(8-1-25) The Celina Kiwanis hosted Romana Kieti, the author of Scars of Matrimony:Tina’s Story of Hope and Despair. The book is based on her own experiences as an abused wife in Kenya. Due to cultural norms, Kieti didn’t know the red flags abusers show before she married. Women are usually blamed for the abuse they endure, and support systems are limited if available at all. This forces victims to stay in their marriages. Kieti had to stay in her marriage until her children were older. Escaping from her marriage involved danger and hardship. Eventually Kieti came to the US where she found support systems for abused women. To supplement her first book,

Kieti wrote Scars of Matrimony: Broken, Yet Unbreakable:31 Daily Devotions for Women on the Path to Healing from Abuse. The author has built a women’s shelter in Kenya that teaches skills to enable women to live independently. She plans to set up mission trips for volunteers to work at the center.

Summer is the Celina Kiwanis busiest season. June’s chicken dinner profits increased 10 percent over last year’s. The club had a stand at the Lake Festival. In August they will sponsor two competitions for kids, the Speed Puzzle Contest and Mr. Potato Head. The members will discuss their park bench project once the summer events are over. The club may also sponsor a second Little Free Library since a local Boy Scout has expressed interest in building one for his Eagle Scout project.

For more information about the Kiwanis Club of Celina, find them on Facebook or at k16309.site.kiwanis.org.