this is BIG

Today was a BIG day. It didn't start big. We planned to go to church right across the street. Matt didn't have to preach. We didn't have any visitors to translate for. A few friends were coming for lunch. "Bless us with your sweet presence" I had prayed this morning, wanting nothing else.

By His grace, He gave us that, and much more.

As we walked up to the church, I saw Frandia standing outside. She was the "first" convert I have spoken of frequently, and for weeks as Belony and I have opened the Word to her, we've talked to her about going to church. We've spoken to her about the importance, especially as one who lives entirely in a non-Christian household, about spending time worshiping the Lord with other believers. But each week, she has had a reason why church wasn't for her.

But this morning she was outside, scraping mud off her shoes, and though she looked quite uncomfortable and was wearing a rather failed-attempt at appropriate church clothing, she was THERE, and she and I both broke into a big grin at the sight of each other.

"Lord, this is big!" I prayed silently as we walked in together.

After some opening announcements, Abel stood to introduce any visitors, but said that this week there were two new Christians to introduce. "Joseph" Abel nodded, and a few pews over Joseph stood, a previous gate guard for EBS. A man who had spent his life in a Catholic / Voodoo mix of religion, this past Tuesday he came and found pastor Janiel, saying, "Today is the day. I want to be a Christian. Tell me how."

It was all I could do to keep from clapping my hands in joy, when Abel introduced the second, who sat right in front of us. We could tell he was young, but then he turned around, and we recognized him immediately. Remember the day when several young men from Sakanville stood outside the gate, behaving quite badly? And Matt prayed that one of these Saul's would one day be a Paul?

Kenson was in front of them, throwing rocks and spouting off mouthy responses to each word of peace Matt spoke. "With so much energy and passion and intelligence, Stacey, these men could do BRILLIANCE unto the Lord. We have to keep praying," Matt had told me.

This morning, in front of all of his peers and neighbors, Kenson stood. "I am a Christian now," he said strong and slow. THIS IS BIG.

We were floored. Making an announcement like that here is not the same as it might be in the States. He won't drive 30 minutes home and not see any of these people until next Sunday. They will see his every moment, hear his every speech, watch his every move. He pronounced to Sakanville this morning that he has died, and been born again a new person, and 100 people will be holding him accountable.

Beside him sat three other young men, all in jeans and t-shirts. This completely unacceptable dress for church in Haiti was entirely ignored by the whole church, who welcomed these men the same as everyone else, and I breathed another silent prayer..."LORD, THANK YOU." They were friends of Kenson's, that he had brought with him.

"Don't you want to become Christians today?" Abel asked them. "Not yet," they each said, but Matt whispered hope next to me. "If this is real, Kenson will bring them to the Lord." (After the service, Matt and Kenson had a long talk, and Matt quickly saw that all of the attitude, hatred and bitterness formerly possessing Kenson have been entirely replaced with a quiet joy.)

Pastor Janiel announced that every night this week there will be services, calling this week a "Week of Revival"...please be praying for these, starting tonight through next Sunday, from 5-7 pm. Pictures to come.

Overwhelmed by the miracles around me, the service began, but it wasn't until the end that that they brought me to tears. Right at the very end of the two hour service, and old man stood from the old-man-row, and picked up a stick and headed out the door.

It was Pehpay.

He met my eye and grinned, holding our hands for a moment in joy before heading home.

Pehpay should be dead. DO YOU HEAR ME? I was THERE. I held his dying hand. Pehpay lived his whole life in darkness. Pehpay should be at the beginning of an eternity of death, darkness and HELL. Pehpay should be dead.

Instead, Pehpay has been given NEW life in every way imaginable. He walked 6 blocks, by himself, to church this morning. He is just at the beginning of an eternity of glory, of love, and of sweet communion with his new found Father. Pehpay is ALIVE.

IT IS A MIRACLE, friends. Miracles, all of it. I saw 5 miracles this morning, family, with my own eyes. I was THERE. Family, I'll never have anything more sweet to share with you than this. I was THERE today, and so were YOU.

Dan and Gill, Gord and Doreen, all that you did down here to build the Seminary and His kingdom, you played a part in the bigness of today. Sam and Cammie, all the hours you spent pouring Jesus into these brothers and sisters, Christ in you did BIG things today. Have you prayed for Sakenville? Given 1$ to build a seminary in its midst? Come on a team? Prayed for Haiti? Prayed for us? YOU were there today. Christ in you, the hope of glory for Sakanville.

In this little block church in a little quiet community on a little distant island, God's doing the same thing He did for me. Called me to Him, took on my sins, and exchanged my spirit of death for a beautiful spirit of LIFE. As steadily as He's changing me, He's changing Sakanville, and doing what He does best....the impossible.

Glwa a Dye...Glory to God