Augustine, as told by Jodi

Justin and I started off with a very emotional day today. The man from Burundi that was here this weekend that we talked about in church yesterday touched us beyond what I can even put into words. He came Friday and visited, but not many of us talked alot to him because he had only been studying English for 2 months. He spoke French and Swahili and very, very broken English. It was absolutely exhausting talking to him, but Lisa, Justin and I tried very hard to communicate with him. He was about to drive me crazy, because he really liked to talk and I could understand very little. He was 31 years old and had polio and was crippled. One of his legs was smaller than my lower arm. He told us how he used to be a thief (pick-pocket) and the story of how he became born again. Last night he told me " I love many people, and pointed to people sitting around here, but only one touch my heart" then he pointed to Justin. He had been observing Justin playing with Sarah. She follows Justin everywhere and holds his hand and he tickles her and she eats it up. She just loves him. Anyway, Augustine was leaving this morning to go back to Burundi and he wanted a picture taken with Justin and I. Then he told Justin he wanted to give him a gift. Justin didn't think much of it and came back in the compound with a plastic sack. He didn't look in the sack until Augustine had left. When he opened the sack, there was Augustine's suit coat. It was all he had!!! We were both so overwhelmed we both cried to the point of sobbing. I don't think there was a dry eye on anyone who had witnessed this most humbling event. I still can hardly talk about it without getting emotional. Paul later told us that we should feel most honored and that he was glad that Justin hadn't tried to give it back, because that would have been very offensive to Augustine. I have never felt so humble in all my life. And I was worried about what my sacrifice was. Augustine has taught us what real sacrifice is. It is an experience I will never ever forget. I knew my life would be changed, but I never could have imagined this. Later I found out that he also gave one of his shirts to Byron and one to Don.