After a Hmong Leng girl marries and becomes pregnant for the first time, her mother will embroider a baby carrier for her daughter.  Once the baby is born, baby carrier is presented to the new parents.

  

By custom, the new parents are expected, in response, to give a “baby-carrier-reward” feast.   In preparation they begin raising a 150-200 pound pig for the celebration.

 

During the celebration, the son-in-law thanks his parents-in-law for the carrier, and the father-in-law reciprocates with gratitude for the feast.  Then the father-in-law officially gives his son-in-law a new name which is added to his childhood name.  And he toasts him saying, “May you have good health, wealth, life long enough to be an elder and advisor to the others, to sit at their table and eat good meat and resolve their disputes, and to live until your hair is completely white.”

 

After the feast, the father-in-law is sent home with the tail of the pig and one hindquarter.   (From Grandmother’s Path, Grandfather’s Way by Lue Vang and Judy Lewis.   Page128)

 

Pray:

• Heavenly Father, we thank You. Give these leaders clear understanding of Your word so that they will teach others accurately. But also infuse them with Your love so that they will win others not just with “true words” but with lives of loving service.  
• Develop in them an intense desire for integrity and righteousness.  Make their homes models of Christianity in action.
• Create in them a vision of multiplying themselves by training others to lead so that your church will grow strong and healthy.  
• Encourage those involved in leadership training and those who are developing training materials.
• Keep their eyes on the “big picture” goals when daily discouragement sets in.