Nathan Maskery
This January 8-16, Professor Mike MacNeil and Colleen, his wife, took a team of second-year Praxis students for a week of ministry in Haiti. The evangelism and compassion ministry trip provided students a variety of opportunities, including drama and open-air services, to share the Gospel and Christ’s love in another culture.
“While we were in Haiti, I was struck by how bringing the Gospel to people in desperate situations caused an incredible joy to well up inside of people,” said KU student Nathan Maskery. “For example, our team was given permission to go into a maternity hospital to sing about Jesus and to pray for new mothers and nurses. I was amazed that we were allowed to be in a room where mothers just had babies or were about to deliver babies.”
“In a room full of mothers with healthy babies, someone pointed out a woman who had just given birth to a stillborn child. I watched to see what kind of reaction she would have to our team singing to praise Jesus,” continued Nathan. “As we started to sing you could feel the presence of Jesus fill the room. Then I saw this woman’s face become filled with joy as she saw everyone praising God.”
In the midst of losing her child, she was not angry at the mention of God or the sudden outburst of singing in the room; she was comforted and visibly lifted up,” shared Nathan. “This is what the Gospel was meant to do…to encourage people who have no hope that there is hope! Jesus is life and hope and salvation to all those who put their hope in him!”
Praxis student Kaya Sleep
“When I think about Haiti, I almost always think about Denise from the Tent City,” said student Sara Landry. “When we asked Denise’s father just outside his shop if we could pray, he took us to his tent and that is where we saw Denise on the floor. She was lying beside the bed in a space just wide enough for her.”
“I have never seen someone so desperate for the Gospel,” said Sara. “I saw the need in her eyes and all over her face. We found out that she had been there for nine days, unable to move because she was so sick.”
“When we started praying, the room was filled to the brim with faith,” Sara shared. “Jesus was there, and everyone could feel Him, believer and non-believer alike.”
“As we prayed, Denise started to tremble and clench her fists. There was a battle going on inside her, a battle between good and evil, and the light overcame the darkness. The power of the Holy Spirit became more real to me that day. The words, darkness trembles at the mention of His name, became real to me as I saw it before my very eyes.”
