While leading a short term trip to Haiti, Adventures staff Colby Gardner met a man who aggressively asked him for money or a job. His name was Jean Pierre, and he was desperate for hope.
While in Haiti, my team went out to share the Gospel out in the countryside. So we left our lodging and not long after, shared with two people under the tree not even fifty feet from our starting point.
While sharing with the second person, a man rolled up on his motorcycle and sat, listening with great intent to what we were saying.
When I turned and asked this curious motorcycle man how he was doing, he said, “Everything is just so-so.” He told us his name was Jean Pierre and he had no job. He drives trucks but can’t find work, and what he really wanted was me to give him either a job or money. No problem, right?
The Lord brought Acts 3:6 to my mind and I told him, “I don’t have a job or money to give you, but what I do have I will give you.” I had no idea what I was about to share, but all I had to give was the Gospel of Jesus—the only thing that will sufficiently satisfy. My spirit was crying out, “Lord, lead me, because I don’t even know where to start.”
I started sharing the first thing that came to my mind. I shared what simply started as a story from my first job at a high school. I was desperate for Holy Spirit to lead me because even in the moment I had no idea where I was taking this ordinary story from my life.
Little did I know in the moment, God was leading me..
The Lord led me to use the story to integrate the Gospel and share it with him. As I asked questions and we shared in the moment, Jean Pierre realized we were quite alike – in great need at the core of our beings.
As I shared who Jesus was and why God sent Him, this man was quite humbled, as was I. I was reminded that I can do absolutely nothing aside from what God allows me and this was a moment like many when I realized that I couldn’t believe all that was coming from my mouth.
After Jean Pierre heard of Jesus’ heart for him, he was curious how his life could be redeemed and how God could make him new.
I asked if he wanted to follow Jesus. “Yes,” he said with assurance—three times.
Then I asked something almost strange. I asked if it was his first time to ask Jesus to forgive him.
Jean Pierre shared that he was going to a church for a time. But when he started doing sinful things, the pastor was disappointed in him and he stopped going. He never directly answered my question, but he did say he wanted Jesus to redeem his life and make things right in his heart.
He wanted to lay his head down at night with peace knowing that God was making him whole.
Throughout the course of our conversation, Jean Pierre’s countenance drastically changed. He’d begun with an aggressive “give me” attitude and ended with a humbled and full heart—because he didn’t get what he was asking for, but what he needed.
After humbly crying out for Jesus to save him, I asked Holy Spirit to fill him up, then reminded him that if he never has another job or if he is ever in great need that Jesus’ love is sufficient to satisfy every need of his heart forever.
Jean Pierre opened his eyes and looked at me like a brother, with utter thankfulness and humility—without an ounce of desire to take from me what he could get.
As he sat on his motorcycle, Jean Pierre’s last request was for me to pray for him every single day. I will fail in this task, but nonetheless, I ask you to join me in praying for him—that the Holy Spirit will continue to fill him and that he will be discipled by a humble man of God who earnestly seeks after God’s heart.
Here’s more the great news about this story: Jean Pierre is now going to tell people about what Jesus did for him!
Jean Pierre approached Colby and his team simply because they were Westerners. He hoped to be given money, or hired for temporary job. But he didn’t realize that what he really needed was to know Jesus as the only one who could give him peace and hope.
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