“What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” Mark 8:36-38
I took this photo while on the long 9-hour drive from Les Cayes to Jeremie while coming around a bend on a rough road were these tombs alongside the side of the road. I had wanted to stop and pay my respects, but Joey never seemed to want to stop by a cemetery. I didn’t see any crosses in the plot so that would leave me to believe that the last remains of vodou followers must have been placed there. Haitian graves are above ground and each tomb is filled with family members and that pleases the vodou witch doctors as Pastor Benoit told me that those people would watch for funerals to end and then go and rob the tombs of organs and some body parts of the deceased after dark and use them in their vodou ceremonies as sacrifices to the evil spirits. I know of some people who are fascinated by vodou, and I am not as I have seen, heard and felt the evil that it produces. We can only hope that before the people buried here drew their last breath that one of the children from a Lutheran or Christian schools nearby shared the message of Jesus Christ with them and they came to know and accept Him as their Lord and Savior. I am closing today with the words from the hymn ‘Jesus! and shall it Ever be’ that were written by Joseph Grigg in 1765.
“Jesus! and shall it ever be a mortal man ashamed of Thee? Ashamed of Thee, whom angels praise, Whose glories shine through endless days? Ashamed of Jesus, sooner far let evening blush to own a star. He sheds the beams of light divine o'er this benighted soul of mine. Ashamed of Jesus? Just as soon let midnight be ashamed of noon. 'Tis midnight with my soul till He, hright Morning Star, bids darkness flee. Ashamed of Jesus, that dear Friend on whom my hopes of heaven depend? No; when I blush, be this my shame, that I no more revere His name. Ashamed of Jesus? Yes, I may when I'v no guilt to wash away, no tear to wipe, no joy to crave, no fears to quell, no soul to save. Till then nor is the boasting vain; till then I boast a Savior slain. And oh, may this my portion be, that Christ is not ashamed of me!”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths 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.