Well, you can see how happy little Jonas is, even when he’s working!! The kids get up early each morning at 4:30 (except Sunday). They go to work, watering the plants and flowers, making beds, sweeping and mopping floors, and “disinfecting” everything for covid! Jonas loves to get everything “squeaky clean!”
Jonas is the precious little boy we rescued from being a “restavek slave.” His mother and father had died and no relatives were around to claim him. He lives so far up in the mountains, that no one would have ever found him. By the grace of God, we were there doing several feeding programs and filming our TV program, when one of our workers noticed this little boy, working hard in the fields with the adults. The little boy was swinging a huge Haitian’s hoe, called, a “wou.” It is so very heavy because it has iron on the bottom to make it heavy, to dig deep into the hard ground. There was Jonas, with the adults in the hot sun. One of our workers went to talk to him and found out he was a “slave child.” He “may” get one meal a day, but many times, nothing. They send him for water, and beat him when he comes back for taking so much time! He explained how he got beatings for just about everything! Right before we got ready to leave, the Lord said, “take him out!” We grabbed him by the hand and put him in our car. The people who owned him were so angry… they kept yelling, “the white people will eat you!” So, Jonas was scared to death!
We took him to Social Services and registered him as a restavek slave child that we would be taking in. Then, he had to have a Birth Certificate. But now, he has adjusted to his big family, his three meals a day, and plenty of love! Jonas is always smiling, and always waiting for a hug!
Because he has never been to school, one of our female workers (a school teacher), has been teaching him each day, the alphabet. It was hard for Jonas to learn how to hold a piece of chalk… after all, the only thing he had ever held, was a “wou,” (that Haitian hoe). Thank you, all of those who sponsor a child! Each life is precious!!! We love Jonas so much, and “Jonas loves hugs!!!!”
Sherry