HIS NAME IN HAITI: day four

As we end our third day in Haiti — and our second day of the women’s conference — it’s hard to know where to begin. The work of the Spirit is the direct result of your prayers. In spite of our inadequacies, God worked in a mighty way. We are women truly blessed. The only request we received yesterday from the pastor’s wives was for more—more teaching, more stories, and more of us pouring into her dear sisters. When we woke up this morning — many of us on the roof to relish the nighttime breeze—we prepared ourselves to speak even more.

So we told stories. We prayed with the ladies and worshipped with them. A woman sitting next to Mary Kay Taylor refused to smile until we began praising the Lord. Then her joy poured out. With her arms waving in praise and her voice loud with song, she turned to Mary Kay and taught her how to worship in Creole. Mary Kay waved her arms with this woman and she sang with joy. Together they rejoiced in a language that Mary Kay didn’t understand.

Madam Jeune asked that we give one dress to each of the pastor’s wives today so we began laying out all the beautiful dresses that you so lovingly picked for them, dresses of all shapes and sizes, in every color.

Ashley Krause, we missed you today! Thank you for all your hard work and love for these ladies. They rejoiced when they received these beautiful gifts. Some put them on right away to wear for the afternoon. Others made sure their dresses matched the handmade bags that Chris Akenson and so many of you sewed for them.

The remaining dresses will go to other ladies who lost their church attire in the earthquake. It will be a blessing to each of them.

Jenna Silva shared her heart this morning for people who don’t know God and told of how God can give them joy amidst oppression. Vicki Marshman spoke about her search for answers to life’s questions. Caryn Ogle began to share her story, and in the midst of it, Madam Juene asked her to sing. The Haitian ladies joined in the song of On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand, and God’s power flowed through the room. Melanie Dobson told the story of the friend she lost in the Haiti earthquake. And then Diane told of how God used suffering to transform her into a passionate follower, completely in love with Jesus.

As we went into our small groups, we could all feel the Spirit moving. On the first day, we had to draw women out, but today they were coming to us, eager to share their testimonies. “To tell you all the things God has done in my life,” many of them said. The women in each group — American and Haitian women alike — gathered around each woman and prayed a choir of Haitian and English words over her.

All of a sudden, the women in Ann Menke’s group were on their feet, singing and dancing, and in minutes all the groups across the sanctuary joined in the song. The women wrapped their arms around us as we danced together.

Diane told the women that they needed to come to the United States to teach us how to dance. And so they taught us how to dance for the Lord. One woman—Yanick Toussaint—even wrote a song and choreographed a dance. Just for Diane.

And the beautiful thing was….

Diane danced along.

What a wonderful life.

Who made it?

Jesus did it.

With what sewing machine?

His blood.

What thread?

The Holy Spirit.

Then turn around that I can see.

Here I am.

Turn around one more time

Let’s strike applause.

If I did not have Jesus,

I would not be alive.

Jesus has given all of us life. We are rejoicing with Yanick and all the other ladies.

Please join us in the dance.

With joy,

Allie and Melanie