Painted Vessels

by Gina Renee Freitag

“I think you should build a transitional home and staff it with a physician,” he said, indicating Dr. Ives, “as well as people who have a heart to minister to this type of trauma. I think it should be located in a small town far away from large cities.”

  “I think you’re right,” Charles said. “Do you have any suggestions for me?”

  Eli nodded as a large smile crept onto his face. “I own ten acres in a small town. I’d like to offer a portion of it as a possible site. How do you feel about relocating?” he asked them.

  “Well, I’m fine with that,” Dr. Ives chimed in. “I’m not married; relocating would be easy.”

  Charles felt a rush of excitement in his gut. Was this really happening? This was the closest he had ever come to a fulfillment of his goals. A location, of course, was only the beginning; there was so much more that would need to be figured out, but it was a step in the right direction.

  “You said you were married, Eli. How will your wife feel about this offer?”

  “She’ll be fine with it. She has a generous heart and loves kids. She understands what these children are going through, and she’ll want to help.”

  “How far away is this town? Where do you live?” Charles asked as he picked up his coffee and took a sip. He wanted to appear more composed than he felt, at least until he was certain this man’s offer would work out.

  “It’s a few hours by train,” Eli said. “Are you familiar with East Haven?”

  Charles almost spit his coffee out when he heard the town’s name. “East Haven!” He blinked a few times as he set his cup down. “You’re from East Haven? I have family there!”

  “Really,” Eli said. “What’s your surname?”

  “Russell. My mother lives in your town!”

  Eli started to chuckle. “Your mother is Evelyn Russell?” Charles nodded as Eli laughed out loud. “Mrs. Russell is my neighbor. You know the property I’m talking about, but I think you’ll remember it as having belonged to the Colebrooks.”

  “Yes! Oh my goodness, I can’t believe this! The Colebrook property would be perfect.”

  Charles was beside himself. A portion of land in his own hometown was being offered as a location for a transitional home, and the type of facility Eli was suggesting could help these desperate children far better than any situation he had thought to pray for in the past. God was amazing! He glanced at the two men who sat at the table looking as excited as he felt.

  “Well, what a day this has turned out to be! I now have a physician and a location! All we need now is some funding. We need to find someone who feels passionate about our cause and has money. I don’t suppose you can introduce me to someone like that?”

  A glint of excitement danced in Eli’s eyes as he held out his hand. “I’m Eli Gardner,” he said. “I am very passionate about your cause, and I happen to have money.”

  ELI

  Eli met Marcus at the station in White Falls. As he stepped off the train, he waved at the pastor. The men clasped hands and Marcus led him to his carriage.

  “You look like you haven’t slept in days,” he said.

  “I haven’t,” Eli admitted. The excitement from talking with Charles Russell and Thomas Ives was the only thing keeping him going. After meeting the men Wednesday afternoon, they spent the rest of that day and most of Thursday making plans for how to proceed with the transitional home. Eli would need to talk to David about cost analysis, while Charles looked into architects and discussed the new plan with his law enforcement contacts. Charles figured he would need a month to wrap up his affairs in Lambury. They looked at a calendar and decided on September nineteenth as a date for his arrival in East Haven.

  That would work out perfectly. After Eli had received Jed’s letter last November, he and Ada made plans to take Sarah to the winter camp early in September. During their visit, they would help Jed and Rosa prepare for the move to East Haven. When they returned, Eli would have plenty of time to meet Charles in White Falls by the middle of the month. Dr. Ives would arrive two months after Charles.

  Eli asked if he should mention their encounter to Mrs. Russell or wait until Charles had a chance to write to her. The mischievous son smiled and suggested they surprise the woman. After all, it would only be a month later, and if he knew his mother, she would have prepared a room for him several years ago when he first considered moving back home with her. She had probably kept it ready for him all this time, praying for a visit someday.

  Once Charles was settled in East Haven, he and Eli would begin to make more detailed plans for the transitional home. There were many things to consider, and the men estimated needing the entire winter for planning, which would allow for construction to begin in the spring. Realistically, the home’s opening day would be sometime next fall.

  During the year of planning and construction, any rescued children would have to continue with the minimal help provided by the volunteers Charles had worked with previously. Eli prayed for the protection and healing of those children who might miss the opportunity to stay at the transitional home. He longed to speed up the process, but it was important to take the necessary time to do this project right. Charles had already been working on it for four years; if he could still be patient, then so could Eli.

  As he rode in the carriage with Marcus, Eli knew he would eventually have to get some sleep; the exhaustion would hit him hard, but for now, his thoughts were racing. His mind kept going over what he had discussed with Charles and Dr. Ives. He made a mental list of everything that needed to be done before September nineteenth.

  “Marcus,” he said. “Could you drop me off at the bank? I think I can still make it to my lunch appointment with David. I have a few things I need to ask him.” Marcus nodded.

  Eli’s foot tapped lightly as he thought about what the next year would be like. This project felt so right! This was what God had brought him to East Haven to do. He had just found the rest of his plants, and because of God’s provisions, he could stake these weak, weather-beaten plants and give them the support and nourishment they needed to survive until the harvest. As impatient as he was to start working, he remembered to be still and praise God for His faithfulness.

  JED

  Jed guided the wagon toward East Haven as Eli and Charles discussed their ministry project. Jed had first heard about it ten days ago as he and Eli spent a lazy afternoon fishing from the bank of Badger Creek. Eli told him about Charles and the home for the rescued children, which he was not only going to build on his property but also fund and help run. Jed was used to Eli’s enthusiastic drive; he had seen it before. But the passion in the young man’s eyes for this particular project was stronger than ever; it was all he talked about, and his talking was constant!

  When Jed and Rosa made the decision to move to East Haven, they were motivated by their desire to be active grandparents. They wanted to be with Sarah every day and watch her grow up. But now that Jed knew about the children’s home, he had yet another rewarding reason to look forward to their move. When the excited young couple told Rosa about the project, she was eager to offer her nursing skills to Dr. Ives. Naturally, it would be hard to leave the caravan, but Jed and Rosa wanted to keep themselves open to any path God placed in front of them. They felt as though a new season in their life was about to begin.

  Before leaving the winter camp, Eli told the caravan about his plans, and they were impressed. But the permanency of the children’s home, coupled with the fact that Jed and Rosa were leaving with them, confirmed in their minds that Eli and Ada would never return to the winter camp for more than a quick annual visit. Ira said as much to Jed, but he assured him that even though the knowledge was bittersweet, the group accepted that these changes came from God.

  After a long discussion with the caravan, Eli persuaded them to visit East Haven at the end of March before construction on the children’s home began. He hoped they would bring his vardo with them and stay long enough to celebrate his twenty-ninth birthday. Sam could drive their vardo;
he was now seventeen. After a two-week visit, the caravan could easily make it back to the winter camp with enough time to prepare for the start of the market season in May. Everyone, including Levi and Bea, agreed to come.

  Soon, it was time for Jed and Rosa to say goodbye, and there wasn’t a dry eye among them. The two vehicles set out on the road in the early morning. Eli drove his hitch wagon while Jed guided the horses that pulled his and Rosa’s vardo. Sarah chose to ride with her grandparents, and together, the family of five traveled away from the West Woods, which had been Jed’s home for well over two decades.

  Upon arriving at their new home, Jed parked the vardo next to Eli’s horse stables. He and Rosa moved into the third bedroom but kept their wagon home set up as an extension of their living space. They could easily access it from the back door. Eli told them of his plans to add a second story to his house when construction on the children’s home began. He wanted three more rooms: a permanent office for himself, a room for guests, and another child’s bedroom. Perhaps they would adopt again in a year or two.

  The morning following their return, the Gardner family rode to church, and the newest members of town were greeted with a sincere welcome from many of Eli and Ada’s closest friends. Even Laura’s mother Edith acted civilly toward them, though she remained formal and reserved. Rosa and Grace had taken quite a liking to each other when the Duncans had visited the winter camp; Jed could tell, as he watched their reunion, that they would soon be close friends.

  On Wednesday morning, Eli asked Jed to accompany him to White Falls when he picked up Charles. He explained on the way that Mrs. Russell was still unaware of her son’s imminent return. The weather was warm, and the journey was uneventful; Eli and Charles were able to discuss their plans throughout the entire drive, and Jed smiled proudly as he listened.

  Soon, the wagon pulled up to Evelyn’s home where Ada, Rosa, and Sarah visited with the woman on her porch. She was giggling at whatever she was telling her guests, but as she turned toward the vehicle, her smile froze in place. Her hand moved to her mouth, and she tried to stifle her cry as she ran to the wagon.

  “Oh, my child!” she said as Charles climbed down. She patted him along his shoulders and arms as though looking for reassurance that he was actually there. “Dear Lord! You have brought him back to me!” she said with a quiver in her voice. Charles reached his arms around her and pulled her into a wholehearted hug. When he finally let go of her, she asked, “How long will you be in town?”

  “If you’re willing to have me,” he said, “I’ll stay for good.”

  Evelyn nodded and hugged her tall, broad-shouldered son again. As mother and son sat on the porch and visited, Jed and Eli pulled his trunk out of the wagon bed and took it to the room that Evelyn had, indeed, prepared for Charles when she had first heard from his lawyer six years earlier.

  After several minutes of thanking the men for bringing her son home, she was finally calm enough to listen to Charles speak of his plans for the children’s home. He described the events leading up to his introduction to Eli and their decision to partner together on his project. As Jed listened to Charles talk about Eli, he felt a deepening pride for the young man he had adopted, a pride that would have matched any birth father. Charles told Evelyn of Eli’s offer to donate much of his land to the ministry and to completely fund their endeavor. Realization dawned on her face, and she turned to Eli and shook her head.

  “I will be forever sorry that I misjudged you and Ada when you first moved here,” she said, lowering her eyes. “But even though I would have never suspected any of this, I can’t say I am surprised by it now that I truly know you!”

  “You’re a good neighbor, Mrs. Russell,” Eli replied. “You don’t have to apologize. You’ve been a supportive friend to Ada, and we’re both grateful for you. But it would be helpful if you could please keep our plans confidential for now. We’d like to wait until spring before we tell the rest of the town; we still have more details to figure out.”

  “Yes, of course,” she said with a chuckle. “I can keep my mouth shut when I need to. I’m not so much a gossip as that.” She smiled and glanced over at Jed. “You know, Mr. Gardner,” she said, “I do think your tattoos suit you well. My boy has one also. I’ve never seen it, and it’s been ten years too long for that!” She turned to her son. “Please, Charles. I’d really like to see it now. Would you be willing to show me?”

  He smiled at his mother and nodded as he began to roll up his sleeve.

  ELI

  Eli rounded the corner of the barn and found Ray repairing a fence post. The old farmer glanced up from his task and nodded a greeting as he stood up.

  “Can we talk, Ray?” Eli asked as he stepped forward. Ray removed his hat and leaned against the fence. He peered at Eli as though he knew where the conversation was headed.

  “Every time you ask for time off, you have a certain look on your face,” he said. “It’s a sympathetic look, and then I know you’ve found someone who needs your help more than I do.”

  “I’m sorry,” Eli said, shifting his weight.

  The farmer squinted as he continued to peer at him. “You know, I’ve suspected something for a while now. You don’t really need to work for me, do you?”

  “No,” Eli replied, “not for the money. I would have worked for nothing, but I knew you wouldn’t let me.” He paused for a moment and lowered his eyes. “You’re right, I do need to help someone again.”

  “There’s something different in your voice,” Ray said, wiping his forehead and replacing his hat. “You won’t be coming back to work, will you?”

  Eli shook his head.

  Even though he had only slept for a few hours, Eli felt wide-awake when his eyes popped open. The brisk January morning was slowly gaining light, and there was much that needed to be done. That night, he and Ada were hosting a dinner meeting for a handful of guests who were either directly involved in the children’s home project or knew something about it. With the help of David Holden, Eli and Charles would share the final details.

  When Charles arrived back in September, he took a couple of weeks to settle in. During that time, he gave his undivided attention to his mother. However, by early October, he and Eli were hard at work. They began gathering information, writing up projected budgets, and consulting professionals. It consumed a good portion of their time, and Eli had to send an apology to James O’Conner via telegram; he would be unable to help at the Leg Run event that fall. Instead, Laura went with Jacob. Because Angel was only three years old, he was still too young to accompany his parents. His care was split between both sets of grandparents, who were more than happy to have the sweet boy stay with them; Angel was truly living up to his name.

  In that same month, Sarah turned nine. Though Eli was busy planning the children’s home, he dedicated the entire day to celebrate his daughter’s birthday. Ada marked the molding around the kitchen door just above the girl’s head, and Sarah was thrilled to see that she had grown an entire inch that year. As she skipped and danced around the room, she bragged to Noah about her inch, even though he was already two inches taller than she was.

  Halfway through November, Dr. Thomas Ives moved to East Haven and stayed in a spare room at the Johnsons’ home. The townsfolk were pleased to have a local physician, and Edgar and Nora Johnson were especially proud to have him boarding with them. But Dr. Ives would only be renting a room until the following August, at which point other arrangements would be made. Charles and Eli had not yet announced their project, so the town didn’t know that Dr. Ives would be moving into an apartment and office located in the north end of the children’s home. Once he relocated, he would not only be tending to the medical needs of the town but also to the needs of the children living at the home.

  As the three men continued to plot out their mission, they spent many lunch hours in David’s office. The undertaking perpetually energized Eli. When he wasn’t meeting with the men or making quick overnight trips to Lambury to
talk with architects and suppliers, he kept Ada awake late into the night, telling her about their latest progress.

  As the January meeting approached, Eli brought a long list of preparations to her and Rosa; he needed their skillful hands in the kitchen. He was vaguely aware that his pace was too rushed for Ada; she often took short rests at the kitchen table. He understood her need for the occasional break. She was already busy with housework and taking care of Sarah, but as the gathering drew closer, he required her help more often. Ada doubled her efforts despite being worn out, and Eli made sure to tell her how much he appreciated it.

  “I couldn’t do this without you, Ada. Don’t worry, things will calm down soon,” he said, slipping his arm around her waist as she mixed bread at the table.

  She turned to face him with a weary smile. “I’m sorry I feel overwhelmed, there’s just so much to do. I understand how important this is for you, Eli, but could we please try to find one day to spend together?”

  “I would love that,” he said, rubbing his thumb over her cheek. “Try to hang on a little longer, and after the meeting, I promise we can have some time.”

  That day, Rosa and Ada worked in the kitchen all morning. Sarah helped until it was time for her to go to the Webers’ house. The women chopped vegetables and arranged platters full of tasty hors d’oeuvres. A light meal with easy finger foods would be a better use of time, allowing the guests to eat while the meeting was held in the front room.

  Ten people would gather in the Gardners’ parlor that evening, including Eli. It would be crowded, but he could make it work. As he lit a fire and set chairs around the room, Ada came up behind him and touched his elbow.

  “The food is almost done,” she said. “Could we sit down for a few minutes? We should take a moment to relax before everyone gets here.”

  He smiled and took her into his arms, giving her a long hug. “That’s a great idea,” he said. “You look exhausted. I’m sorry I’ve been pushing you so hard. Let’s sit on the sofa until our guests arrive.” They sat down and he put an arm around her. As she leaned heavily into his shoulder, he sighed and looked at the crackling fire.