Journal Entry – Wednesday March 13, 2013 – Summary of the Day:
We preach a total of 5 different times at 4 different churches, all of which are churches that were started by JT, and all of which have preachers that he has trained and mentored over the last 30+ years.
Total of 26 people baptized.
Three different trips down to the river to baptize people, including one at almost 10 o’clock tonight to baptize the twelve people who came forward after our final lesson at the Hinche Church of Christ.
JT tells us: “You see, this is why, if I bring American missionaries with me, we can accomplish more in one week than I can do on my own in several months.”
Two most striking memories of the day:
The singing – even outside, with no acoustics at all – is truly transcendent. To see the joy these people worship with, and knowing what their day-to-day circumstances are like, is both profound and humbling.
At all the baptisms, every member of whatever church we were at would travel with us down to the river – an extremely arduous and time consuming process in and of itself – to participate in the experience, and to welcome each new Christian as they come up out of the water. The guys and I wonder out loud: Back in the States, if the process of baptizing someone was this involved, what percentage of our congregation would participate in the whole thing, start to finish?
Addendum – Thursday Morning: We begin the day by preaching at two more churches, and baptize 4 more people. One of these is actually a denominational preacher from an area called Carissade, just outside of Hinche – he was following us around yesterday, and came back today when he found out where we were going to be preaching again. We preach about baptism for the forgiveness of sins, and JT talks to him about other doctrinal issues. After asking us to baptize him, the man also asks Jean Martel – the preacher at the Hinche Church, who JT converted 30+ years ago – to come teach his church correct doctrine, and to baptize all of them as well so that they can be a true “New Testament Church.”
