Haiti (MNN) — Haiti still has years of clean up ahead of them from the 2010 earthquake. Debris remains scattered across the nation, but it's not stopping kingdom work. Over 35,000 people gathered amidst the rubble last Saturday to hear the Good News of Christ.
At the invitation of hundreds of Haiti's churches, the Luis Palau Association joined with local agricultural company Haiti Broilers to host the Fun in the Son Festival, an evangelistic outreach in and around Port-au-Prince.
Nearly 1,000 local churches collaborated with the Palau Association to help with pastoral training for 800 Christian leaders and personal evangelism training for 3,000 counselors.
It was well worth the months of effort. The festival was host to thousands of smiling faces, local and international musical artists, and professional BMX and FMX athletes. Most of all, Luis Palau's message of hope told through his own poignant testimony led many to make a decision for Jesus Christ.
"It's the sight we long to see after so much work, expectation, and prayer: many people entering into a relationship with our living God and experiencing the same freedom we have graciously been extended," Palau says. "For this to come about in the current circumstances is nothing short of a long list of miracles."
During the week leading up to the festival, mission teams from the U.S. and Jamaica joined local churches to facilitate a total of 32 projects in eight days, including medical clinics, free eyeglass clinics, and activities for children and youth.
Palau also visited an estimated 440 inmates at Port-au-Prince's largest prison and handed out hygiene packs. Palau gave a Gospel message to three different groups inside the prison, inspiring 195 inmates to receive Jesus Christ.
Over the next few weeks, a committee of local volunteers will work to connect new believers with a church near to them. Moreover, Palau says the campaign is just the beginning of the team's partnership with the church in Haiti.
Pray that the seeds of faith planted in hearts would take root and grow. Pray also that new believers will get connected to local churches. Pray that this might be a growing experience for the church as well.
