Dear Friends,

Christmas greeting to all of you. The month of December can rightly be called the month of weddings in Haiti. There are more weddings these days than in other month in the year. The idea behind is that this month brings blessing to the newlyweds.

Today December 3, 2013, we attended the wedding of Rose-Laure and Mr. Aniel. It is a special wedding for us because Rose-Laure is an orphan whose mother died while carrying her eighth child. Those who remember seeing Kihomi going on foot 2 hours up a mountain will know she went to visit Rose-Laure’s family.

After the death of the mother, Kihomi helped to place three youngest children in one orphanage in the city of Limbe. Rose-Laure, who was the oldest child, was already staying in another family as a “REST AVEC’’ or STAY WITH.  In Haiti a rest avec is a child who has been placed in another family with the hope that the host family will feed him/her and help the child go to school. A rest avec will execute most of the family chores for whatever service she/he gets in that house.

Rose-Laure has lived it all, the ups and downs of not having her own family, of being poor and working hard. While a rest avec, Kihomi accepted to pay for her education. Rose-Laure was lucky to get to sixth grade of elementary school at 20 years old.

The host family let Rose-Laure go and she did not know where to go.  Kihomi found her a job and a place to stay in the orphanage where her three brothers were staying.   While working as a child guardian, she met a man who loved and married her.

Many girls are not lucky like Rose-Laure.  Let us remember them in our prayers.

In Haiti,

Nzunga & Kihomi

 

Dear Friends,

If you have seen the 2007 short video of Nzunga’s and Kihomi’s ministry you have seen Kihomi struggling to walk up a mountain where she had heard a group of children were orphaned.  I always tease her that at times it looks like she is going to tumble back down.  Rose-Laure has a chance at a good life because Kihomi will walk two hours up a mountain to bring the love of Jesus to anyone in need.  Rose-Laure went from being an orphan to what might be worse, a Rest Avec.  Some are treated well and helped but most are abused, worked like a slave and not educated.  It is a form of slavery that is tolerated in Haiti.  The number of children in this situation is huge.  What a joy to see her in her beautiful wedding dress, celebrating a new start and hope for a good future.  This is because of Kihomi’s ministry that happens because you support it.  Rose-Laure life had turned around because of you.  THANK YOU.

In His Name,

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