Right Hand Ministries
RHM: PO Box 12385 Oklahoma City, OK 73157 rhmhope1@gmail.com
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Needing Help With Marriage Expenses
KUMARI
Dear RHM Friends,
Many of you who have followed the ministry over the years will remember this child Kumari. She was part of HOPE from 2009 until early this year, from the age of 6 to her current age of 17. In early 2020 she went to stay with her mother and stepfather. Many times here, the parents have fear their daughter might "fall in love" with someone who is not good for her, or get pregnant. It's very, very difficult in this culture for an unwed mother to get married. For these reasons the parents often want to marry the girl at a young age, so they hopefully won't have to deal with any of these issues.
Kumari has always been a sweet-natured girl, and her marriage has been arranged with a young man from Brother Peter's church in a village not far from the HOPE boys home, where Peter and his wife oversee the boys (Peter the pastor in the boy's church). Peter says the boy is very faithful to the Lord, and part of a Godly family. The wedding date is July 25th. I just found out about this yesterday.
Marriage expenses: Thankfully, the boy's family isn't following the "dowry" system, which is so prevalent in India. But there are certain "traditions" which many of the people follow. Both families are poor, but the girl's family is expected to bear the marriage expenses. She's a precious girl, and well worth supporting.
Please pray about helping with Kumari's marriage. The parents aren't able to provide much financially, not even working during this Corona season. They are waiting for the rice field work to start up again in early August. I'm hoping about $2,000 might take care of most of the expenses, as they are planning for a simple wedding. One of the main expenses is providing meals after the marriage in the boy's village, then another meal in Kumari's village at the "reception", maybe the next day. We will give some from RHM funds, and hoping for a good response from our donors.
Thank you always for your love, prayers and support! Bless you. Scroll down to see a few photos of Kumari.
Brother Dan
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ABOVE: Kumari at Christmas in 2009. She had only been in HOPE for several months, 6 years old.
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ABOVE: My son-in-law Adam and daughter Kristin visited India in 2010. This is Kristin with Kumari, still just 6 years old in this photo. The boys are Akil and Ratna Babu.
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ABOVE: HOPE had taken the children to a theme park in Vijayawada in 2017. Here Kumari is in a restaurant, at this time 14 years old.
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ABOVE: Kumari in a Christmas photo with her relative Mary in 2018, Mary also part of HOPE. Here she's 15 years old. We have always had some doubt if she's not perhaps at least one year older than what her records say, but have no proof of that. She's from a tribal village, and many villagers have no idea what day, date or year it is when things take place.
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"Whatever you do, do all things to the glory of GOD." 1 Corinthians 10:31 |
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