Meet Aldy!

I've been so excited to share Aldy's story with you because it is one of true transformation and true calling.

We all love Aldy because of his sweet and humble spirit.  When there is not quite enough food, he takes the smallest plate.  When there is no more room in the cab, he jumps in the back.  When there's a day of evangelism, he goes...when the kids are playing outside alone, he comes out early to play soccer with them...when the local church needs help, Aldy's there.

He never complains, is always grinning, and has such a servant's heart.

So when he told me that hasn't always been the case, and credited "Only by God's grace!" I was touched.  I am touched.

But I'll let him tell you...

"I was born in Ouanaminthe, Haiti, right on the border of the Dominican Republic.  My father and mother had four of us, two boys and two girls, but my father had other women, and when my mother died, he married one of them and started a new family and a whole different life.  

So now, I live at the Seminary all the time, and when I have to leave for breaks, I go and stay at my grandmothers house in Ouanaminthe.

Anyway, my family wasn't Christian, but in the Haitian Catholic tradition.  When I was a kid, I remember my uncle, my mom's brother, becoming a Christian, and everyone thinking he was kind of crazy.  But he always came to our house to tell us about Jesus, and he had always been way better to my family than my dad had been.  My mother loved him, and after some time, she became a Christian, too.  

But I was baptized into the Haitian Catholic tradition, and I always felt like I was being kept back from following Christ.

Eventually, my older brother began to follow Christ, too, and he was relentless.  I had a terrible reputation for arrogance.  Everyone always said that there was no point talking to me, because I already thought I knew everything and wouldn't listen to anyone.  I wanted to be an engineer.  I didn't think about anyone else and I knew I had nothing to learn.

But my brother, he just kept asking me and asking me to go to church with him, though I didn't think there was ANYTHING I needed from God, the church, or anyone else.  

I finally did, when I was 17, and I was instantly drawn to the services...I loved the preaching.  I loved the music.  I'd never heard anything like either before and I wanted to hear more and more.  Finally, I asked Jesus to take over, to change me, to be my Savior, to forgive me. 

He did.  All of those things.  My heart began to soften big time, and I changed entirely.

"I see THAT!" I interrupted Aldy here, noting how hard it was for me to imagine him being an arrogant know-it-all.

"It is God's Grace, teacher, God's GRACE," he said, looking down humbly.

Not long after I became a Christian, my mom died, and I felt that I should do some job that would help provide for my little sisters.  I thought about lots of different things, but felt like God was telling me that He had a different plan for me.  Every time I prayed, I felt like God was telling me to study His Word.  I think that's why He brought me to Emmaus, and when I came, I felt His Spirit.

I thought I needed to make lots of money to care for my family, but now He has given me an entirely different vision.  Suddenly, all I want is to be used by Him.

This is my heart:  The Gospel is here in Cap-Haitian and in my home town, but there are SO MANY places far away, in the mountains, in the desert, where there is NO Gospel, No Jesus.  Every time I go one of these far points with a fellow student or brother to help them minister there, I look out over the horizon and realize there is farther still.  

That's what I want.  I want to go farther still and share the Gospel.  

I feel on my heart there has been so much evangelism some places that people almost don't give it any importance anymore.  But when you find the places that have NO one to share the Gospel, no one to preach, they are so hungry.  I want to go THERE.

Today, over Easter break, Aldy has returned once again to Baron to spend his week's vacation helping support Ezechiel and work with the people of his church.

Please pray for Aldy with us, and if you feel led to join him in ministry here in Haiti or to join Emmaus in helping him...

Join ALDY now

(with 365685 ALDY as your project)

Email me and let me know if you or your family or church have committed to aligning with Aldy...and we'll move on to the next student!  Praise the Lord!