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| Bishop Watson and his family in front of their Church in Haiti |
His beautiful daughters!!
Dear Peter’s Family,Words cannot express how grateful I am for your acts of service on behalf of Watson Clair Jeune and his family. I talked to him through Skype on Monday and he is so touched by your help. He is a gentle man who was called to be a Bishop at the age of 31 years old. At the time, there was a great deal of poverty among the members of his ward. Then the earthquake hit and so many people were killed, children were left without parents, most people were homeless, and he and his family and members of the ward went days and days without eating. Life is hard for him and his ward. There is little or no work in Haiti and he gives what little he has to help others and then goes without himself. Your hard work has meant that he will have a home for this whole next year and will be able to stay and serve as the Bishop.Let me tell you a little about his home. It is a tiny home that is partly cut out of a hill, with a block wall that forms the outside walls. The floor is dirt and his family all lives in this one room. He has a small area where he can build a fire and they cook over the fire with just one pan. Throughout the week he walks miles and miles to serve the members of his ward because he often does not have the 5 cents to ride in the little taxi’s that are both overcrowded and hot. Next time you see a nickel and think that it is not worth much - remember that it is a lot of money to Watson. He is a man of great faith and dedication to our Savior.I pray that by your service to Watson and his family that you have felt the true meaning of Christmas - that of love for your fellow men. So often we get caught up In all the things that we want and we forget about others and their needs. I hope you have felt a warmth in your heart when you were doing things to raise money for him - a warmth that comes from serving others in need. I hope that all through your life you will remember that feeling and constantly seek for it again through service to others. I am sure that your Heavenly Father watched you with great joy in His heart and I pray that you remember the scripture that says that if you have done things unto others, it is the same as doing them for our Savior.I remember a time many years ago when my Grandmother took me out to a home where the family was in great need, and I watched her provide the true love of Christ to this family. Throughout my life I have often been reminded of that experience and it has helped me to be more Christ-like to others. You are blessed with wonderful grandparents who love you so much. Like my Grandmother, they wanted you to have a spiritual experience that would impact you throughout your life. I have known them for many years and they are great examples to you of service to others and faithfulness in serving our Heavenly Father. George and I love them very much. In years to come, I hope you will all look back on this experience and be grateful not just for what you could do for Watson but grateful that experiences like this help you to put life in perspective and realize that it is not what you get, but rather what you give that brings true joy. Merry Christmas to you all.
Love Diane
