A new face is roaming the halls with fellow Smith-Cotton High students. Trying to adapt to the new environment is Noldgihansh “Noldgi” Brioche, who recently moved to the U.S. from Port-Au-Prince, Haiti with his father, Anold Brioche.
Noldgi is an only child with many cousins and extended family back home in Haiti. Hosting Noldgi and his father in the U.S. is Yelena Valesa, a Sedalia 200 interpreter, and her family.
“I’ve known Noldgi for seven years,” Yelena said. “I met him on my first mission trip in Haiti after the earthquake.”
Yelena said Noldgi and his father have faced overwhelming challenges, from the devastating earthquake in 2010 that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, to a cholera outbreak, to floods, and other disasters.
“They survived but lost everything,” Yelena said.
After the earthquake, Anold was helping and coordinating missionaries at Life Connection Mission in Montrouis, Haiti.
“Noldgi would come and help us with interpreting at mobile clinics, orphanages, homeless shelters, and food distribution in high mountains/remote areas,” Yelena said. “Since then, I was going back to Haiti twice a year with my children and Waters of Grace team and Noldgi was always there to help.”
School is quite expensive in Haiti and Noldgi was attending one in Port-Au-Prince; however, after his dad lost his job, Noldgi could no longer afford to attend.
“Life is very different here from Haiti,” Noldgi said. “There is nothing to do in Haiti, there is no water, no power, no good education, people are starving and it was hard for us to survive.”
Yelena’s heart was heavy to try and help Noldgi get a good education.
“I prayed and filed for a sponsorship and it worked and now he is here and we are working on his status so he can finish high school and college here so he can go back as an educator and help his community in Haiti,” Yelena said.
“Here in the U.S. everything is opposite, good education, beautiful schools, nice and happy people, and a lot of opportunities,” Noldgi said.
Yelena’s daughter, Vanessa, a sophomore at S-C, explains what it’s like living with Noldgi.
“It is always a great time with him; he’s the type of person who always puts a smile on your face with his goofiness,” Vanessa said. “It can get a little crazy living with us, but he knows how to keep up.”
Vanessa wishes people would know that Noldgi and his family are hard-working people who are very thankful to be in the U.S. and become American citizens. She doesn’t think the transition has been difficult for him “because he has always been dreaming about coming to America and seeing what this place was all about.”
Overall, Yelena is very thankful for Noldgi and what she can do for him.
“I am a single mom with three kids and we are so happy to be able to be a blessing in Noldgi’s life as much as he is in ours,” she said. “He is very sweet and very happy to be able to go to school.”
Yelena and her children decided to work several jobs in order to support Noldgi and be able to go on the mission trips to help other sponsored kids at the orphanage. Noldgi is making the most of his experience here in the U.S.
“When children find out they’ve been sponsored, the joy they feel is indescribable,” Yelena said. “Just knowing that someone across the globe cares means more than you can imagine.”
On the weekdays, Noldgi goes to school and plays soccer. On Saturdays he works for Yelena’s brother polishing bricks and on Sundays he attends church.
“I love S-C!” Noldgi said. “Everyone is very nice to me and I made a lot of friends already. Teachers are very professional and patient with me.”
Among those reaching out to him is junior Nellie Garbuzov, who has helped Noldgi with his English and finding his classes; she also sits with him at lunch.
“It’s not easy for foreigners to learn our lifestyle on their own, they always need someone to help them,” Garbuzov said. Her advice to fellow students: “Be friendly and help him in any way you can, help teachers understand him, and make his experience as smooth as possible.”
In Yelena’s house now, they are speaking English, Russian, Haitian Creole, and French. “It’s so much fun,” Yelena said. “I tell you what, it is a challenge, but what a blessing.”
Noldgi is learning every day and adapting to the U.S. quickly. His favorite part about America is all the friends he’s meeting, a home with electricity and hot water, having enough food, and getting a good education. Noldgi is very grateful for all he has.
“If you can change one life for a better future of the child, do it,” Yelena said. “It is a true joy and blessing.”
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