He called me Michael. I’m not sure why, but that is what he called me. I met my little buddy on a dirt field in Mon Flueri, Haiti. I was with my church and we were there to help a Haitian church plant a daughter church. Mon Flueri lies in a valley not too far from Jacmel, Haiti. However’ it is fairly isolated without electricity or running water. We were told it was like dry ground that wanted water and we soon found out how true that was.
Our schedule for the week was basically the same every day. Each morning we jumped into a pickup truck and bounced through congested Jacmel then off the paved road and over the mountain to Mon Flueri. Early morning was house to house visitation, back for lunch and siesta, then back to Mon Flueri for afternoon Vacation Bible School, a quick meal then evening revival services. It was exhausting, but so rewarding at the same time. Let me tell you some of the things God did on this trip!
On Monday morning our pickup bounced in Mon Flueri. When we got out of the truck there were five men standing together under a shade tree. We begin talking with them and shared the gospel. One man was already a believer. The other four men wanted to accept Christ, but they felt that had to get better first. About an hour or so and a few houses later we met a mom & her baby on the front porch. As we shared the gospel several other people joined us including one of the men from the first group and a woman from a previous house. Three adults and two teens prayed to receive Christ on the porch.
VBS started each afternoon around 3pm. We would drive to an open field and within 15 minutes 100-150 kids would materialize. Each day included singing, games, a craft and a Bible story. The men were in charge of games and crowd control and the ladies led singing and stories. They did an amazing job communicating the gospel every day to the kids. The crafts and games were also fun but nothing was more appreciated than love and affection.
Each evening two flatbed trucks descended into Mon Flueri carry a generator, sound equipment and a worship band. We took turns preaching the message. On January 12, 2010 Haiti experienced a devastating earthquake. Several Mon Flueri residents who were working in Jacmel or at a near by gravel mine were killed leaving several children orphaned. From our earthquake experience in 2008 I was able to share from Psalm 46:1-7. It was very personal for me.
By Friday we were all exhausted and some of us had been feeding the mosquitoes very generously. We flew back to the US on Saturday the 28th and on Sunday the 29th 140 people attended the Living Water church in Mon Flueri! Church planting in less than a week! We estimated 50 decisions for Christ in the week we were there. Since the church started there have been 50 more decisions; 100 new believers in the first month of the church! I have never experienced anything like it. What a privilege it was to help lead people to faith in Christ and bless them with kindness and encouraging words. Pray that God will continue the good work he has begun in Mon Flueri.
Story written by Walter Shaffer