Sunday Church at Bono

I have had a busy few days. Sunday we went to church at Bono again. We arrived at Bono by tap-tap after crossing 3 rivers for our truck driver to tell us if it rains we will not be able to get back. The whole way there it looked like it was going to rain. So we circled up and prayed that the rain would hold off. The group that was with us was leaving the next morning. I turned to Courtney and joked well it would be one way to keep them here (we liked them and have joked that we were going to lose their passports so they had to stay). We no more than walked into the church and it started sprinkling. Courtney preached and did an amazing job. It was her first time preaching in Haiti and she talked about what a big God we serve threw the story of Elijah from 1 kings 18:16-39.

A little background about the town of Bono we were in. It is only 15 minutes from Ansephalor “The voodoo capital.” So most people in Bono practice Voodoo.

Elijah went before the people of his town and said “How long will you waver between 2 opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him but if Baal is God, follow him.” She talked about how we serve a God that wants all of us not part of us and how we can’t serve God and do Voodoo, we can’t serve God and money, etc.

Elijah went on to say “I am the only one of the Lord’s Prophets left, but Baal has 450 prophets.” She set it up to show that even though to everyone else it looked like Elijah was alone that with God we are never alone.

Elijah ordered to have 2 bulls brought and for 2 alters to be set up…one to God and one to Baal. Then Elijah said you can call on your god and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire- he is God. So the people prepared their bull and all morning they called on Baal, they shouted and danced around but nothing happened. Elijah taunted them “Shout Louder” maybe your God is sleeping, perhaps he’s deep in though, or busy, or traveling, maybe be is sleeping and needs awakened. So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears until their blood flowed. They did this all day and still no answer. Courtney hear explained how they did all these things for this God who did not answer them, they even shed blood for this God and no answer. We serve a God who hears us, who cares for us. He cared so much for us that He sent His son to who bleed and died for us.

Elijah was already alone (physically) and had all the odds against him BUT after building an alter to the LORD dug a trench around the alter and had them drench it in water 3 times with 4 large jars of water. The water filled the trench. Elijah did this to show with no question that His GOD was the one True God. That His God could complete the Impossible.

Courtney stated “The pain it takes everyday to serve a BIG GOD when things are not easy when rain come and roofs leak and things flood and children get sick and mouths do not get fed. So our God is asking in this story to be a BIG God against BIG odds.”

Elijah called upon the Lord saying “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you O LORD, are God, and that youa re turning their hearts back again. Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench.” Our God is powerful, He is a BIG GOD.

“When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, The LORD- He is God! The LORD – He is God!”


Courtney ended by saying “ BIG GOD…Do not doubt him, He showed himself against all odds, there is a bigger picture, because our BIG God has showed himself in our lives, but he is asking to show himself threw you to the lives of your family…of your friends… of your neighbors….and to the ones who are still worshiping the lower God. He is asking you to acknowledge how BIG He is. How BIG He is in your life, in your family, in your neighbors, in the world, in Haiti. He is asking threw you to be part of the healing that is Haiti. The healing against those who worship a god or god’s, or a statue, or a doll, that is not our God… our BIG GOD, that showed up. So this is 1 story that is about our Big God. The story continues that the prophets were gathered by Elijah and they were killed in the name of our BIG GOD. So this a story that applies to you... We have already won. I believe that Satan does not tremble because of the power he has…because of the hold he has…because of the people who worship him…. I believe he trembles because he already lost and knows that our God is Big. The cross is an example that our God winning. He won so your lives are not in the standpoint of if our God will Show up. Your God…Our God…My God has already showed up and shown himself big in this story but at the cross. He came, He bleed for you… He died…He took your sin… He rose… He won and He showed himself BIG. God is asking us to live lives that show that He is BIG and already won! Show in your life to your wife… to your children…to your neighbors…to your friends…to your family….and to the ones who worship Satan. God is asking us to live lives that show He is BIG and that He has already won!”

At the end of Church the No Boundaries Group had someone donate water filter straws and that will filter water for up to a year. We were able to hand straws out to each family. And though it sprinkled all threw the service it never poured and we were able to make it back to the mission.

On the way back to the mission we were talking about food we missed and eventually got on the subject of what food we have not had yet at the mission that we usually have. One thing I really like that we had not had was chicken salad sandwiches. So, after talking about it…yes, I was craving it. When we got back to the mission what was for lunch other than exactly that with homemade REAL rolls from Scratch. It was amazing. They make the most amazing bread here. The other night I ate 5 rolls (Don’t Judge me ;)

Monday morning the No Boundaries group headed out. It is going to be so weird not having them here. They were such a huge help to me with Miriam Center stuff especially the evaluations. Thank you guys!

sorry internet not working well enough to post photos