Silianise is now a church member in Pastor Fritz’s congregation and a participant in Bright Hope’s feeding program for the elderly in Ferrier, Haiti. But many years ago, she made an unforgettable mark on Pastor Fritz’s life by rescuing him.
When Pastor Fritz was in his twenties, he was speeding along the road that leads to Ferrier Town Square and waved at Silianise as he zoomed past on his motorbike. She was riding a mule, coming home from the market where she sold goods each week.
There were large puddles all over the road due to heavy rainfall the night before, and he eventually came across a pool of water spanning the entire width of the road.
“Reacting with my ego, and not the reasonable part of my brain, I quickly decided that with my ‘superb driving skills’ and ‘invincible’ motorbike, I would be able to easily fly through the water,” he said.
All of a sudden, his motor was flooded, his engine shut down and his tires were no longer in contact with the road below.
“I had no clue how to swim and was beginning to panic,” he said.
He was about to jump off the bike and try to swim when he felt something behind him—and he was amazed at what he saw.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” he said. “It was Silianise! She was pulling my four-hundred-pound motorcycle, with me on it! Silianise literally saved my life by dragging me and my motorbike out of that pool of water with her bare hands!”
Since then, Silianise has been a member of his church for many decades and is now one of the elders who benefits from the feeding program which nourishes a group of upbeat senior citizens each week. Every Sunday after church, these elders not only enjoy hearty meals such as rice, beans and potatoes, but also the friendship and community they have found through the elderly feeding program.
