Witch Doctors and Mud Baths…
So this afternoon after church we had the awesome
opportunity to go witness to the village people, and no I don’t mean the YMCA
people! Our friend and contact here, Wilfred, grabbed some supplies and we
headed down the side of the mountain by foot.
After a good walk down the dirt road interstate and car/dump
truck mirrors nearly taking off our faces we head up a mud road; past a fence,
around the corner, through a cornfield, along a path in the grass worn by
walkers by.
As we approach a small hut made of a tin roof, small slabs
of wood, and what looks like torn up shirts, we are greeted by 2 men and 2
children; one man grinding corn and the other sitting on the root system of
some unknown foreign tree.
In talking to them our translator, Wilfred, tells us that
the man on the roots is a witch doctor of sorts. Our conversation was not
friendly, but jumped immediately into God…
He explains he is not prepared to give his life to God. He
feels that there are some things he needs to do first. We explain that the gift
of God is by no means something we “prepare� ourselves for and that there is
absolutely nothing we can do for it. It is just a gift that God has offered to
each one of us including him.
We invite him to come to the church at the orphanage and he
agrees. Just like that. A 5 minute conversation and the man is willing to at
least come and look at what Christ has to offer..
Another hike through a field and we approach another small
shack. This time we are met by a man, his wife, what appears to be his father
and mother, and 4 children of various ages. This man has been talked to before
by the pastor of our church, Pastor Eve. He is a witch doctor, and Pastor Eve
has explained that this is not the life he should be living.
This man, Manuel, is hungry for Christ. He does not claim
Christianity just yet, but he knows the promise and wants to begin a Christian
walk for him and his family. We prayed with them both, cast out all spirits
that are not of God, prayed for the Spirit to move and stir in their hearts,
and prayed for understanding of the gift of salvation to come to these people.
They have both said that they plan to come to church this
Sunday. Pray earnestly for them both. 2 men knowing the powers of voodoo are in
need of a Christ. 2 men both hungry, pray that the Spirit will be there meal…
About the end of these conversations it begins to rain
slightly as it does so often in Haiti..
So, the already mud filled paths that we walked along to get
here are getting muddier.. I am pretty sure my shoes gained about 5 pounds by
the time we made it back to the main road. But it was a mud bath well worth
taking to meet those men and women. I look forward to going back.
