Funerals are just as important, or maybe even more important than weddings here in Haiti. Families spend a “lot of money” on the funeral… Julia was not only our Haitian daughter; she was dearly loved by everyone at our Birthing Center, where she worked.

We took Julia and her three siblings in when her mother died. We put all the children through school and sent them all to college. Julia had a degree as a “Lab Tech.” She chose to work in our Birthing Center because she loved the mothers and always wanted a baby when she got married. So she is loved by everyone.

A lot goes into funeral preparation, as it does here. Every day, our young teenage girls have been buying things for the funeral, decorations, etc. Everything here will close at noon, except for the Birthing Center. Relatives and friends have already started coming in yesterday (whom we house and feed), and more will be coming today.

Florence (whom many of you know) is one of Julia’s sisters. She has been in Italy on a partial scholarship, studying Radiology, and she will be coming in today to the D.R., where one of our workers will pick her up.

Yesterday, our workers put signs on the front gate honoring Julia and talked on video about how Julia affected their lives… Many spent “all day decorating our Church.”

The “wake” will be this evening when the casket arrives, and [there will be] a long service at our Church. “Special foods” have to be prepared for all who come this evening. Tomorrow is when we have the service and go to the cemetery.

We love and miss you dearly, Julia. Your kindness and sweetness will live on here.

Bobby and Sherry
Dad and Mom