GODS VOICE

There have been so many things that happened in my life that I now can look back on and know God was preparing me to become a missionary to Haiti. It all started when pastor Dave Williams said he would like to get a work team together to travel to Haiti and work on a building called the disciple training center. I was on board right away. I talk with Theresa my wife and we decided to go. My mother and eight other people signed up to go. And in Jan 2006 we left the Philly airport for Port Au Prince.
Before we left all I could thing about all the great things I would do for the Haitian people. Little did I know that this trip to Haiti was for my benefit. God reveal Himself to me while I was in Haiti. God showed me his love. When I was around the Haitians I could feel his love, especially from the children. As I interacted with the kids I noticed that kids are kids no matter what country you are in. I loved being around the childred. My relationship with God grew to a level that I had never experienced before. I became so close to Him. That was my first trip, and when we were getting ready to come home I knew it wouldn’t be my last.

The following year we went again, but this time it was Theresa and I leading a team. Things went really well. Dean and Nola Weeks were the full time missionaries. I remember when we first got to Borel and saw Marie and Roseland (they are the cooks) They were so happy to see us. Later in the week Roseland was talking to Theresa and myself and she said “You come to Haiti and stay.” She wanted us to become full time missionaries. I thought no way could I do that to my kids, maybe when I get older and the kids are all grown up. That was the first time I thought about become a missionary. But I figured it would be after the kids were grown up.
About three months later I was working out of town. I got into the shower and was standing under the warm water thinking about our trip and focusing on God. When all of a sudden it was like I heard an audible voice in my heart. Now I know what a lot of people are thinking there is no way. But what I am describing to you is the only way I can explain it. I didn’t hear the voice with my ears or in my mind, but in my heart. God said “You are going to be the next missionary to Haiti.” I instantly said “No way!” and He said “yes you are”. I said “Lord how could I take my kids to a third world country?” His answer was instant “Full faith in me!” Now what could I say to that? I figure I did what anyone in my shoes would do. I offered Him a deal. I told Him I would go if He would do two things for me first. The first condition is one that I keep to myself and is between me and God. The other condition was God you need to convince my wife. There was no way I was going to go home and tell Theresa “Hey while I was out of town, God called me and said pack your stuff you are going to Haiti.” I knew how that conversation would end up. But I did tell God that I was willing to go if He led the way.
That was 2007, and then I went again in Jan of 2008 not thinking much about becoming a missionary. I did think maybe it was time when the Weeks left Haiti at the end of 2007, but I never heard from God so I didn’t put much thought into it.
All of that changed during the summer of 2009. I was reading the monthly newsletter that Dr Vic Binkly sent out. He was the director of project help. He announced that he had cancer and he finished the newsletter by saying “God has a plan for a person or persons here in Haiti. If you think that is you…” Instantly I could here that voice He said “You told me you would go, now is the time. God had already met my first condition, so I knew it was time to tell Theresa. I went to find her to tell her my feelings about going to Haiti. When I started to tell her I got the answer I knew I would get. She said “no way are we moving our kids to Haiti! Maybe when we get older we will go.” So I told her about my past events and persuaded her to at least let me send an email to the Church of God General Conference. She suggested that we call Pastor Dave and talk with him. But before we called him we told Miranda to come into the bedroom we needed to ask her something. She is our oldest daughter ten years old. We asked her what she thought about moving to Haiti and becoming missionaries. Her first words were “I will go wherever God wants me to go!” I thought to myself wow this world would be a different place if we all had that attitude. Then we called Pastor Dave and talked with him for a long time. He told us that a both of us must feel called or it will be almost impossible for us to succeed as missionaries. I agreed 100% and told him about my little talk with God three years before and the deal I made with God. I knew God would fulfill both of my conditions if he wanted us there.