, I'd just had my favorite candy bar a few days earlier). Then, one particularly busy day, I thought, "I really need some chocolate!" And then I remembered...the tin! I broke into it and went throughout the office sharing. Our office is small, but we have a lot of visitors in and out everyday and every time a pastor, yard worker, or Bud would stop by, one of my co-workers would quietly say, "Cinzy (that's Cindy in Creole)...should we give them a chocolate...?" And I would make a big production out of getting the tin and sharing with whoever. It's been so fun to see the smiles and thanks of so many over one simple piece of chocolate. Most will peruse the tin for a few seconds before making their selection. Some sheepishly ask if they may take two to share one with their wives. (Of course I'm sure it's well-melted before it ever gets to their wives!) Then, of course, there is Patrick, our IT tech who has a real sweet tooth and announced today that he thinks we should have three chocolates a day - one in the morning, one at noon, and one before we leave at the end of the day. I told him if he ate that much chocolate he might get fat like Bud! He quickly replied, "That's OK, I want to be fat!" It doesn't matter where Bud goes, he has a following!
I know sharing chocolates might seem like it has very little to do with ministry, but I think of it as a precious gift from God. Not only do I get to bless those with something that they don't typically have to enjoy, but I get blessed to "give" the gift and enjoy the smiles and laughter around it! It is something we can "share together" and in those moments we are not black or white, Haitian or American, English-speaker or Creole-speaker, we are just God's children enjoying a little of life's sweetness! It truly is more blessed to give than receive!
We pray you will all enjoy a wonderful and very blessed Christmas with whatever friends and family the Lord brings into your life this year. We love and miss you all!
Merry Christmas,
Bud and Cindy
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