Twice lost, twice found

For years our aunt Gina was “twice lost”: she had lost her family connections and she was a lost soul. But God cared for her, loves her a lot, and never gave up on her.

Tim and Lisa Grimeau (centre) with Tim’s dad George (l) and aunt Gina (r)

My husband Tim and I are both deaf. We found Gina after I learned from Tim’s cousin in 2003 that Tim has a deaf aunt and that she was probably located in Vancouver. We searched for her name in the telephone directory but could not find her. I then wrote an e-mail letter to my contacts with deaf people in Greater Vancouver to see if anyone knew where she was. One of my friends led us to Gina and we were happily reunited.

Gina was taken to foster homes by Child and Family Services when she was two. At 18, she met her brother Vic and sister Lucy, and at 25 finally found her father, but she didn’t know much about the rest of the family. She grew up thinking she was the only deaf person in her family. After meeting us she realized she was wrong. The missing pieces of her life were restored when she was reunited with us and Tim’s family.

I thought that God must have a good reason for allowing us to find Gina. Just a few months before, she had had breast cancer but it was safely removed. Now we had the opportunity to tell her about Jesus. She listened to our testimonies and the gospel, then decided to give her life to Jesus, becoming a born again Christian at age 63!

We brought Gina to our Deaf Community Christian Church (DCCC) in North Delta, B.C. She attended faithfully. Several people volunteered to interpret in front of Gina because she has tunnel vision and is half-blind, therefore cannot see pastor Rudy Unger preaching with signing at a distance. She felt blessed to have this help for her special needs.

Gina moved into the basement of our house to be closer to us. Then, last November, she came along with us to Saskatoon for Tim’s grandma’s funeral. This is where Gina finally met Tim’s father George, the brother she had never seen. They were so happy.

We were all gathered together – Tim’s parents, uncles and aunts, cousins, and our friend Nairn Gillies, an interpreter at the local college, who interpreted as we talked about our lives and our pasts. Joy and tears were like showers in that room. Once again we saw how God has his mysterious plans for us and how wonderfully he worked in bringing Gina into our lives and back to her family. Meeting her relatives at the funeral, Gina felt whole.

This past Easter, Gina confessed her faith in Christ and was baptized at DCCC by pastor Unger. It was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. There was so much joy in my heart, and crying too, as I saw how Gina had been found twice: reunited with Tim’s family and with God her Father.

In June, we and our six children, as well as Gina, moved to Winnipeg, where we attend Calvary Temple Church of the Deaf. Gina is glad to be closer to Tim’s family. Much happiness has come to her through God’s grace and love.

Tim and Lisa Grimeau lived in Surrey, B.C. until recently, where they were members of Deaf Community Christian (MB) Church, North Delta, B.C.