Will You Marry Me?

Getting married is a great celebration, but here in Haiti it is often hard to make it happen. With extremely limited resources, and strong cultural expectations for a "proper" celebration/ceremony, along with it's many accouterments, getting married has been a distant dream for many. Marriage is such a serious deal that you MUST honor it appropriately.  Remember, Haitian culture is all about honor and respect.  

Because of these limitations and expectations, many have decided it is best to live together until they can afford a proper ceremony. Sadly, it often never happens. Those living in this situation are not free to participate fully in church fellowship and life. No church membership, no men's and women's fellowship groups, no communion, no choir, no leadership positions, etc. One might say they live in shame as a second class church attender.  

With a little pastoral encouragement and counsel, and a little outside resource assistance (finances, lots of wedding dresses, suits, and even rings) from our US Sister Churches (thanks to The Orchard EFC and First Baptist of St. Petersburg), in the last couple of months we have been able to help 23 couples get married! Praise the Lord!