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.