A CAUSE FOR REJOICING

 We are excited to join the BMM staff for morning devotions.  This conversation almost turned me into a shouting old time Methodist but I was a shouting Baptist in stead.

 

 

Earlier this morning I spoke directly with Pastor Dieupie, (rhymes with Chirpie) Cherubin, pastor of Hosanna Baptist Church in Jacmel, Haiti.  Ruthie and her mother reared this young man from the time he was 8 years old.  Ruthie sent him to Bob Jones University and helped with his tuition expenses plus Dieupie was on the university's Timothy Program.  Last Sunday he was still not recovered completely from the physical exhaustion of previous weeks and considered having another man to preach for him.  Gedeon, an unusually talented trumpet player, was with him.   When Pastor D indicated he might not preach, Gedeon expressed extreme disappointment because he had invited a friend who needed to trust in Christ.  He pled with Dieupie to preach because he believed the time was ripe for her conversion.  This young preacher said, "I will do it."  He then told me he had never preached with such a knowledge of the unction of the Holy Spirit and this lady made a profession of Christ as did a host of others.

 

Next we talked about the evangelistic campaign which began Monday night.  Dieupie had approached the mayor and asked permission to use the town square for his church to preach the gospel.  This area would in regular times been the main site for the town's world famous Mardis Gras Celebration.  Permission was granted and God began to work.  My friends, Tom and Sarah Bennett of Mission for Haiti, were contacted.  Jan Milton of Operation Renwed Hope also participated by sending equipment, transporting my friend of many years, Dr. Frank Garlock, Shelley Hamlton plus Sarah and two other ladies who would join in the special music.  Monday night rain threatened to spoil the meeting but Dieupie urged the crowd of 2500 people to wait because he was convinced the Lord would stop the rain-AND HE DID!  That evening 40 persons made professions of faith in Jesus Christ.  The crowds grew the next night and another 20 responded to the invitation.  Last evening between 4 and 5 thousand people were in the public square to hear the gospel and again 20 responded.  A woman was there whom many knew was under deep conviction.  She explained that today, (as I write),  she wanted the pastor and the deacons to accompany her as she burned her fetishes in the presence of her father. This takes real courage but is proof of the reality of her coming to Christ.  One night remains and I expect God to work again.  I have always been skeptcal of conversions which were connected with some emotional event and later  were forgotten.  But there is a moving of God everywhere on this side of the island of Hispanola.   Haitians have stared death in the eye ball and now understand what James meant in the 4th chapter: "for what is your life?  It is even a vapor which appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away."  Many hearts of people have been prepared for the presentation of the saving gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  They are responding to the wooing of the Holy Spirit.  On Friday of this week one of our Seminary staff will begin discipleship meetings with these who have made decisions to follow the Lord.  Intensive followup will be done by the Hosanna Baptist Church. 

 

Pray for the days ahead for this church and pastor.  Historically mountain top experiences are often followed by valleys of defeat.  Our prayer is that this is just the beginning of revival among God's people and a great influx of new believers in Jesus Christ our wonderful Lord.

 

Join us in praising the Lord our God!

 

Dr. Roy and Ruth Shelpman

Baptist Mid Missions missionaries

to Haiti.

Before and After Pictures

Haiti Crusade

>

> Praise God—another miracle! Susan Jones now has her passport in hand
> ! With the snow snorm in Washington, D.C. and government offices bei
> ng shut down—we were told nothing would be happening before next Tue
> sday. God intervened—as only He can do—and Bob Inglis' office in
> D.C. as well as the Passport office opened yesterday with a two hour
> delay. The Passport office had a tremendous backlog of work to do—b
> ut were willing and able to find Susan's passport in time to process
> it and send it out by 4:00 yesterday, to be picked up by Federal Ex
> press. Susan had to jump through hoops because of unbelievable roadb
> locks getting the passport to the Greenville Fed. Ex. office since;
> but God is faithful and it was found and she was able to go pick it
> up.
>
> Pray for the people of Haiti. The Haitian government has declared
> this week-end as days of prayer and fasting for all of Haiti. This
> is unheard of there. The Haitian authorities are asking all of the
> world to join them in prayer. We have reports that even witch
> doctors are accepting Christ as Savior. The witch doctors are saying
> they cannot get contact with the evil spirits since the quake. They
> believe the evil spirits have left the island and are in chaos.
> Praise be to God!
>
> Many Haitians are getting saved—with over 100 professions of salvati
> on at the Hosanna Baptist Church alone. Please pray for Pastor Dieup
> ie of Hosanna. Pastor D has contracted malaria, and is very ill. He
> is to be the preacher at the crusades next week. The crusades will b
> e from Monday thru Friday evenings at 6:00, Feb. 15-19. WE NEED THE
> PRAYERS OF GOD'S PEOPLE. May God be glorified in our evangelistic ef
> forts.
>
> Shelly

SPECIAL MEETINGS IN JACMEL WITH SHELLY & DR GARLOCK

FROM SHELLY HAMILTON:
Our team will be in Jacmel, Haiti  for a week with Monday thru Friday evening crusade meetings (February 15-19). Hosanna Baptist Church, where Dad ministered while in Haiti, has been given the downtown arena area to use for a Christian crusade. Pastor Dieupie of Hosanna Baptist has been a hero with the mayor and people of Jacmel, as he and his church have become the distribution center for all the food and supplies brought into Jacmel.

This week of February is usually the carnival for Mardi Gras in Haiti. This carnival is dedicated to worshipping Satan and the evil spirits. Thousands of Haitians come to the downtown area in Jacmel for this important week. God has given us this opportunity to usurp Satan's seat and bring in the gospel.
We are VERY excited.

The musical team going in for the crusade consists of Dad, Linsey Haught, and hopefully Susan Jones, as well as myself and missionary friend Sarah Bennett of Mission for Haiti.

Thank you for praying for Satan's hands to be tied, God's safety, and for the souls of many to come to trust in Jesus as Saviour.

Rejoicing in the Lord, Shelly

Statistics on Jacmel

Out today from the UN in Jacmel-- statistics ON Jacmel, which is a city of 34,000... 1,785 homes completely destroyed 4,410 homes partially destroyed 87 commercial businesses destroyed 54 schools destroyed 24 hotels destroyed 26 churches destroyed 5,730 families displaced Death count approaching 3,000 (nearly 10%)