Visiting New Churches

Since we are working with 8 different churches here in Haiti, it is not often we get an opportunity to visit new churches.  But this past Sunday was an exception.  Ben did not have to travel to Lagonav and Pastor Octavius at the Port-au-Prince church agreed that we could accept an invitation to visit a church in Montrouis.  This town located right on the ocean is about 10 minutes north of our home .

The pastor of the church is also a security guard at the Kaliko Beach Club.  We struck up a relationship with Josue soon after he started working there about 8 months ago.  Right away he told us he had a church and we have been able to pray for each other.  The church has been hoping we would come for a visit for quite some time.  Finally we made it for Sunday worship.

The church is small but there were lots of young children.  The building is located on a gently sloping hill and the benches are under the shade of a tarp.  The blue tarp has FEMA stamped on it.  Another donation from the American government that you find all over Haiti.  The people sang joyfully and I was able to preach a message from Matthew 4 on the temptation of Jesus.  The people were very friendly and we spent some time fellowshipping with them after the service.  Learning the names of the children is fun but always a challenge.  The are shy so they speak quietly.  And there are not many easy names like Pierre or Marie.

We are also thankful for the chance to meet with other missionaries at the Missionary Fellowship in Montrious. It is located just down the road from the Haitian church we visited.  Heather and the children went last Sunday when I was on Lagonav.  While our children have pointed out that is it not church - there is no preaching, no confession of sin, no offering - it is a good opportunity for fellowship and to make contacts in our area.  Our children are thankful for the friends they have made there and that they can see their friends regularly.

Keep praying for the expanding of the church in Haiti.  Pray for our missionary friends that they would be encouraged in their work.  It is amazing how diverse the missions are in Haiti.  It is not an easy place to work and the fellowship other struggling with the same issues is important.  Pray also as we desire to plant more churches in Haiti.  This is a long-term goal.  But it will be realized through the relationships built with men like Pastor Josue.  He is baptist, they have women leading parts of the service but he is teachable.  And we pray that as he might have opportunity to be exposed to biblical, reformed teaching, he would grow in his understanding of the Scriptures.  Maybe someday God will be pleased to plant a Reformed, Presbyterian church in Montrouis.