Painted Vessels

by Gina Renee Freitag

  “Eli, I was hoping we could talk about something…” she began. A knock at the door interrupted her, and Eli jumped up.

  “I’m sorry, Ada, they’re already here. I promise we can talk later tonight.” He jogged to the door and opened it. David walked in with a leather document folder in one arm and a large presentation board tucked under his other.

  “Hello, Ada!” he said as he looked around the room. “Good. I wanted to be the first one here.” He turned his attention to Eli. “Let’s go over some figures before the meeting. Is there a place we can spread these papers out?”

  “Sure. How about over here?” Eli suggested as he ushered the banker to the dining room. He smiled apologetically at Ada before his focus was drawn away.

  GRACE

  Grace admired the beautiful display of food spread across the table; it must have taken several hours to prepare. On one end of the table, a stack of dishes towered next finely embroidered napkins. The guests could serve themselves on the plates and carry their meal with them. It was such a quaint and novel way to share a meal! Chairs were set in a large circle around the sitting room, adding to the casual feel of the evening.

  A board draped in fabric was propped against an easel in the corner. The men hovered in a tight group around the board; Eli moved his arms in broad, sweeping gestures as they conversed. Six men stood in the Gardners’ house, making the parlor feel smaller than it was. Eli and Jed, of course, were two of them. The other four were Marcus, David Holden, Thomas Ives, and Charles Russell. Evelyn stood next to her son, proudly hanging onto his every word.

  Grace stood apart from the group, wondering if Ada and Rosa needed any help. She leaned toward the entry of the kitchen and peered in. The women stood close together, and as Ada spoke quietly, she held her head low. Grace decided to stay back and give them some privacy. Ada looked tired! Rosa leaned in to hug her and whispered a few words in her ear. When she let go, she gently wiped under the young woman’s eyes. Ada turned her head and saw Grace watching the exchange; she smiled and walked out to greet her.

  “I didn’t realize you had arrived,” she said.

  “We just got here,” Grace assured her. She gestured toward the dining room table. “Ada, this looks beautiful! It must have taken you all day! No wonder you look so worn-out. Well, at least Eli has enough energy for the both of you. You should tell him not to keep it all for himself.”

  “I would,” she said, “but I can’t pin him down long enough to say anything.”

  Grace noticed the quick glance Ada flashed at Rosa as they strolled into the parlor to join the men. Eli suggested everyone grab some food and have a seat. Grace sat next to Marcus and leaned toward Ada. “Where is Sarah tonight?” she whispered.

  “She’s staying with the Webers for a few hours,” Ada answered.

  Eli glanced at the women. He shot a grin in their direction and winked at his wife before turning his attention to everyone in the room. He opened the evening with a prayer and asked Charles to say a few words. Charles talked at length about his ministry. He showed them floor plans and outlined a construction schedule. When he had finished explaining the physical and procedural aspects of the program, he opened up the meeting for questions. He was able to answer most of their queries, but when Marcus asked about the funding, Charles turned the discussion over to Eli.

  Marcus restated his question. “Eli, I’m sure you know what you’re doing, but this seems like a big endeavor. Are you certain you’ve thought of everything? What kind of budget does a project like this have?”

  Eli smiled and uncovered the board resting on the easel. It charted expenses and plotted monthly budget projections. Grace’s eyes glazed over as he pointed to figures and explained a trust fund yielding a yearly income that would cover the cost of running the home. She wasn’t ignorant when it came to finances, but these numbers were staggering. Marcus had told her about Eli’s money, but she had no idea he was this wealthy! She timidly raised her hand. Eli paused for her question.

  “I find these figures astounding!” she said. “But haven’t you already committed to helping other children? What will happen with those ministries? Will this project prevent you from continuing to support them?”

  Without blinking an eye, Eli shook his head. “No, Grace,” he said. “The home’s funding comes from a completely separate account. My commitment to Nathan and James won’t end.”

  As Eli continued to go over the expenses, Grace studied David Holden’s expression. He listened with an unaffected countenance; he seemed confident that Eli had more than enough assets to put toward the children’s home. She turned to Marcus, who grinned at her with raised eyebrows. He leaned over to whisper in her ear. “I guess Eli has decided that it’s finally safe to let down his guard.”

  Grace refocused her attention on the young man’s presentation. As he continued to speak, joy seemed to shine out of him and touch everyone who was present. He had finally accepted the role God had given him in a play that was written long before anyone in the room knew it even existed.

  ROSA

  Rosa carried a tray into the parlor. Eli’s meeting had gone well, and the evening was winding down. Charles escorted his mother home, while Dr. Ives walked back to the Johnsons’ house. Jed strolled over to the Webers’ to collect Sarah. David and Marcus stepped onto the porch to enjoy the cool winter air as they wrapped up their conversation, and Grace visited with Ada just inside the front door where it was warm.

  Rosa could see how exhausted the young woman was and planned to send her to bed while she cleaned up the mess. As she picked up the dishes that were scattered around the room and placed them on the tray, she noticed Ada glancing frequently at her husband. Eli was still distracted. He scanned the papers charting out David’s figures. Rosa stepped up next to him and placed a hand on his elbow. He looked at her with quick, preoccupied eyes as he put the papers in order, and then shifted his gaze back to the stack. Chewing on his thumb nail, he examined the numbers on the top sheet.

  “Eli,” she whispered. He continued to study the papers.

  “Hmm…” he said. She shook his arm until he looked up and set the papers down.

  “This is quite a vision,” she said, pointing at his paperwork. He grinned and opened his mouth to speak, but she gently hushed him. “For someone who can see all of this so clearly, you’ve missed something important.” She tilted her head toward Ada.

  Eli sighed. “I know I’ve neglected her these last couple of weeks; but I promise, things are going to calm down. It was just a big push to get everything done for tonight—” He stopped when Rosa shook her head.

  “Ada has been trying to talk to you for several days,” she said. “Eli, your wife is going to have a baby.”

  His face melted and his mouth slowly dropped open. He blinked several times as he looked at Ada. “But I thought we—” He tried to speak but closed his mouth and swallowed. He shot a desperate look at Rosa. “Is it going to be like last time?” he asked.

  “I can’t tell you that, but you shouldn’t assume it will be. Ada will need your encouragement.”

  Almost before Rosa was done speaking, Eli stepped across the room and grabbed onto his wife’s hands. “Ada,” he said looking at her as if no one else were in the room. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to ignore you.” He lifted her hands to his mouth and kissed them. “I should have taken the time to listen to you. I’ve been pushing you too hard. Are you okay?”

  “I’m not feeling sick anymore,” she said with a quiet laugh. “I’m just tired.”

  As he hugged her, Marcus came into the house to see what was delaying his wife. When he saw the couple crying in their embrace, he asked Grace and Rosa what had happened. Rosa smiled as she watched them continue to hold onto each other.

  “Eli has just heard some good news,” she explained. “But it comes with a sad memory. We need to pray that the God of our comfort will bring them all safely to the end of a full nine months.”

  TONY

&nb
sp; Tony wondered what the little town of East Haven thought of the vardo train when it arrived earlier that day. Eli was waiting in front of the bank when six wagon homes rolled along the main street of town. He swung into the seat of Ira’s vardo, which was in the lead. After greeting them, he directed the caravan to his property. They set up camp in his back yard, and there was a warm reunion. Sarah and Lily met each other with happy squeals and ran into the house to explore Sarah’s room. Tony figured he wouldn’t see much of those girls for the rest of the visit.

  The caravan would stay in town for the last two weeks of March, and during that time, Tony hoped to have a private talk with Eli. He liked their property; it was a nice place and well situated. He was looking forward to hearing more about Eli’s plans for the children’s home.

  Sam asked where he should park Eli’s vardo, and as they moved it into place, Tony joined them and helped unhitch the horses. With all the extra animals, Eli’s stables were getting crowded. It was kind of his neighbors to lodge some of them in their barns. He was glad the young couple had good people living next to them.

  That evening was clear, and the group ate their supper on the back lawn. Their conversation was joyful and animated, which quickly drew neighbors to their gathering. The number of guests increased, and the visit stretched on for several hours; but as the sky grew dim, their friends departed, and the travel-weary caravan members dispersed for the night. Tony lingered and motioned to Eli.

  “You have a nice place here.”

  “Thank you. We’ve grown quite fond of it,” Eli said, smiling.

  “Do you ever miss the markets?” Tony asked.

  “No, not really,” Eli admitted. “What I miss is spending time with all of you.”

  Tony hesitating briefly. “Ever since my ma passed away, I just don’t enjoy them as much as I used to.” He sighed and crossed his arms. “I haven’t told the others, but I’m sure they can tell.”

  Eli placed his hand on Tony’s shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I know how hard it is.”

  “I’ve been thinking about something.” Tony said as he peered around the yard. “I’d like to stay here and help you with your children’s home.”

  “Are you sure?” Eli asked. Tony nodded; speaking the idea out loud confirmed it in his mind. “Well, that would be great,” Eli said. “I’d be honored to have you. But you should talk to the others soon and give them time to adjust to your plan.”

  Tony nodded again. “I thought Sam could have my vardo, and I could stay here in yours if you don’t mind.”

  “I’d be fine with that,” Eli said. “But we’ll also have rooms for the staff and volunteers in the children’s home.”

  “Either way; whatever is easiest,” Tony said with a shrug.

  “We can figure it out later,” Eli said. “Until then, you can stay in my vardo. Get some sleep, Tony. We can talk with Charles tomorrow, and then I’ll help you tell the others.” He patted Tony’s shoulder and the two went into their respective homes for the night.

  ELI

  The little church building at the end of town was crowded on this warm spring morning. Last fall, East Haven’s population grew with the arrival of Jed, Rosa, Charles, and Dr. Ives. Many years had passed since the townsfolk had seen such a quick increase, and now the visiting caravan filled the church with another ten people.

  As Eli skimmed the crowd, he caught sight of his radiant wife. Her glow was not just the result of her condition; there was a happiness spilling out of her that went beyond her quickly rounding belly. He strolled up to her, took her hand in his, and leaned toward her ear.

  “Why is your smile so big?” he whispered.

  “This is an answered prayer!” she said. Her eyes darted around the room that was filled with their friends and family fellowshipping together. “Ever since we moved here, I’ve wanted to bring these two communities together—if only for a short time.”

  “Well, if it’s possible, I have some news that might make your smile even bigger,” he said. “Marcus asked the caravan to sing a few songs today. Tony, Jed, and I brought our guitars. Jed’s getting them now.”

  Ada’s smile overflowed with delight. Eli understood her joy; he also looked forward to sharing the caravan’s music. But there was a selfish motive underlying his feelings. Today’s service was going to be difficult. Charles was telling the congregation about the children’s home, and he wanted Eli to speak as well. Eli hoped the caravan’s lively music would help calm his nerves.

  The service soon began. The congregation sang a few hymns led by the caravan, and then Marcus delivered a short sermon on a subject that was well chosen. It would segue nicely into the announcement about the children’s home. Before Eli was ready, Marcus invited Charles to come to the front of the church and talk about their ministry. Eli’s stomach twisted into a knot. He hadn’t yet planned out what he was going to say; he prayed that the words would come to him. As Charles walked to the front of the church, Eli turned to look at the congregation. Their faces were hard to read. Many of these people had strong opinions and were prone to making assumptions. When Charles stepped in front of all those piercing eyes, Eli’s anxiety was momentarily displaced by his respect for the man. Charles willingly placed himself in that vulnerable position and opened up to those people.

  He talked of the details around his imprisonment. Several years ago, he had attempted to protect a girl from abusive treatment. She had been abducted at a young age and forced into exploitation for the profit of the criminals who had taken her. When Charles fought the man who was mistreating her, he was taken to court. Out of fear for what might be done to her, the girl was unwilling to come forward in defense of his actions. Unable to prove his innocent intensions, he was charged and sentenced to two years.

  While imprisoned, he learned more about the children who were being abducted. The boys were usually sold to dishonest ship captains and forced to do menial work on dangerous voyages. The girls had an even worse life, being used over and over for the greedy gain of money. As Charles was working off his sentence and learning about these dreadful criminals, he befriended the guards at the penitentiary. The guards, in turn, introduced him to some detectives who were attempting to track down the men that orchestrate this terrible crime.

  Thus began his journey to put a system into place that would help the few who could be rescued. He told the congregation about his and Eli’s plan to build a transitional home on the Gardners’ property. He shared his hope to support the children through their emotional, spiritual, and physical healing as the home strived to reunite them with their families.

  This was a delicate ministry that required discreet handling. It would be registered under the name Children’s Garden Home and would be categorized as an orphanage rather than a home for rescued children. He asked the people to be mindful of the need for discretion and to be sensitive to the trauma these children would be dealing with.

  “Our intention,” Charles said, “is to help these young victims navigate through a reintegration process that focuses on the loving and healing nature of Jesus Christ. It is only through our redemption in Him that any of us can understand who we are meant to be, despite our past circumstances. I think Pastor Duncan’s sermon from Second Timothy was divinely inspired this morning. In that letter, we are told to cleanse ourselves so that we can be honorable vessels, prepared by God for good and noble works.

  “Every one of us is a vessel made by our Heavenly Father. Some are shiny, gold-plated vessels, while others are chipped and scratched. And still others are broken and waiting to be glued back together with God’s love. Whatever may be on the outside of our vessels isn’t what we should focus on. Instead, we should empty ourselves and ask God to fill us with His Spirit so that we can do great things for Him. This is what I hope to accomplish in these children. And it is truly a good work for all of us to help them cleanse themselves of their bitterness and pain.

  “Eli will now come up and share his passion for this ministry
. God has placed a burden on his heart for these children. He is a man who is truly being used in an honorable and noble way. His vessel has been long prepared for this exact purpose.”

  Charles gestured for him to come to the front. Eli took in a deep breath and thought, “Please, Lord, give me your courage and strength.” As he looked into the eyes of the people he had lived among for almost seven years, he realized that even those closest to him had not yet heard this part of his story. He swallowed and tried to steady his shaking hands.

  “Many of you know that my parents—and Ada’s parents—died a long time ago. On April sixth—just a few days from now—they will have been gone for thirteen years. They died shortly after I turned sixteen. But most of you don’t know the circumstances around their passing.

  “We were together when it happened. Our families were having supper at my house, and in the span of two minutes, Ada and I lost everything, including our freedom. That night, we were abducted just like the children who will be living in the Garden Home.”

  He paused and closed his eyes during the next part of his story. “Our parents were shot and killed by the men who took us, and as they died in front of us, we witnessed the loss of everything and everyone we cared about.” When he opened his eyes, he found himself looking into Marcus’ grieved face. The pastor pressed his mouth into a frown as he finally heard his friend’s entire story.

  “We were fortunate enough to escape before being sold, but we didn’t escape the marks that these men inflicted on us. Our arms were branded with their symbols—and the price they decided the loss of our innocence was worth.”

  Eli took in a deep breath and proceeded to tell the congregation about their time in the cages, their escape, and their flight into the woods. His story flowed out of him, and with each word, Eli felt his heart lighten as the heavy burden of silence lifted from his soul. He didn’t need to be ashamed of that part of his life anymore! He didn’t care what they thought; he only cared that his testimony might help someone else who felt just as broken as he had. He told them of God’s presence and mercy throughout their trials. He explained how God’s plan led them to a new family who took them in without hesitation.