Just a Box of Crayons

by Katie Schmitt

"As is the case...anyone that travels with Deacon Don to Los Toros will be expected to have an extra suitcase full of supplies.  My extra suitcase had school supplies for the pre-school program with a few miscellaneous items for the students.

As is the usual custom (Don's) before going to the village...time is spent with the Students in the Capital. While Don was meeting with students...one of the students, Edalia, took me under her wings.  She knows some English and I know a little Spanish.  Somehow we were doing very well communicating with our hands, pointing and having one of the other students who knew more English help us.  Edalia loves crafts, especially crocheting.  I happened to have some materials that she would like...so I opened my suitcase to give her an item and then proceeded to show her the other supplies for the preschool.  When she saw the crayons she communicated to me that Jose, the student majoring in art is running out of crayons.  So she took it upon herself to get the crayons to him. I thought that was the end of the story.

After spending several days in Los Toros we spent another day with the students before flying out.  I was visiting with some of the students when Deacon Don came up to me with his hands behind his back and said, "You gave Jose some crayons didn't you".  My response..."Yes!" At that point Don pulled his hand from behind his back and said “Look what Jose used the crayons for. It is a gift for St. Joe's". It was the crayon etching of Christ in prayer. 

All language barriers disappeared...I jumped up and gave Jose a big hug. Jose, with a big smile, said, "Mas picturas"...With my limited Spanish I knew what he wanted to show me. At that Don said, "You should see his portfolio".  So for the next half hour Don and I had our own personal showing of Jose's art.

On our trip home I didn't care if my luggage got lost but we surely protected the picture. 

As a gift to me and Bob Van Dyck, who was the other visitor, representing St. Vincent de Paul, Don made us copies...now one of my most treasured items in my house.   

What a gift....Christ in prayer so beautifully etched with a simple box of crayons.