When I first met Jean Wilber, I found him to be striking. He was a well-built and solid man with a young family, and he had a quiet confidence. He was to be my next door neighbor in the new village, the former caretaker of the house we were now renting, and I knew we'd be knee-deep in the soup of eachother's lives sooner or later.
Sure enough, his little boy came down with the fever. Wilber soon was selling his goat so he could get him to the doctor, and we were giving him medicine to keep his temp down. We began to develop a friendship, and every so often he'd pick up a rock to tap on my gate, just to check-in. There's always an odd-job here or there that he's willing to jump into with me. One day I was watching him pick-axe his garden. I was working on the idea for the cistern, and a pastor-friend stopped by to say hello. His name is Lucner, and he translates very well. Wilber was heavy on my heart, and the pastor mentioned that he wasn't a Christian, so I asked him if he'd mind talking to him with me.
We walked up to Wilber, sweat dripping off of his brow from the hard work of breaking up the earth, and asked him if we could talk. Wilber stood up straight and became still, with a soft smile.
I pointed to the pipe coming out the back of my yard,
"I'm going to fix this pressure in my house, and the pipe there will bring the water. I see it's going to dump the water right on the path to your garden. Is this going to give you a problem?"
"No, no problem at all. My garden needs the water!" He said. He actually welcomed the news.
"What do you think of Jesus?" I said.
He smiled.
"I went to church a long time ago. I've been to many churches when I was younger, but I always had one foot in and one foot out. I never really jumped in. Still. I know God wants me. Sometimes He talks to me in my dreams. But I don't know. I don't know if I'm ready for that. Someday I think I will be. But not yet." He turned back to his pick-axe and began to break the ground.
"He calls you because He loves you. What good does it do to plan to come to Jesus at 12 o'clock, if you die at 11:59? None of us really know when we're going to meet Him face to face." I said.
Wilber stopped and put his hand up in the air.
"Hey, I'm a good man. Everyone here knows I'm a good man. In fact, when someone here couldn't pay me for my workmanship, they gave me a piece of their land. I'm a good man." He said.
"I know you're a good man, Jean Wilber. I can tell. I'm sure you're a better man than me. I'm sure anyone in this village would tell me how good you are. The problem is, none of them get to stand up for you when you stand before God. He is righteous. He is holy, and He doesn't measure the way we do. All that will matter is if we knew His Son and followed Him.
We all have sin, and that sin separates us from God. It's only through Jesus dying on the cross that we have a way back to Him. If we repent and follow Him, that's all that matters.
Measure me to you, and I'm a horrible man, because I've done terrible things in my life, and I'm no good. But I won't stand on my on my own goodness when I meet God. I will stand on the righteousness of Jesus."
There was a soft silence before he spoke again. This time his voice was more tender.
"I play the drums for the nightclub across the street. It's how I provide for my family. I don't make money outside of that. There's no jobs, and I can't go to church and still play the drums."
"You absolutely can!" I said. "Are you kidding? You can play your drum for Jesus. There's a church I go to in a little fishing village out in the country. A man there plays the drums, and he's amazing. He leads all of the people in worship. They give praise to God, and his drum keeps the beat.
There's another meaning behind the pipe that I was telling you about, Wilber.
I'm like that pipe that's about to bring the water, but instead of water I'm about to bring Jesus into this village. (In reality, Jesus was already there.) And you're my next door neighbor, my friend. What I'm bringing is going to pour out all over your path, and into your garden. I know you need what I'm bringing, and I hope it doesn't give you a problem."
He began to laugh.
"No problem. It's all good." He said, shaking my hand. "I can see you being here will be good for me."
"If you'd ever like to come to church with me, you are always welcome. There will always be a place for you." I said, and Wilber nodded.
But guess what, Reader?
The story doesn't end there.I downloaded Go Fish's rendition of Drummer Boy (which is awesome, by the way), and then translated the words in Kreyol. I gave the CD and the words to Wilber.
"Come," they told me Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
A newborn king to see
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
"Our finest gifts we bring"
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
"To lay before the king"
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
So to honor Him Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
When we come
Little baby Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
I am a poor boy, too
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
I have no gift to bring
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
That's fit to give a king
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Shall I play for you? Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
On my drum
On my drum
I play my drum
I play my drum
For the one who saved me
Mary nodded
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
The ox and lamb kept time
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
I played my drum for Him
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
I played my best for Him
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Then He smiled at me
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
I play my drum
I play my drum
For the one who saved me.
Wilber loved it. He came to church with me the next week, and the message spoke to him. The worship was great, the music was good, and the man was visibly moved. A girl from the church asked his name, and he waved her off, but then another man came and asked, and Jean Wilber relented and gave his information. I introduced him to the pastors of the church, and on the ride home, he told me he'd like to come again.
So, this week we did invite him again.
Wilber came with us, this time with his boy, all the way past Valer, then Ti Rivier, then St. Jean, all the way to Krabye, to the little fishing village, to the church where the man plays the drums for Jesus.
Worship began and the man began to play. Wilber watched him closely. Soon he was moving to the music.
I gave the message, and Wilber listened intensely.
Then when I sat down, the pastor asked him to please come forward.
Sure enough, his little boy came down with the fever. Wilber soon was selling his goat so he could get him to the doctor, and we were giving him medicine to keep his temp down. We began to develop a friendship, and every so often he'd pick up a rock to tap on my gate, just to check-in. There's always an odd-job here or there that he's willing to jump into with me. One day I was watching him pick-axe his garden. I was working on the idea for the cistern, and a pastor-friend stopped by to say hello. His name is Lucner, and he translates very well. Wilber was heavy on my heart, and the pastor mentioned that he wasn't a Christian, so I asked him if he'd mind talking to him with me.
We walked up to Wilber, sweat dripping off of his brow from the hard work of breaking up the earth, and asked him if we could talk. Wilber stood up straight and became still, with a soft smile.
I pointed to the pipe coming out the back of my yard,
"I'm going to fix this pressure in my house, and the pipe there will bring the water. I see it's going to dump the water right on the path to your garden. Is this going to give you a problem?"
"No, no problem at all. My garden needs the water!" He said. He actually welcomed the news.
"What do you think of Jesus?" I said.
He smiled.
"I went to church a long time ago. I've been to many churches when I was younger, but I always had one foot in and one foot out. I never really jumped in. Still. I know God wants me. Sometimes He talks to me in my dreams. But I don't know. I don't know if I'm ready for that. Someday I think I will be. But not yet." He turned back to his pick-axe and began to break the ground.
"He calls you because He loves you. What good does it do to plan to come to Jesus at 12 o'clock, if you die at 11:59? None of us really know when we're going to meet Him face to face." I said.
Wilber stopped and put his hand up in the air.
"Hey, I'm a good man. Everyone here knows I'm a good man. In fact, when someone here couldn't pay me for my workmanship, they gave me a piece of their land. I'm a good man." He said.
"I know you're a good man, Jean Wilber. I can tell. I'm sure you're a better man than me. I'm sure anyone in this village would tell me how good you are. The problem is, none of them get to stand up for you when you stand before God. He is righteous. He is holy, and He doesn't measure the way we do. All that will matter is if we knew His Son and followed Him.
We all have sin, and that sin separates us from God. It's only through Jesus dying on the cross that we have a way back to Him. If we repent and follow Him, that's all that matters.
Measure me to you, and I'm a horrible man, because I've done terrible things in my life, and I'm no good. But I won't stand on my on my own goodness when I meet God. I will stand on the righteousness of Jesus."
There was a soft silence before he spoke again. This time his voice was more tender.
"I play the drums for the nightclub across the street. It's how I provide for my family. I don't make money outside of that. There's no jobs, and I can't go to church and still play the drums."
"You absolutely can!" I said. "Are you kidding? You can play your drum for Jesus. There's a church I go to in a little fishing village out in the country. A man there plays the drums, and he's amazing. He leads all of the people in worship. They give praise to God, and his drum keeps the beat.
There's another meaning behind the pipe that I was telling you about, Wilber.
I'm like that pipe that's about to bring the water, but instead of water I'm about to bring Jesus into this village. (In reality, Jesus was already there.) And you're my next door neighbor, my friend. What I'm bringing is going to pour out all over your path, and into your garden. I know you need what I'm bringing, and I hope it doesn't give you a problem."
He began to laugh.
"No problem. It's all good." He said, shaking my hand. "I can see you being here will be good for me."
"If you'd ever like to come to church with me, you are always welcome. There will always be a place for you." I said, and Wilber nodded.
But guess what, Reader?
The story doesn't end there.I downloaded Go Fish's rendition of Drummer Boy (which is awesome, by the way), and then translated the words in Kreyol. I gave the CD and the words to Wilber.
"Come," they told me Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
A newborn king to see
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
"Our finest gifts we bring"
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
"To lay before the king"
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
So to honor Him Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
When we come
Little baby Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
I am a poor boy, too
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
I have no gift to bring
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
That's fit to give a king
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Shall I play for you? Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
On my drum
On my drum
I play my drum
I play my drum
For the one who saved me
Mary nodded
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
The ox and lamb kept time
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
I played my drum for Him
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
I played my best for Him
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Then He smiled at me
Pah-rump-pah-pum-pum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
Me and my drum
I play my drum
I play my drum
For the one who saved me.
Wilber loved it. He came to church with me the next week, and the message spoke to him. The worship was great, the music was good, and the man was visibly moved. A girl from the church asked his name, and he waved her off, but then another man came and asked, and Jean Wilber relented and gave his information. I introduced him to the pastors of the church, and on the ride home, he told me he'd like to come again.
So, this week we did invite him again.
Wilber came with us, this time with his boy, all the way past Valer, then Ti Rivier, then St. Jean, all the way to Krabye, to the little fishing village, to the church where the man plays the drums for Jesus.
Worship began and the man began to play. Wilber watched him closely. Soon he was moving to the music.
I gave the message, and Wilber listened intensely.
Then when I sat down, the pastor asked him to please come forward.
"I know you are not converted, but Dan loves you." He said. "You are not converted....But Dan loves you. He is your friend. He is my friend. So, someone here would like to encourage you and give you some advice..."
The man who played the drums came forward.
"I used to play the drums for evil." He said. "But one day I put that all down, and began to follow Jesus. Now I play my drum for Him. And God has made a way for me ever since that day."
Wilber was very still.
I opened my journal and for the first time wrote these words for another soul, through tears:
"December 2, 2012, at 11:28 a.m.
-God just reached out to Jean Wilber. If God can reach out to the back country of Haiti to reach this man with another man, who used to play the drums for evil...why there isn't anyone He can't reach."
-God just reached out to Jean Wilber. If God can reach out to the back country of Haiti to reach this man with another man, who used to play the drums for evil...why there isn't anyone He can't reach."
Nothing is impossible for Him! Nothing! Think of it, Reader. He cares so much and so deeply and intimately for this drummer boy, that He reaches him through the testimony of another drummer boy, to tell him that He loves him....that He will take care of him.
We drove all the way home with hardly a word. Wilber thanked me and left quickly, and I wondered how it had all impacted him.
Then tonight, just as the light was going, there came that familiar tapping on the gate.
Wilber came in, smiling from ear to ear.
"I'm very happy, Dan." He said.
"I'm happy too." I said.
"I'm VERY HAPPY." He said seriously. "Today was a good day. The church was good. The message was good. When the pastor spoke and the other man spoke, it was very good for me to hear. I know you pray for me. Thank You! I'll see you tomorrow, we can work on building the steps to the well....if God wants."
Amen!
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