Dear Loved Ones,
Greetings and may the peace of our Lord be with you all. Friday, June 1st we had our graduation. It was hot and humid but the joy we all were experiencing cooled the place off. Twenty two students graduated from the school of Theology; 28 from the school of agriculture; 30 from the school of business and 3 pioneers from the Fine Art.
At the graduation our general secretary, the secretary of Haitian Baptist Convention, the Reverend Emmanuel Pierre and Mrs. Laurel Casseus, the wife of Dr. Jules Casseus, president of the Universite Chretienne du Nord d'Haiti were given honorary doctorate degrees from the Union of all the private universities in Haiti. The Reverend Doctor Emmanuel Pierre in theology and Mrs. Dr. Laurel Casseus in music.
I still have fresh in my memory the image of those students when I had them in my Christian Ethics and La Vie Chretienne (Christian life) classes. Today they are our colleagues in the ministries. Teaching gives us a real joy when we get a note like this one from a former student now a PH.D. candidate. He received his M. Div from Central Baptist Theological Seminary.
From: "Rigard Charles"
Subject: I am thankful!
Date: Wed, 30 May 2007 02:34:29 +0000
Dear Dr Nzunga,
It has been a long time since we talked. I have been busy filling applications to send to different schools. I am doing great and I hope the same to you and the family. We were proud and touched by your speech at the commencement party. How is everything with school and work at the eye clinic?
I want to thank you for all that you have done to help me have this degree. You gave me all that I needed to have this degree. You loved me. You believed in me. You equipped me with advices that made me succeed. I earned my M Div degree with an award because of your love. My success is you success. You earn one more degree with me. You should be proud of yourself at the same level with me. I am very grateful to God because God loved you to make you love me. I am grateful to you because you did not hesitate to take a chance with me. Now I am looking forward to go to Ph D program.
I am in Miami with my cousin working on a research paper to send to schools to which it is required. I am applying to schools from different states like Chicago, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Chicago. Dr Marshall encouraged me to apply to the Baylor in Waco, Texas but I went to the site of all the accredited schools and Baylor does not have any Ph D program listed as accredited. I will still sending my application to Baylor anyway as well as others to increase my chance to be accepted in a program.
I come from a long way, and I still have a long way to go. Your prayers and your continuing advices will always help me in the journey. I am praying for you and I am assured that God will grant the help necessary to do God’s work in the world.
Love and blessings from your Son,
Rigard Charles
* Please continue to pray as we struggle to train the Disciples of the tomorrow.
Flooding
While we were celebrating this event, we had many houses in our town of Limbe flooded by rains we have been having lately. We have flooded houses also in some parts of the Cap-Haitian, our second largest city. I just had somebody from La Mairie de Limbe or Limbe Township asking for help to assist families that have been gathered in classrooms. The need for the food and mattresses to sleep on is very big.
Please be praying for us over here.
Yours,
Nzunga Mabudiga
Kihomi Ngwemi