Hurricane Sandy (I'm not sure where they came up with that name!!) poured buckets of rain on Haiti, creating havoc in the village to houses, roads, and crops!! On the third day of rain, despite the weather circumstances, Burt had the privilege of driving the SW medical team to a remote village clinic in Nial. (You can see above the conditions of the roads!) This clinic served a great purpose in providing many with medical care, however it became evident that God had an even greater purpose! A 40 year old man had come to the clinic to be treated for shingles, he was very downtrodden and the doctor found out that he had lost his wife in July and had been unable to attend the funeral due to his poor health. Life had become a huge burden for him. Through counsel, prayer and God's direction this man accepted Christ that day in the clinic. He left the clinic a different man then when he entered, not only with physical healing but with the greatest gift ~ spiritual healing. Later that same day, he returned. This time, with his brother who also wanted to know Christ. What joy the team experienced to lead the brother to the Lord as well ... and what joy the men had in their hearts! The two men were instructed that now they could go out into their village and share the good news of Jesus.
In conclusion, many of you are aware of Burt's penny story. God gave Burt an analogy several months before we left. It goes like this: In today's society we discard pennies, and they will, in a few short years, be discontinued as they cost more than they are worth. God laid on his heart how in many ways we treat lost souls the same way ... casting them aside as worthless. He asked our church family to contribute any pennies they had, and the pennies would be a reminder to Burt & I, of the many who need to hear the good news of the gospel. That day we had a beautiful reminder ... Burt brought a small jar of pennies down as a visual, it sits in our living room, along with a wood cross that my niece Julie painted for us. Before he left for the clinic he opened the jar and picked 3 to put in his pocket. When he shared with me that evening, we marveled at the great reminder God had provided ... 2 lives were touched by God's saving grace ... but there is always one more to be reached. He also was vividly reminded that he was a 'tool' that day, only the driver who took the med team to the clinic, but no matter how insequential his task seemed, God uses many to complete His story. So no matter where life takes you, and no matter how insignificant your lot seems, remember there is always a 3rd penny waiting for you to share the good news!
Please keep these two men in your prayers that they will receive further discipleship and training through the local church.
P.S. ~ an evangelistic team was here this week and when Burt shared the penny story with them, they all asked if they could have a penny for their pocket. That evening when they returned from their day in the village, a family of 3 had come to know the Lord and the next day another 2!
To God be the glory, great things He hath done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.
In conclusion, many of you are aware of Burt's penny story. God gave Burt an analogy several months before we left. It goes like this: In today's society we discard pennies, and they will, in a few short years, be discontinued as they cost more than they are worth. God laid on his heart how in many ways we treat lost souls the same way ... casting them aside as worthless. He asked our church family to contribute any pennies they had, and the pennies would be a reminder to Burt & I, of the many who need to hear the good news of the gospel. That day we had a beautiful reminder ... Burt brought a small jar of pennies down as a visual, it sits in our living room, along with a wood cross that my niece Julie painted for us. Before he left for the clinic he opened the jar and picked 3 to put in his pocket. When he shared with me that evening, we marveled at the great reminder God had provided ... 2 lives were touched by God's saving grace ... but there is always one more to be reached. He also was vividly reminded that he was a 'tool' that day, only the driver who took the med team to the clinic, but no matter how insequential his task seemed, God uses many to complete His story. So no matter where life takes you, and no matter how insignificant your lot seems, remember there is always a 3rd penny waiting for you to share the good news!
Please keep these two men in your prayers that they will receive further discipleship and training through the local church.
P.S. ~ an evangelistic team was here this week and when Burt shared the penny story with them, they all asked if they could have a penny for their pocket. That evening when they returned from their day in the village, a family of 3 had come to know the Lord and the next day another 2!
To God be the glory, great things He hath done,
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the life gate that all may go in.
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