This is my sister Frederique. Sister, not born of my mother, but born in the heart. We’ve been friends, family really, for nearly 25 years.
Originally from France, she came as an exchange student and lived with my family when we were teenagers. I then lived with her and her family for a summer following my graduation from high school. She came back to the US for college and met her husband, Tony. They have two handsome boys.
Three years ago they felt called by God to live in Tunisia. To serve the forsaken there in the name of Jesus. Frederique works with the abandoned babies. Those born to unwed mothers and abandoned at the place of birth due to sin. In a society that follows the teachings of Mohammed, a child conceived in sin, bears the sin, and the mother, she is told, can be restored by bearing and leaving her child there. Heartbreaking.
Those children are considered unclean. Untouchable. Unlovable. But God is so much bigger than that. God is using Frederique to not only help children get into ‘baby homes’, but also to educate and teach those nationals who are in charge of those homes to hold the children, touch them, play with them. This is a huge change in a society that labels this children, ‘unclean’. Through her influence, and the influence of those on her team, the children are smiling and laughing and even being adopted! Such joy!
Tony works with another group of cast off people. Those who have physical or mental challenges. He provides vocational training to help these individuals learn a craft or trade that will enable them to earn an income. He speaks so fondly of the relationships he has built through this. He is anxious to return to his work.
When they return to Tunisia in September, Frederique will begin working with the single mothers in prisons and will continue training up staff in the baby houses to create more joyful bearable conditions for these children.
There were here for a short time fundraising. If you have any desire to support them, please visit https://www.ideasworld.org/give/. Their last name is Herrera.
We had the joy of spending ten days with them. Here are some photo highlights from our time together.
Three Little Sparrows 
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