T+3 Visiting the saints

John Paton, missionary to Vanuatu, islands in the south Pacific near Australia has written: "Oh, Jesus! To Thee alone be all the glory. Thou hast the key to unlock every heart that Thou hast created." We have again and again seen evidence of that as we visit the churches here on the island of La Gonave. Here are people who live in a country where Vodou and false religion have held sway for years. Yet by God's grace they have trusted in Christ and recieved the gift of eternal life. And though their external circumstances can be very difficult the joy of the Lord is there. They sing and pray with a zeal that makes me wonder if I always love Christ that much.

It was a long day because the roads are tortuous and winding. We joked today that we can't say anymore that there are no paved roads on La Gonave, but the 1/4 mile total of paved road is not all in one place. One-hundred yards here and another hundred there. Not sure I wanted to sit down all evening after bouncing around the pickup. We did see some beautiful scenery though.

The saints at Nan Mangot, Nan Cafe and Bon Pin would greet you. They would say "mesi pou priye pou nou." Thanks for praying for us. They need your prayers because life is hard. Begin by praying for rain for the crops. In places there has not been as much as needed.

All of us had a chance for a ti pawol (little talk) when we were introduced to the churches and I gave a short devotional at Nan Cafe and Bois Pin. Mrs. Freeman (Matt Baugh's mother) commented that it was wonderful that they could visit the people that Matt talked of so often. But it was also a wonderful providence that I could visit with them. Things have come full circle in the sense that there is now someone else coming to continue the work. A humbling thought.

We teach Wednesday and Thursday when the men come to join us for the training on the Westminster Shorter Catechism. Pray for their travels and energy to learn. Pray that Pastor Douglas and I would communicate effectively the truths of the Scriptures and the love of Christ for his church.