I am so excited today to introduce you to one of my best friends. I met Wilson Cupidon in 1998 as I was struggling – as a very shy 13 year old – to run a Kids Club.
–Before I continue, I must explain that I was introduced to Wilson by his last name, Cupidon, and that is what we always called him – eventually shortening it to Cupi. He will always be Cupidon to me – even though I did learn several years later that his first name was actually Wilson. 🙂 So, if I refer to him by his last name from now on, you will understand.–
Ok, back to the story. Cupidon, and Manis’ youngest brother Petion, joined the club team that year and literally saved me from Club misery. We had so much fun together and balanced each other’s gifts so well – by God’s grace we made a great team.
Since 1998, Cupidon has always been a part of Lemuel in some form or another – in a direct way back in his school and university days, and more indirectly as he was establishing himself in his career and family. Over the last year, as his life has gained some stability, he has increasingly become more actively involved and hopes to continue to do so. As such, and since we may be mentioning his name from time to time, we wanted to introduce him to you all.
So, without further ado, I’ll let him tell you a little about himself…
~Judy Dilus
My name is Wilson Cupidon. I was born in Cayes-Jacmel in the South-East of Haiti. I am the firstborn in a family with four sons. My mother was a micro-merchant and my father a farmer. One morning in 1989, my father went out to his garden. One of his activities for the day involved climbing a tree. Unfortunately, he fell from the tree and died a few days later. About six months later our house burned to the ground. It was by the grace of God, and someone who was working in the house, that we were able to save my baby brother.
In 1992, my mother decided to leave Jacmel and go to the capital city of Port-au-Price to try to make a better life for us. When I got to the point of entering secondary school (grades 6-13) my mother enrolled me at College Evangelique Maranatha, a Christian secondary school on the Bolosse Campus (where there is also a Seminary and homes for pastors and missionaries).
As he spoke in church a few weeks ago, Cupidon shared how his mother had known she could not afford this excellent school. However, she was convinced that if her son got a good education, he could make something of his life. She committed the details to God and enrolled Cupidon. She worked extremely hard to pay his tuition and sometimes still could not afford it. At those times God always made a way, and Cupidon has indeed made his mother proud.
At school, I became friends with a classmate named Petion. He happened to be the youngest brother of the director of OLAD (Lemuel), Manis Dilus. I started getting to know Petion’s family and eventually they came to treat me as one of their own. In 1998, Petion and I joined Judy (Muchmore) – the daughter of one of the missionaries who lived on the campus – in doing Sunday afternoon Kids Club. I learned the keyboard so we could have music, taught Bible lessons, and did whatever else needed to be done.
In the summer of 1999 I was part of the first generation of Lemuel’s young leaders to be sent to the Plateau to help with the work there. We oversaw work on the airstrip, started small Church services on Sundays, taught the adults in the area to read and write, and helped the children prepare for the following school year. I continued to do this every summer until I graduated high school in 2003. Later that year, I began studying Computer Science at the “Ecole Superieur Infotronique d’Haiti (ESIH). I received my Bachelor’s degree from them and then continued through a French university (Universite Picardie Jules Verne) to get my Master’s degree in Computer Management.
I married my long-time love, Marie Gela Brice, in 2011 and God blessed us with a son on December 24, 2013.
I now work as a consultant for the Ministry of Economy and Finances in a branch that specializes in project management for the government. In this role I am responsible for all technology and data processing.
The experience I gained as I worked with Lemuel has enabled me today to be a Sunday School leader and a musician in my church. At the time, it enabled me to earn an income in order to attend university and take care of my basic needs, as well as support my mother and younger brothers. Lemuel also gave me a place to study while going through University. I worked during the day and went to school in the evening. Lemuel had electricity and always let me study there at night. All of that, in turn, has enabled me to get a job through which I can continue to support my family.
Today, I want to give my support to Lemuel in whatever ways I can to enable them to continue touching lives as they touched mine.
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