The widow's mite for Haiti

My relationship with Aunt Gloria did not start like most aunt/niece relationships. There was never any "I remember when you were four years old and..." or "You like just like..." That fact that I ever met Aunt Gloria is nothing short of a miracle. This precious woman was the child of my grandfather's mistress. Born just one day before my father's 6th birthday. The siblings never met. My aunt had a hard life that could have caused her to become bitter. She certainly was entitled to hold a hard grudge against anyone who bore my grandfather's name, a luxury that she never had. I was raised about 100 miles away from where my aunt grew up.
Fourteen years ago I moved to NC. Some 500 miles away from my home town. Working int he post office I often see letters and parcels being mailed to Long Island and will talk to the customer about whatever town it is that they are mailing to. One day about 6 yrs. ago an older woman came to the counter with a package to Freeport. I said "My aunt used to live there." To which the woman replied "I lived there too, but I was raised in Baldwin, one town over." "Wow!", I replied my parents were both raised there too. I told her my mother's name but that didn't ring a bell. Then I told her my father's name was Tozzi. She got excited and said "Joe Tozzi?" I said yes that was my father. She said "Joe Tozzi is my brother!" I nearly fell out! Here we were several hundred miles from the where we had grown up and we found each other at the post office in the town where we were both presently living! At first I worried if finding me was hard for her. She had been very hurt. But the next day she showed up at the Post Office with a jar of strawberry jelly. As I looked at her this day all I could see was her Tozzi eyes. She said to me "I always cook when when I'm nervous."
Our relationship has been very comfortable and strong.She is family just as sure as if I had met her the day I was born. When she was still living in NC she would call me at work and say "I cooked dinner for you and Steve. Pick it up after work." She would make us rice pudding her special way cause she knew how much Steve liked it. Now that she has moved to RI we are still close. We talk often and she sends me very random packages. Things that she thinks I might like and for no special reason except that giving is her love language. Living on a very limited income in an assisted living arrangement I know that even the postage for these gifts is hard for her.
When she found out about the earthquake she went into action. She went to the Home Association and asked for a donation. Then she went from person to person collecting one dollar here and two dollars there. She called me today to tell me that she has collected $450.00 to send to Joy in Hope the organization that my daughter and son in law work with in Haiti. In March she is having a bake sale to raise more funds.
This widow gives out of her need not out of her excess. God has given her favor and multiplied that which she offered. She is full out dedicated to me, my family, and to my God. I thank my God for her selfless example and her bountiful love.