Local family sponsors Haitian woman to study nursing in KY

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) Passenger after passenger, the Palmer family eagerly awaited their newest addition to the family from Haiti to come down the escalator at the Blue Grass Airport.

The Palmers met 21-year-old Melythard Celestin last Decemeber after bringing Christmas to the 300 kids going to school at the “Hugs from God Missions” in Haiti, a non-profit based out of Irvine, Kentucky.

Pastor David Palmer of Hopewell First Church of God in Beattyville says, “It’s an experience that I’ll never get over. My wife and I will never be over that. We came back from Haiti but we left our hearts there with those children.”

The Palmers have been sponsors helping to provide meals and clothing for the 300 kids going to school there for years. but they wanted to do more. They met Melythard who just a few months before was shot when her and a few of the church-goers were coming back from a revival service.

Crystal Lawson, founder of “Hugs from God Missions,” says, “We were attacked by the voodoo hit-man who was trying to kill our Hatian pastor and stop our mission…he got behind us and he continued to fire into the back of the vehicle and that was Melythard was shot. One of those bullets had come through the back went right through her side and right back out.”

It was a scary situation that almost stopped the Palmers from making their mission.

David’s wife Sara says, “We hesitated just a moment about going, because we already made plans. And I told my husband I said we’ll be all right he’ll protect us.”

But Melythard’s stay here in Kentucky is only temporary. Once she’s done with her studies at Hazard Community & Technical College she plans to go back to Haiti to become a nurse.

Melythard says, “Sometimes they have some accidents and their parents don’t have any possibility to help their children. And they’re so poor and they’re sick.”

On Melythard and Crystal’s descent into Lexington there was a message in the sky.

Crystal says, “It’s awesome isn’t it?..That’s god’s promise for Melythard that he’s going to be with her no matter how hard school is. He’s with her. Melytha’s rainbow.”

Melythard is the first person from “Hugs From God Mission” to receive a college scholarship. There are four others in Haiti on the wait-list. For more information about sponsorship contact Crystal Lawson with “Hugs from God Missions.”