“Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.” Romans 1:28
There were a number of occasions while living in Haiti when sights, sounds and strange feelings caused my skin to crawl. The urging to eat Goat head soup which was a special treat prepared for me, sitting in an outdoor privy at 4 AM fumbling for my flashlight and realizing that when the light beam came on there was a tarantula on the wall six inches from my right ear or the eerie things the vodou priest sent (evil spirits) to disrupt my prayer time…there were times that caused my skin to crawl. The attached photo was taken when driving back to Port Salute which is on the Southwest claw of Haiti in the Les Cayes District. A large rock was jutting out of the Caribbean perhaps 100 yards from the shore and it appeared to have some poles sticking out from its flat top. I asked Pastor Israel Isidor what this formation was and he replied it was “tableau du satan” which translated is “devil’s table.” He went on to tell me that vodou priests made their sacrifices on this rock. He indicated that prior to 1985 they were sacrificing human beings on the rock and then they were pressured by the government to stop that form of sacrifice as it was bringing bad attention to Haiti. Now they sacrifice animals; goats, dogs and pigs.
For the most part, vodou was not one of the subjects that were brought up in conversations very often when I was living in Haiti and I am assuming that it was either uncomfortable or just something that people didn’t care to bring up; like politics. When I was asked to share a message at congregations it was one topic that I always tried to find a way to weave it into my message, as the vodou needs to stop, Haiti needs Jesus and the truth about vodou needs to be told again and again. The Easter story needs to be shared in Haiti every day because the vodou priest spins a different lie about the outcome. He tells people that Christ died and was buried; period, end of story. He tells them that satan defeated Jesus Christ and if you don’t believe his story then he will bring a host of evil spirits into your life and they are real; seen them, didn’t like them and only by the name of Jesus Christ did they leave. As Pastor Isidor proclaimed, our Holy Spirit has much more power than the spirits of the vodou priest. Thank you for helping to prepare young children attending Christian schools to go out and share the Easter story with their families and friends in Haiti, bringing the light of this world to those still living in darkness.
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay