World Missions Presents Check for Women’s Discipleship Project
Cleveland, TN–Church of God World Missions Director Tim Hill recently presented a check for $10,000 on behalf of World Missions toward the 2012-2014 Women With a Mission (WWAM) project, Operation Freedom: Rescuing Servant Children in Haiti. The presentation came during the recent Integrity II conference held at the Church of God International Offices and was made to Sandra Kay Williams, first lady of the Church of God and president of Women’s Discipleship.
Tim Hill presents a check to Sandra Kay Williams.
The project evolved from a desire to stamp out the practice of Restavek, prominent in the country of Haiti. According to Lorna Gosnell, coordinator of women’s discipleship for the Church of God, Restavek is, “a Creole word that means ‘to stay with.’ Restaveks are children born into poverty, and sent to more wealthy families for a better life. However, instead of a better life they become slaves, performing menial duties that are often too hard for them. They are demeaned and mistreated, and have little hope of change. This system is so ingrained in the culture of Haiti that many Christians don’t think anything of it.”
The Restavek Freedom Foundation (RFF), led by Joan Conn, seeks to change this by bringing awareness to the injustice of restavek. Members of the foundation are are child advocates, community leaders, reporters, volunteers, students and parents. Most of all, they are people that love Haiti. Founded in 2007, RFF has over 30 employees in two main locations in Haiti – Port-au-Prince, and Port Salut – and a small support staff in in Cincinnati, Ohio.
“Amazing things are happening here,” Conn stated of the progress of the foundation. “Hearts are being touched by the recent justice curriculum that has been integrated into many churches. Pastors are preaching a message of social change. This is not something that Haiti is accustomed to.” Conn shared a recent testimony saying, “A pastor at one of the trainings stood up to tell the group that he had a child in his home. He said that every Sunday his family got dressed up for church and they all went to church. Only the young boy was left behind to cook the Sunday dinner and do all the chores in the home. He asked the group to pray for him because he now understands that he must treat this boy like his own child. Praise God for that. Many pastors have told us that they are seeing the people in their church bringing these children to church with them. Change is beginning to happen in Haiti.”
The Justice Curriculum is a 12-week study on justice and restavek issues. The goal is to partner with churches and local leaders to reach over 100,000 with the study by the end of 2014. The curriculum seeks to leave participants with this thought, “From today I am going to help a child. I will provide nice and clean clothes for them to come to church on Sunday, and I will do that as long as God gives me the means.”
“The women of the Church of God are so grateful for the financial support of World Missions for this project,” stated Sandra Kay Williams. “This $10,000 donation, coupled with hundreds of thousands that we are raising, will make a substantial difference in the lives of these enslaved children. Thank you especially to Paula Hill, Debbie Childers, and their husbands for embracing this vision to see captives set free.”
“Donations to Women’s Discipleship will make a great impact in the lives of restavek children of the Restavek Freedom Foundation,” Gosnell continued. “Donations will provide a transitional home in Port Salut, a generator for the transitional home, furnishing for the home and a van to transport the children.” Contributions will also provide for care of children in the home. It takes $150,000 each year to fund food, clothing, housing, medical care, tuition and staff for 12 children. Women’s Discipleship’s fundraising goal for the two year project (2012-2014) is $500,000.
For more information about the WWAM project, or to make a donation, visit www.womenofpowercog.org. For more information about Restavek, visit www.restavekfreedom.org.
