We recently returned from a short trip to Haiti. Six of us from Central Texas including myself and Barry Wright from Central as well as three former church members. It is a country saturated with poverty and the dark spiritual tone of voodoo.
Three of the team served in Gonieves, Haiti, where they spent their time working with a Baptist church and Pastor Ganada who has a church, seminary, orphanage and school for deaf children.
The rest of us participated in an evangelical outreach in the city of Marchand-Dessalines. There were 11 pastors involved in our effort and over thirty different churches represented. The churches had choirs, groups and praise bands that led worship. Different people and different churches each night but everyone worshiped with gusto and emotion throughout the three-hour services. Every night after the music and Scripture reading Barry led everyone in an English language hymn.
Evening service under the lights in town square
Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening the services were held under the lights in the town square and then Sunday morning the churches held a common Lord’s Supper service (again a three plus hour service). We started at 5:00 AM in the dark with prayer and praise and as the sun rose the volume increased.
It was truly special to see different expressions of the Body of Christ come in unity to share the Body of Christ.
The highlight of the trip, for me, was when a Boko, a voodoo witch doctor, came to the Sunday service with all of his paraphernalia to publically proclaim that he had decided to follow Jesus. He kept saying that he was sincere, over and over.
Witch doctor turning in his stuff
All of his stuff (the potions and oils and powders and carved effigies and everything) was later burned - it was just like being in the 19th chapter of the Book of Acts. We rejoiced with the angels as a new name was added to the Lamb’s Book of Life and pray that this man will be discipled to maturity in Christ.
Praying over the witch doctor
Our hope is that his changed life will be a testimony to everyone in the town, in the Artibonite Valley and throughout the nation of Haiti so that one day, “Every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.”
If you want to hear more about this trip or find out how you can get involved with missions at Central, contact the church office or email missions@centralrr.com
See where Central is involved in our community and all over the world on our Missions page!
Worship with the hospital staff