By Kelli Faulkner

My day starts out with the hot sun draining every ounce of energy I have in my body. I find that I am whining to myself as I walk through the village with sweat just pouring off my forehead and wondering how I am going to make it through the day. This leaves little room for thinking of anything else except a perfectly chilled bottle of “agua”. Then I meet Lillian.
Lillian is an 85-year-old lady who has been in the Dominican Republic since 1915.She invites me into her home with concrete floors and sheets posing as doors. She immediately wants to know if I here to help her, and where I am from. I am relieved to find out she speaks a little English. Lillian proceeds to tell me she is waiting for the Lord to bring her home and end her pain and suffering. Now I wish she spoke more than a little English and I spoke more than a little Spanish so our communication could be more effective. I want to know her pain and suffering. I want to know if she is ill or if she is speaking of her horrific living conditions, or perhaps both.

Before I know it, Lillian is insisting that she give me a wall hanging that she has made by her own knurled hands. It is simple pieces of material sewn onto part of an old feed sack. And yet, it is perhaps one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. She tells me if she gives gifts away to others, then the Lord will give back to her. This moment is indescribable for me as I am watching her sacrifice one of the few items she has in her home.

I have a hard time finding the words to describe being on the receiving end of a gift from someone in such poverty. Suddenly, I am not so tall. I am astounded by the gift of love she possesses to be living in a world of seemingly no hope.

Before posing for my heart-winning photo, Lillian asks when I am coming back. I proceed to tell Lillian I will see her in Heaven someday. She smiles and points up above. She asks me to always remember her. Now, I understand her hope!

There is no doubt I will always remember you Lillian and may the Lord bring you home to end all of your pain that you feel in your broken soul. I will always hold dear the sewn pieces of your dreams!