It was just another Sunday morning…except that it was my first Sunday back in Haiti since eight months ago. I was more excited about going to church than I had been in quite a while. When we arrived downhill they singing had already begun. I was prepared with my Chants D’esperance (songbook) that Marc had given me just before my departure in May. Very few others own these books, however, so most of the people memorize every song. I asked one of the boys to find the songs for me so I could sing along using the correct words, for the first time. After a much longer song time than we are used to in the States (I love it), there is a sharing time. It is typical, after an absence, for the missionaries to address the congregation. Last time, knowing very little Creole, I was exempt, but this time not only did I know it would be expected, I wanted to speak. I wanted to tell the people how much my heart had broken with theirs during all of the tragedies they’d endured since May, even though I wasn’t there with them. I was thrilled when instead of laughing at my mistakes they applauded my effort, and more than grateful God had granted me the chance and ability to tell everyone how much I cared about them.
The entire service was a blessing in so many ways. Dee and I watched as four of the eight young people who were baptized in May performed a special. I was overjoyed to see Viege, our washer lady, whose daughter is the voodoo authority in Carries, in church that morning. I’d never seen her set foot in our church before. And even greater was our joy when we saw Pierre also at the service. Pierre and Simon, and their family, have lived next door to the church since the Dorcés moved to Carries. They are the first people to stand up for Pastor Kiki and Mdme. Kiki when anyone says anything against them, but they were strongly steeped in voodoo practices and beliefs, and they never came to church. When Dee saw Pierre in church, she and Wilckly invited him to have lunch with us and then we asked to go visit his wife, who was in Montrois, a town about twenty minutes away. While there we heard their story.
Simon told us that in July, when her four year old daughter, Cathleen (who attended our school) died of malaria, she nearly lost her mind. She was so sick with grief that she nearly died, herself. They visited the witch doctor countless times, spending all of their money, until she was ready to sell their house. But when none of these visits made her better she lost all hope. Finally she was ready to turn to God. She called Bioulde and said that she and Pierre were ready to make the decision to follow Christ. Bioulde visited them with the ever-growing group from our 4:00a.m. prayer and praise meeting, Taz Kafe Cho (“Hot Cup of Coffee”) and prayed with them and for them. Then people came to remove all of the voodoo objects that filled their house, even buried in the floor. They left with two large sacks full of things. Since then Simon has been staying with another believer in Montrois who is daily pouring over her in prayer, encouraging and strengthening her in her new life. She gave the credit to Jesus over and over as she related her tale to us, saying “I have completely kicked the devil out of my life! Thank you, Jesus! Thank you!” Dee said she’d never before heard those words come from Simon’s mouth.
I left that yard with a full heart and tears in my eyes. After May; the accident and all that occurred after, I focused on a verse from Scripture that was more difficult to believe at some times than others. But I always knew it was true:
“I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”
Psalm 27:13-14
That Sunday I was personally witnessing some of that goodness. Proof that God does bring about good from tragedy. That day He blew me away.
No comments:
Post a Comment