Louisiana Hot Sauce: 110912

110912  Louisiana Hot Sauce

I woke up really late this morning.  It was ridiculous, I mean, the sun was already half way up on the horizon.  ;)

I ran over to Mission Haiti to ask if anyone needed a lift to the market, since I’m trying out the Suzuki Sidekick for another day or so. There was a missionary up the peninsula that needed water so I was going to bring it. 

Getting ready to leave, a Christian ma’amwazelle hopped a ride, and even Madame Tililene and her daughter hopped in.  Before I knew it we had a full load, and I thought it was a great way to serve....

Until the car died.

I apologized to everyone and asked if they’d like to get out of the car because it was so hot.  

Nope, they said, happens all the time, no hurry to get there.  We talked about Darlene, her past, God grabbing a hold of her, and her belief that God has purposed for her to share His Gospel and preach.

A man stopped and handed me his jumper cables with the wires all pulled out, so after some quick surgery making them once again able to do what they were made to do,  I jumped us and we were off.... for another 2 miles.

The car died again.  

And the same man stopped and pulled out his cables.

I thanked him, and he told me,

“You will need to resolve this problem!”

He yanked the battery cable off and the car died immediately.

“Alternator!”  Cool. Didn’t know that was a way to check.  I guess I learned something today.

Madame Tikilene and her daughter hopped out, telling me they’d just catch a tap-tap.

Once again we were going down the road, once again I apologized to Darlene.... and then the car died at the market.

“Ok. Maybe God is saying.... “Wait?”

Darlene ran off to buy things at the market, and asked me if I needed anything.

“I had big plans, but if this is all the further I’m going to get today, can you try and find me some hot sauce?  Gotta have some sauce for them rice-n-beans... YUM.”

“Yes!” she smiled, and was off.

I called the owner and he came right out from Cayes. He’s a good man, a Christian, and he seems to have a good heart. 

He drove Darlene and I back to Ti Rivier, and the two of them got acquainted on the slow drive home.

Then I asked Maxon to repeat the God-sized story he’d told me the other day, to Darlene...

“One day I’m driving on my motorcycle, and God says, ‘Turn down this road.’ So I go.  I get to the end of the road and He tells me, ‘Give these people my Gospel.’

I say, ‘Why God. I’m not a pastor.’ 

God says, “Give it to them!”

I say, OK God.  So I make a shelter of the palm branches and people start coming.  I give them the Gospel, and they convert to Jesus.  Every night more come.

One night, as we pray, God says, “I’m going to give you all of this land to build on.”   I says to God, “All I have is a motorcycle, God.”  

God says, “Tell these people you’re going to have this land.”  So I tell everyone, “Listen.  God just tell me we’re gonna have this land, and we gonna build here, and there, and there, and there.”  

They all laughing at me.  They think I’m crazy!

So I start looking to other missionaries who have money, but God says, “They have their vision.  I gave you yours.”

Then one day, Digicell (the cell phone company) comes by the road and asks me if I can translate.  Then they ask me to build towers.  And I do a good job for them, so they contract me.  Now I build all over.  I build for other ministries. God just brings me the money,   And now we have 2 homes for children with HIV.  We have a church.  We have a clinic.  

Darlene was smiling and I said to her,

“Well, all I can show so far for today is a bottle of Louisiana Hot Sauce, and I know God had a bigger plan. It’s this right here.” 

See, Darlene wants to share the Gospel and preach.  Maxon is a preacher who has shared the Gospel.  

“So, OK!” God says.  “Hmmmm. Let’s see!  Dan needs to see Maxon’s car, Maxon will lend him the car to test drive.  Dan will get up early to drive some water to another missionary down the road, and Darlene will be down at the stop, waiting for a tap-tap to the market.  She’ll see Dan, hop in the car, and then I need her to meet Maxon.... So, OK! Right about there should do it.... Car! Stop working.”  

(Boom!  Car dies.  3 times.  Enough for me to realize God is trying to do something bigger than I can compute.)

God smiles and continues, “Maxon drives out.  Gives Dan and Darlene a ride home, and my servant Maxon tells his story about how I can accomplish ANYTHING through My people when they are faithful and obedient to My call......Darlene gets some fresh hope, Dan gets his hot sauce, and Maxon gets a little extra patience this morning....Gabriel?”

“Yes My Lord!”

 “Did you write all that down? I liked the way We worked that one.”  

“Yes My Lord!”

“Good.  Good.  Carry on.”

Madame Tikilene, by the way, was already home when I arrived.  She’d been to the market, paid some bills, and already caught the tap-tap back.  She looked at me in confusion, and with her shoulder-shrug there was no need for translation. I think it would gave gone something like.... “Dude, where’s your car?”

Bible #14 went to Lucien Blanc today, Darlene’s dad, who just became a Christian.  

In the morning I’ll be cracking into Case #2.