It was a great privilege meeting you all, and the way how the good Lord allowed it to happen is really something. For with Him nothing is impossible!
We were so glad you guys (missionaries) came, we miss you all dearly already.
We were praying about some tracts for a long time. We are truly thankful for the ones you gave us. The tracts are sound, highlighting the mystery of Godliness.
One day in the week (probably Thursday) as my wife and I were walking on the boardwalk in "Bridgetown", I saw this wet, soggy tract on the ground. I took a hard look at the tract and said to her, "This tract looks familiar." Harriette said, "No, it is not Family Radio tract." But to me it still had the characterisitics of a Family Radio tract. It was so smudgy it was hard to read. Anyway, that was dismissed.
On Saturday October 13, about 1 o'clock P.M. as my daughter Shaddae and I were in the city, we went into Cave Shepherd (one of the biggest shopping department stores in Bridgetown). Shaddae said, she would like to use the washroom, so I decided I will also use the washroom myself. On entering the male washroom, there was a fresh brand new tract on the floor facing upward; for the first time I could read clearly "Did God Die For You?" From the time I read the title of the tract and saw the setting of it, I picked it up and said to myself this have to be Family Radio tract. When I turned it to the back, I realized it was not.
After leaving the rest rooms Shaddae & I found a second tract on the stairs railing. Approaching the back entrance of Cave Shepherd, I recognised that several people were coming through with white leaflets in their hand. I discussed with Shaddae the tract which my wife and I had seen on the boardwalk and how this tract had look so familiar to Family Radio tract. Then Shaddae remembered that Shannon our next daughter had given her a tract to bring to me. Shannon had specifically told her to "Take it to Joe." Shannon had already read the tract and realised that it was speaking of the same information which we were sharing with them; that is why she told Shaddae to take it to me. But Shaddae forgot.
I said to Shaddae, we must find out who is giving out these tracts. As we exited the back door of Cave Shepherd we stood to observe which direction people were coming from with those tracts. As I looked to my right, I recognise people were coming from that direction with tracts in their hand. Then I said to Shaddae, "This way." In moving off I asked a lady who was walking towards us, "Where did you get this tract from?" She said to me, "Go up and swing left, they are over on Swan Street." We moved off and headed for Swan Street. As we came on to Swan Street (this is one of the most busiest streets in the city on a Saturday), I stood up in the street and turned around looking. Shaddae said to me, "Joe look!" She pointed to this guy who was very busy giving out the same kind of tract I had found.
We went over to him and I said, "Hi, where are you guys from?" He replied, "We are missionaries from the U.S.A." I said to him, "What organization are you?" He said to me, "No church affiliation. God's judgment is on the local congregation." When he said that bubbles started to fill my soul, I wanted to talk so much but he was so busy he could not talk to me much longer. Then he said, "If you are interested or want to talk come to the Blue Horizon Hotel, we have a conference tonight." Then another guy that was also giving out tracts said, "It is in Rockley." Then the first guy said, "It starts at 7 o'clock P.M."
After leaving the two guys I went on down Swan Street reading page 8 of one of the tracts which I had found. In focussing on reading the tract I was not even looking to see where I was going. Shaddae had to be guiding me by my shirt tail. After we reached the shop where we were going, I called my wife on the phone and told her, "I think we have met our brothers; try and finish your work early because there is a conference at the Blue Horizon Hotel at 7 O'Clock, we can't miss this one Scoobs" (my wife nick name).
It seemed as though we were home in a flash. When I arrived home my wife was still busy, so Shaddae and I refreshed ourselves. I got a Family Radio tract, put it in my pocket and we were off to catch the bus to go to the Blue Horizon Hotel in Rockley.
On arrival I was so anxious not knowing what to expect. As we walked into the lobby of the hotel, I saw the first guy we met in Swan Street, walking away from the front desk. I shouted to the guy, but he did not hear me. I asked the clerk at the front desk, "Are there missionaries here from the U.S.A.?" He said, "Oh, you are here for the conference, go right through that door." I couldn't wait, I just rushed to the door, trying to follow the first guy I talked to in the city. As I pushed the door to go toward the conference room, somebody was entering the conference room at the same time I was approaching.
It was around 7:15 P.M. when we entered the conference room. The missionary we met in Swan Street was sitting in one of the chairs at the back. Immediately he recognised me and said, "Oh, you are the guy that said you will come." He came and shook our hands. We took our seats. He offered each of us a Bible. A big fat juicy leather black Bible to me and a small black one to Shaddae my daughter. He said, "Since you are the first to come to the conference, you will have this one" (which is the leather black Bible). I was so thankful. II Corinthians 9:15
We enjoyed the fellowship that night. It was really good to meet people from a far away place that really hold hard to Biblical truth. Later, I found out that the first guy was Tony and the second one was Gary. After the conference, I was still looking for my wife; we were in the lobby when she came through the door. It was joy to see Harriette had finally gotten there.
Shannon, our elder daughter confirmed with us later, that on Friday, around 3:30 P.M., as she walking through Broad Street, right above Cave Shepherd; in front of Norman Centre Mall, but closer to the souvenir shop, she received her tract from a dark skinned lady. She said a guy was also with her distributing tracts. We know for sure that the lady was Pat.
Shannon also reported, it was funny how she took a tract form this lady because she does not usually take tracts from people because of what we always teach them concerning Salvation. She read it and told Shaddae to take it down home and give it to me.
It was a great pleasure meeting you missionaries. We truly believe that the timing was perfect.
Our anniversary was on the 10th October, but we did not want to celebrate it then. Now we know that God had a plan. Acts 15:18
How did God had a plan? We were praying for a long time (years), for tracts but the problem is not just praying for tracts; but sound Biblical tracts. We had a serious problem trying to find sound tracts and believers who hold fast to God's Word and God's Word alone.
In the past, all of the samples of tracts we received were "Do it yourselves salvation tracts."
In January, this year, when I was sick with my back, lying on my bed and could hardly move, I met Brother Camping at Family Radio on our short wave radio. We wrote to him telling him we have here in Barbados a population of about 275,000 people and more. He sent us books to read but no tracts to distribute. So the one sample of Family Radio tract we received we used to go and print it up.
We thank the Lord for directing you guys to Barbados. We thank you guys for being here and the fellowship in which we shared together. It was truly a blessing from God. It was really great to meet you all.
Sing along with us:
A Wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord
A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord,
A wonderful Saviour to me,
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock,
Where rivers of pleasure I see.
He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock
That shadows a dry, thirsty land;
He hideth my life in the depths of His love,
And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.
A wonderful Saviour is Jesus my Lord,
He taketh my burden away,
He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved,
He giveth me strength as my day.
With numberless blessings each moment He crowns,
And filled with a fulness Divine,
I sing in my rapture, O glory to God
For such a Redeemer as mine!
When clothed in His brightness, transported I rise
To meet Him in clouds of the sky,
His perfect Salvation, His wonderful love,
I'll shout with the millions on high.
We will continue to remember you all in our prayers. May God's eternal Spirit rest with you.
1 Corinthians 3:8; Matthew 15:13.
Love: Joe & Harriette
Under the Blood & In the Beloved
Shannon & Shaddae sends their love.