“Almost…”

What a powerful word. It can bring joy and gladness, and thankfulness…

“I almost had a wreck, but God saved my life.”

Or, it can bring sadness…

“I almost got that house I wanted.” “I almost obeyed the Lord.” “I almost told that man about Jesus.”

In Acts 26:28, I think is one of the saddest scriptures in the Bible. Here is Apostle Paul, sent by God, to appear before King Agrippa. Now, King Agrippa is giving Apostle Paul the opportunity to give his testimony… And Apostle Paul tells how God saved him, about his conversion on the road to Damascus, and how the Lord gave him a vision and how he accepted Jesus. Then King Agrippa said unto Paul, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian.”

The almost same exact thing happened to me when I met a witch-doctor years ago. Each time we had to go by this witch doctor’s hut (en route to our Church/School in Demesseau, Haiti), this witch doctor would see us coming and stand in the middle of the road. When we asked him what he needed, he would say, “I have a headache.” I would give him medicine for his headache, etc. this went on a couple of times…

His hut was scary. It had all kinds of Voodoo things in his year… a skull on a stick, a bowl of blood, a doll’s head, weird things.

One day, when we were going, he stopped our truck in the middle of the road. He wanted us to come to his “hut.” Bobby said, “You go, baby. You speak better Creole than I do!” (Thank you, Bobby!)

Being the “obedient wife,” I walked down into his Voodoo hut… just him and “me”! The room was so small, small enough for only about two people. On the wall were pictures of Mary, Joseph, Jesus. And on the table, was a small, white Voodoo Bible!

After telling him about Jesus, how He died for this man, and how the Lord wanted to save him. He said, “I am almost persuaded. I will become a Christian when your husband preaches at your church.” I said, “No if you do not become a Christian now, you will lose your chance.” Nevertheless, he would not. He was “almost persuaded.”

About two weeks later, we had to go back. When we passed by his hut, there was no one around. It was empty. The neighbors came out to see me, and said, “Mr. Bernice Dermicien, the witch doctor, he died last week.” I was so sad…

“Almost,” is a powerful word. If the Lord is speaking to you to do something, no matter what, do not be “almost persuaded” to do it… Just do it! You may have only one chance to obey, and “obedience is better than sacrifice.”

Have a great day,
Sherry

We could not possibly be any prouder of our children at Love A Child. They are reaching high for education and serving the Lord! They work hard to rise above the problems of Haiti…

We found Roselyne when she was a young girl… We had a Mobile Medical Clinic in the mountains, and her poor father brought her to us with “extremely crooked legs.” We did not have any idea of how to find a doctor or surgeon for her. We took her to some doctors, thinking they would put braces on her, but they did “nothing,”… only charging money. But, as she grew, her crooked legs began to straighten out!!!

You can always find Roselyne on her knees, early in the morning, before the sun is up. She is a young lady who loves the Lord! She has been in college to become a doctor, and she is now completing her first year! She wrote to us to thank everyone for their love and prayers. She also needed a list of “doctor items,” (i.e., stethoscope, uniform, blood pressure items, and so much more). She is so proud of finishing her first year, even with all the gangs on the street, the riots, the burning roadblocks, etc. Her mind is “made-up!”

One day soon, you will see “Dr. Roselyne” working alongside “Dr. Barthelemy,” at our Jesus Healing Center. That is her dream and her goal.. and God is going to make this possible!

Thank you and God bless you,
Sherry

“You’re Missing One Thing.”

I always hear people talking about “how much they love the poor.” There are a “lot” of “extremely rich families” in Haiti. They live high, high up in the mountains in a private area. Their homes are much alike, or some even better, than some movie stars. They have the biggest, highest walls for security and privacy. They send their children to schools in Paris or other countries. There is never any lack of money. When they are on the plane, they are talking French about “what they have,” and “where they are going,” but they never talk about what they are doing to help the poor. In fact, they “don’t even want to see the poor!”

I get “angry to tears,” when we have to drive up the mountain and go past their “bourgeois subdivision” knowing there are starving children at the bottom of the mountain, but these people, “don’t even want to see them.” They consider the poor, “non-existent.”

These certain people go to church on Sunday, but they lack one thing… This is what Jesus said to one rich, young ruler. Jesus tried to tell the rich, young ruler, “One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give it to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.” Mark 10:21- In other words, Jesus was telling him, “You’re missing one thing.”

The problem wasn’t “having great possessions,” the problem was, “He was possessed by his possessions.” It’s not a sin to possess great riches, but it is a sin, for your riches “to possess you.” Bobby and I pray every morning. We ask the Lord for wisdom, knowledge, and understanding. We ask God for wisdom. Wisdom will guide you in your giving. Have a great day and start looking for someone you can bless today!

Sherry

Bianca came to us when she was a young girl, along with two other siblings. Her aunt brought the children to us, telling us that their parents died in one of those “Haitian sailboats,” trying to make it to the states. The children were young and really needed a good home… so we took them in.

Bianca is in her last year of high school. She is “different” than all the other children. She is quiet and usually in her room, doing research on school subjects. When she is bored, she loves to do housework and chores… but, “she really loves to cook,” and is a good cook!!!

She speaks French, Creole, and Spanish. She has a beautiful voice but has only sung a solo once and everyone stood on their feet!! She has one goal in life… to be a surgeon! She reads everything she can find about this!!

The best thing is that “she loves the Lord!” We love Bianca and we can’t wait to see what the future will bring for her!

Sherry

“David hastened, and ran toward the army to meet the Philistine (Goliath, the giant). And David put his hand in his bag, and took thence a stone, and slang it, and smote the Philistine in his forehead, that the stone sunk into his forehead; and he fell upon his face to the earth.” 1 Samuel 17:48-49

We all face “giants” in our life, but God never wants us to be afraid. He will give us the “right stone” to defeat the enemy!

Bobby and Sherry

Dieubon… It means, “God is good!” 

That is certainly true of Dieubon. We found him years ago during a Mobile Medical Clinic near Fond Parisien. His parents were living in a hut with five other children, and Dieubon had severe “club feet.” (Club foot and hydrocephalic children are more common in Haiti.)

We could not find a surgeon that we thought could do a good job, but some of our friends, Dr. Chester and Debbie, offered to find a physician and take care of him until he was ready to leave Haiti. Dieubon had the best of care. Before long, he was walking very well. Then, he had a major problem with spina bifida. (A birth defect that occurs when the spine and spinal cord don’t form properly). So, he also had a type of surgery for spina bifida. When he was well enough, we brought him back to Haiti. Because of his spinal problems, he never grew very tall. We needed to find a job for him that won’t be too strenuous, but we want to give him a chance to stand “on his own two feet.” So, we put him on our painting crew. Dieubon gets the jobs “closest to the ground!”  With his job, he helps support his family.

Everyone loves him! The kids call him “Haitian Spongebob!” He is sweet, kind, obedient, and “very funny.” We all love Dieubon!!! Let’s see what God is going to do in his life!!

Sherry