Kuku-Ju and Jaa to

“Be the change you wish to see in the world” M. Gandhi
Kuku-Ju and Jaa

Kuku-Ju arrived in Kajsiab Shelter just two months ago and already she is a legend.The Hmong people have their own traditional ways and one of them is that if a boy and girlLove each other the boy has to “kidnap” the girl. Of course the family knows already aboutThis happening and usually the boy and girl both agree with the kidnapping.

Sometimes there are difficulties if the family does not agree with an upcoming marriage or,Love is just from one side, but in that case the kidnapping will never happen in the firstPlace. The complex traditional rituals and rules we can not describe here as we would noteven be able to describe it in a single book. Many rules, traditions, respectful ways have tobe considered and it is a skill in itself to be able to guide a successful marriage-to- be.Kuku-Ju however decided to take her life in her very own hands and turned the traditionalroles upside down. She kidnapped her future husband, who happened to lve in Kajsiab Sheltersince one year.

Joa is shy and a little scared to take responsibility for his future. He has no father and hisfamily does not want him anymore. He is learning and learning and it feels likeAll he missed out he tries to learn in a very short time. He seems overwhelmed and a bit ex-hausted from it all. Kuku-Ju is the best what could have happened to him and each day he isglowing more…

Kuku-Ju is a very bright young girl who is helping out to run the restaurant and shelter fromday one, who is like a sponge taking up all she can learn here and who repeats everything wesay in English from the first day she arrived here. She also advertises on the streets! Someall come true!

“Where you go, go with all your heart” Kuku-Ju and Jaa