Prompt: Finding faith, or Are all gods the same god?

*Inspired by the 1989 testimony of a missionary returning from two years in Haiti

I grew up the Church. My earliest memories are listening to my mother lead the choir. She had a voice that could carry the whole congregation right to heaven. The Lord called me to testify when I was seven years old, and by the time I was ten, I was the preacher’s right hand.

I don’t say this to be boastful. I never felt the Devil’s pride in my love of the Lord, only joy and deep satisfaction when someone in the flock felt called to the Lord by my testimony.

In 1989, I first dreamed of Marie-Helene, and when I woke, I told my mother I was going to do missionary work in Haiti. I didn’t mention that I was going to find the woman of my dreams.

Young and naïve, I signed up for a missionary trip departing the week after my college semester ended. In the flurry of preparations, it somehow never entered my mind that I should begin to learn even some rudimentary French. It wasn’t until I was in the airport and the announcements were all made in English and then French that I felt a whisper of unease. By the time we disembarked in Port-au-Prince, the announcements were in French first, and then English. That was the last English I heard for two years.

I never intended to stay with the missionary group. I knew I was being called elsewhere in Haiti, I just wasn’t sure where. I was counting on Marie-Helene to lead me there…

To be continued…

Dogs in House	Houdini
Time writing	~20 minutes, including research on Haitian history
May word count	7,830