Williamson is a community that is about 45 minutes north of the main campus of Mission of Hope, and is just past the large town of Arcahaie. The Williamson area is stretch of land running from the ocean to the foothills of the mountains. There are approximately 10,500 people living in the Williamson area, about 4,000 kids, 3,500 youth, 2,000 adults and 1,000 elderly.



EXCUSE MY TRANSPARENCY

Before I start, let me mention that in its biblical guidelines, the things below are great for the church.

The church had plenty of empty chairs! Actually, now that I think about it, there were no "famous" preachers or "famous" people present! There were no weekly series to present. The church had no lights, videos or comfortable chairs. The people came in with simple clothes... They weren't dressed to impress as some didn't even have the means to be dressed.

Jean Pierre

There was this one guy named Jean Pierre. Jean Pierre was highly respected in his village and even admired. Wherever he went, the people of his village greeted him with hugs and smiles. Jean Pierre was the voodoo priest. To understand the gravity of the situation, you have to understand that the voodoo priest is probably the most influential individual in the village. Every concern, plea or prayer will go through him. This week, God placed this individual in my path. Jean Pierre took me to his room where he performs rituals and sacrifices animals. Envision a bucket of blood, a human skull, a rope with a noose and an unbearable stench which filled the room. In that very place where he practices voodoo, he allowed me to pray for him. With beads of sweat dripping down my face, my knees rested on the very floor that the blood of animals have been offered up to certain spirits. The odor was so unbearable that I became nauseated during my prayer! When I finished my prayer, I ended it in an embrace. An embrace that to this day I still feel at my very core.

The following day we had an outreach planned within his village. My prayers were that he would come to join us as we ministered. I would like to express my gratitude as not only did he come, but he helped the mission team plant trees and paint the home of a neighbor. During a service in his village, he was the first one to rush to the altar call after the sermon with his entire family.

My prayer, as you see these photos, is that you recognize that this life is only about Jesus. That he be glorified in all that we do! Be strange! Don't reason and deny yourself the opportunity to be used by Gods power!

James 1:27 religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in there affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world.

Pastor Leo