Dear Loved Ones,

Greeting. Let me tell you a little bit about Mr. Delzinge Patrick, a newly admitted freshman agronomy student. Since the beginning of my Orientation to the University life class, my concern has been how to challenge the 167 students to take their studies seriously. Beside their studies they need to know that we live in a country where jobs are rare and difficult to find. They need to use their brain to create something that can help them survive. I beg them to dream big, to aim high, to not let their brain go to sleep. Think and think again about what you can do for your life. 

After two weeks of teaching, Mr. Patick went to his village to start a small business of cooking sweet biscuits known here as Dou douce. Patrick is now called Dou douce and is selling these dou douce biscuits like crazy among his colleague students and university workers. Even though these sweeties don't cost that much money (US $1 gives you 43 dou douce, enough to fill up 2 or 3 persons) Mr. Patrick Dou douce is making enough money to be proud of his idea. He has already planned to pay himself for the second semester.

Seeing the courage of this student who is not ashamed to make and sell his Dou douce, Kihomi gave him some school supplies to add to his commerce. Dou douce is becoming an example around our campus. Every body loves him because of his dou douce biscuits. And Patrick Dou douce himself can not stop thanking God for this class that has opened his eyes to life.  

Who knows how the country would be if we had many more Patrick Dou douce who is fearless to get his hands dirty, to sell what serious university students would not dare because it is too low for a job.

Thank you for your support and your prayers. Please be praying that at the end of my teaching God will add another Patrick Dou douce in Haiti. 

In  Haiti,

Nzunga & Kihomi          

 

Dear friends,

On the surface this does not seem like a very significant story.  Americans pride themselves as entrepreneurs.  Nzunga calls him courageous.  The reason is the mindset of the culture in Haiti.  All college graduates wear long sleeve shirts with ties that show the world they are college grads.  They believe they are to supervise, manage and work in an office.  I asked Nzunga on my first visit why there was no class on entrepreneurship as part of the business school.  This cultural taboo against it is the reason.  It seems really strange in a country where jobs are scarce for this to be the case but it is very prevalent.  Maybe we need to teach them the stories of Bill Gates, Henry Ford, and other successful Americans that started out with an idea and then rolled up their sleeves and did what was needed including sweeping the floors. 

It also makes me think of the many cultural taboos we see in this country and even the church.  The role of women, racial divides, our role with helping the poor here, what the music should be, etc. often keeps us from being what Jesus wanted us to be.  Please pray that Haitians and we can see beyond these barriers.

Because He first loved us,

Dennis Shewell

Mission Partnership Team Communications Advocate and Convener

Nzunga and Kihomi Ministry

E-mail: deshewell@gmail.com

Phone: 812-569-1352

 

Other team Members:

Les Roberson

Diana Peysha

Terry Bivens-Fry

Charles Newman