When you have visited Haiti for any length of time, you realize quite quickly that rarely anything goes according to plan. I remember the night we went to church in a vehicle that was less than a month old and had two flat tires on the way. I remember going here there and yonder trying to find replacement parts for a generator, no one seemed to even know what we were talking about. While living in Haiti, we had numerous days spent in vain pursuit of getting things done only to be frustrated. And so goes life in Haiti…

Four years ago, I began to try to find Bibles for the churches on La Gonave. There was a new translation that was much more accurate than the old one which as Matt Baugh would say was, “A bad translation of a paraphrase”. I found out the name of the publishers and tried to get Bibles. I was told that the project was put on a back-burner due to some needs in Africa and they were unsure when they would have the Bibles. I was much surprised when calling the same publisher in late 2008 to find that the Bibles were back in print. Due to the generosity of a couple in Illinois we had the money to buy Bibles, all we needed was to get to Port-au-Prince and pick them up.

I must confess that the day of the purchase, I expected all to go awry! I was so delighted when the report came from Barbara Freeman, (Matt Baugh’s mother) that the Bibles were in her room. All had gone so smoothly… unlike anything else in Haiti! Then the report that they had been handed out to the children. It was overwhelmingly good news!

I must remind you that last year we sent down a translation done by Eric Hausler, (OPC pastor) of the children’s catechism. The children in the schools were so excited to get these. When a team went down to do Bible school later in the year, the children already knew their catechism. So now they have God’s Word! We are anxious to see them learn from the Bible.

We are so excited to see Bibles in the hands of these children. Indeed there are few things that carry a greater promise to accomplish the Lord’s purpose than His word which He says, “will not come back to Him void”. Our hearts long for the conversion of the people of Haiti. We desire to see their suffering and poverty put to an end. But these would only be of earthly benefit. ”What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose His soul?” Truly, the gospel must reach these little ones. Please pray that the Lord would use His word to bring about a lasting change to La Gonave. Our goals to see the children educated are coming to fruition and now they can read God’s word! Praise be to the Lord that He has provided.  

Shannon Baugh Onnink

(Click on images below for larger picture then ‘back’ on your browser to return to this page.)