Summertime Stories: The Time I Got A New Purse

It's another summer evening at home, and the boys want 'another story of You!' And I try to think back, and filter through all the sneaky things I did as a child, because apparently they've inherited my mischief, so they don't need encouragement and fresh ideas. 'Ah... have I told you the story about the time I got a new purse?'

I had just finished my sophomore year in college. Two years earlier, after a crazy and amazing series of events, I had ended up with a full ride to a college in the U.S. Part of the scholarship included a trip home every summer. So, I was back at home. I kept in touch with mom very regularly. In fact, it was after my move up North that my parents got Internet at home (you're welcome, brothers). So, I would email a couple times a week (OK, more like every day, and I also called collect when I needed her to call me), and she would keep me posted on the family gossip - mostly.

Mom had mentioned that there were some hardships at home, but never really got into specifics; she had basically just asked me to be praying. The morning after getting home, the two of us sat down to catch up and I had a chance to fully understand what my family had been going through. My dad had lost his job a few months earlier. Money was tight, and well, things were looking pretty grim. The hardest thing was that my brothers' school tuition was past due a couple months, and they had until that afternoon to pay.

Mom and I, years later, having fun at a wedding.

While the two of us sat in my room, and all this new information was sinking in, she said in a giddy way, 'but look! I got this for you in the closet!'  'The Closet' was a place where different donations came in for the faculty and students of the seminary where my mom worked. A couple of weeks earlier, a large donation of purses had arrived, and she had picked the one she thought I would like. It was an interesting mix of a half-backpack half-purse. Hard to describe. I didn't immediately love it - thought it was not really my style. But in front of me, I saw my mother sit with expectation and delight in her eyes. She loved giving presents. Picking things out for others was one of her favorite things to do. So, there she was, going through dire financial circumstances, without a dime to spare to buy a gift for her daughter, but God had provided her with the opportunity to give me a gift to welcome me home.

I reached for the purse, and started checking it out. It had a couple zippers in the front, and then a few pouches inside. All the front outside was furry, and it had a strap in the back. After thanking my mom, without thinking about it, I felt curious about the front zippers. I opened them, reached inside, and then did the same with the one inside. As I slid my hand inside the small pouch, I felt something. I thought it was probably some silica bags. But it felt different, like a roll of paper. Because most of the stuff we got at the closet was second hand, I thought someone had left their trash there.

As I pulled it out, I realized that it was A BUNCH OF BILLS ROLLED UP! I pulled all this money out, as my mom and I sat on my bed, screaming. We counted the money, and it was THE EXACT AMOUNT that was due at the boys' school, and a little extra - for my cafecitos.

I rocked that purse-backpack for a long time. Turns out, it actually was just my style.