A Miracle at Versailles

One of the ways HBM is able to continue to impact the communities of Jeremie is by focusing on one zone (community/neighborhood) at a time. We build genuine relationships with the zone leaders and we visit often with our team putting on community activities such as sports outreach, small building projects, and medical clinics. Through the visits we are able to learn the stories of the families and it helps us further focus on the most urgent needs in the community, as well as gives us personal opportunities to share the love of Jesus. 

Several years ago, one zone in particular proved to be different than all the others. While we had always dealt with spiritual depravity and extremely poor, difficult living situations, the zone of Versailles was those things and more. For one, the zone leader, Ti Papa, was a practicing voodoo witch doctor. To our surprise, he unashamedly welcomed us with open arms and a smile. It was especially strange to know this man’s occupation went against our expressed purpose, but his genuine desire to help his community with their most pressing needs took the forefront. 

He was also extremely proud of his menagerie of exotic (to Haiti) animals. One afternoon, he was excitedly showing us his collection of animals we had never seen (in Haiti), all contained within the outer edges of his disco night club “establishment.” Then, he perked up as he remembered he had baby rabbits at the back to the building and wanted our kids to see them. He gestured for one of his teenage sons to show us back to the baby rabbits. We went through a tiny, curtained doorway into a dark hallway with small, dark, dirty rooms lining each side. Each tiny room had a small bed and night stand and nothing else. There was a noticeable weight of heaviness that came as we walked through the hallway and the realization of what it was became clear. After visiting the baby bunnies, and getting out of there as quickly as possible, our very discerning, then 12 year old daughter, Amrey, immediately pressed to know what that place was. She could feel the spiritual weight, even not knowing it’s purpose. We explained that it was a brothel along with a brief description of what goes on and the women who work there. Even without details, she was cut deep by the realization of the the wickedness that took place. She immediately understood that these women were held in less regard and were less valued than the turkeys and guinea pigs they shared the building with. 

Amrey decided to act and her first idea was to plan a dinner event at our home for the women who worked at the brothel. How could we say ‘no’? Our trucks went down to pick up the women, dressed in their best, hair done, and huge smiles on their faces. We ate together, played yard games, and heard many of their stories. Amrey hosted these women with incredible grace and poise, listening intently to their stories and pouring out encouragement. She determined after that night that she would do whatever it took to get these women out of that life. The Lord was clearly working, as several of our HBM leaders also became passionate about the cause and teamed up with Amrey to show these women their God-given value. 

After that night at our home, walls seemed to fall and relationships began to forge. We continued to visit the zone, Ti Papa, and the women. One of the women courageously approached us that she wanted to leave that life, but had no other way to support her children. HBM was able to set her up with a home and business to support her family. She gave her life to Christ the day she walked out of the brothel. Ti Papa was surprisingly unfazed and even gave her a ride to her new home. When Mark told him we were going to lead every one them to Christ and get them out of there, Ti Pap shrugged and said he’ll just get more. 

Over the next couple of years, we continued to pray and also visit, sometimes with Bible studies, medical clinics, food programs, soccer games, and roof projects. The women asked for Bibles, we brought them, along with toiletries and other small trinkets. Amrey also began leading Bible studies with a couple especially hungry women. Each visit, Amrey would shed tears of sadness and pain for the women, and as her courage grew she would even confront Ti Papa about why he continued on with the brothel. He continued unfazed. 

Close to 3 years after we first stepped through the dark hallway of the brothel, news that it had been closed down began circulating. It was both exciting and shocking, but we knew that rumors in Haiti can be unreliable, so we curbed our celebration. Then one of our leaders told Amrey she had spoken directly to Ti Papa, and he had chosen to close the brothel for good! Ti Papa said he finally began to understand why Amrey would cry for the women each time she would visit. His perspective shifted as he began to see Amrey as one of his own daughters or one of his daughters in the place of the women working in the brothel. We envisioned heaven rejoicing along with us at the miraculous news! 

On Mark’s next visit, Ti Papa again confirmed that he had come to love and respect us too much to continue to do something that hurt us and the women and asked if we could help them with alternative ways to provide for their families, we of course said yes!  He also requested that we help him start an alternative business, which again we said yes. Only God could lead to such a change of heart, and only He would use a 12 year old girl to change a witch doctor/brothel-keepers heart!