Power of a Testimony: Martin

I had just left one group of young people from our Kentucky/Indiana team, having taken plenty of photos of them as they shared the Gospel with several different households in Dérac, a dusty town near the Dominican Republic border.

They were well prepared to share the Gospel, but needed a little help with some of the more conversational aspects to meeting people and beginning a dialogue about faith here. "How are you?" "How's your family?" "Do you have any children?" "How many people live with you here?", "Are you part of a church?" "Is there something you'd like us to pray for you about?"

Part of those conversations helped us learn that this lady had four children, one of whom had been in hospital for two months with some leg problems. She spoke about attending the local Catholic church, her faith, and of holding firm to God and following Him. Though she didn't have a Bible, she talked about the importance of knowing and hearing God's Word. We were able to pray for her and for her family. She was very glad to have the solar radio/audio New Testament we left with her.

I'd been engrossed in these conversations (at times translating) then remembered that I needed to photograph some of the 4VEH staff that had come with us on the distribution. I wanted to get some photos of Haitians (4VEH staff) ministering to Haitians (people receiving the radios), to try and balance out the foreigner focus that is a natural outcome of taking photos when visiting teams are here.  

I found Elijah (from Columbus), Martin (UK team) (from the left), and Elima and Rosa (from the right) in conversation with Jacques (blue shirt). Rosa translated for Martin and Elijah's benefit, saying, "Jacques wants to accept Jesus." Great, I thought, got here just in time.

As the conversation moved into the man's home, and he continued sharing his story, my eyes started welling up with tears as I recalled the conversation Martin and I had had in the back of the truck on the way here. Martin had been a drunk, neglecting his family, until he ended up in church (where his wife attended) and heard the Gospel for the first time. His face beamed as he told me how God had transformed his life.

Now standing at the door of this man's small home, I'm having a God moment. You know, when you realize God's in this, He's planned this, His fingerprints are all over what's going on right now. Why? Because Jacques was having troubles in his marriage, and he knew he needed the Savior. Martin shared powerfully how God had transformed his life, his marriage and his family - not overnight, but slowly as Martin lived out the new life he had found in Jesus. And Jacques came to Jesus.

And who knows 

but that you have come to your royal position

[...to Haiti on this mission trip...to this village...to the place that you, reader, are at...]

for such a time as this?  

(Esther 4:14)

And Martin was there to witness Jacques making that life-changing decision for himself, as Elima led Jacques in a simple sinner's prayer.

What joy!

Rosa and Elima (both 4VEH presenters) show Jacques how to use
his new 4VEH solar radio/audio New Testament, letting him know when he can hear them on the radio.
They also took his phone number to stay in touch, and urged him to connect with the local church for support. 

If there's one common theme that I'm seeing and learning during our time here, it's the power of our testimonies, of testifying to what God has done and is doing in our lives. What about you? Who are you sharing your God story with?