Josue’s Baptism

“Everything would be nothing without the cross.” – RoRo Eustache

Monday, February 20 was an historic day for HCO as it marked the day we poured the first part of the roof for Phase II of Peredo Community Hospital. But the most important thing that day was not the cement, or the hundred workers, or the team, or the progress that was made. The most important thing that day was what happened at  6 a.m.: Fedner, Lovena, and Edna made their public confession of faith and were baptized in the river.

We love that God worked in a similar way the week we poured the second part of the roof for Phase II of Peredo Community Hospital on Monday, March 27. 

As with the first pour, we hired a large crew of Haitian men for the day. This time, one of the men, a 3rd year law student on a break from school, happened to hear about the project and wanted to help. Josue joined our crew that day.

The other men on the crew knew he was a law student, and they respected that he would want to work with them, slinging heavy buckets of cement all day long in the hot sun.

RoRo followed Josue after the pour was complete because he was prompted to talk to him about the Gospel that day. RoRo said, “I want to have a conversation with you.” If you know RoRo, his favorite thing is to talk to people about the Gospel.

Josue and RoRo talked. And on Tuesday Josue came back to campus. RoRo shared the story of his life. They studied the Bible together.

On Wednesday, Josue came back again. This time, he and RoRo studied the Bible for about 2.5 hours. Ro shared the plan of salvation and asked Josue, “So what?” Josue said, “What you say is true. I give my life to Christ.”

Later Wednesday, RoRo called Cameron. “I just got done studying the Bible with Josue. He wants to be baptized tomorrow!” To God be the glory!

So, at 6 a.m. on Thursday, March 30, RoRo went back to the river, this time to baptize Josue.

We can make block all day long. We can treat as many patients as come. We can raise chickens and educate children. But all of it – every single block, prescription, egg, or school book – is aimed at one thing: Doing something for Haiti that will last.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade. (1 Peter 1:3-4)

The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever. (1 John 2:17)

True, we have poured a lot of cement this year. And we are so grateful to God for his provision with that project. But, the main thing we celebrate are 4 baptisms and many seeds planted for the Gospel!

Photos courtesy RoRo & Elaine Wall