64 More Souls

Tonight I was met at my front door by the pastor of the village of Touissant, a remote village at the top of the mountain.   Their church right now is a bamboo structure.

Some of you may remember me telling you the story of how, when I was here last March, the missionary I was with asked a crowded group how many in the room knew about the birth of Christ...to which the room was silent.  

Then one old man stood up and said something to the effect of, “Yes, I think I heard that story once.  Something about a shepherd.”

It was at that moment that I felt a strong confirmation of something I’d already been feeling for a long time, which was to bring God’s Word here.  

Well, tonight he had a list for me, written out in hand on school notebook paper, just like the pastor of the mountain church at Saven. 

On the list are 64 souls, front and back completely filled.  I wonder, would he have kept going if he’d had more paper?   Probably.  Any good shepherd would.  If you knew where to find food, beggar, wouldn’t you be happy to tell as many other beggars as you could where they might find some too?

“What do we do now?” he asked.

“Now I have to find a way to buy more Bibles.”

“When will you bring them?”

“When I can buy them, I’ll drive that scooter right there to Cayes, and I’ll pick them up.  Then I’ll get word to you to bring your people down to the hospital clinic.  Wi?”

“There are alot of people who are too old to make it down the mountain.” He said.  “What about them?”

“Tell all the people who are too old to come that I will come to them.  I don’t know how yet, but we’ll find a way.”  

(Rent a mule, I’m guessing?)

“OK! Very Good!” He smiles.  

So, here we go again Church.  Gitty-up!  Here’s a shot of some of the empty Bible boxes.  I say some, because I found out too late that Madame Tikilene had already thrown a bunch of them out onto the beach. 64 more souls equals $544 in Bibles, in case anyone is wondering about the need....

Another need would be your prayers that we could find the Bibles at a lower cost. I've heard tell of the possibility.

There will be a distribution on Sunday that should take care of the last Bibles I have.  That means the Mountain church should be fully supplied with God’s Word.

I wonder how long until there is fruit.  Maybe this year?  Maybe this decade?  Maybe God will show us when we get there...

By the way, on another note, there’s a momma dog here who is about to have pups.  She follows me wherever I go.  The Haitians laugh.   She has no manners.  Why should she? It’s not like anyone ever taught her to sit or stay.  She’s learned how to run and run fast from flying rocks.   Turn around quickly and she ducks.  But, she can sense it all over me I guess, so she jumps up in my lap, fleas, mange, chiggers and all, and rubs up against me like there’s no tomorrow.  She knows I’m a sucker for it.  Her eyes are purely the color of honey.  I told my daughter I’ve decided to name her Bee.

“Bee?! Why not Honey?” came the reply.

“Well because that name is reserved for Mommy.”

“Ahhhhhhhh.”   

So, Bee it is.  I’ll try to get a picture of her soon.

Bruiser and Bee.  I guess we’re in the B’s this month.