Haiti - Doomed life shines again

Ricardo felt his life was doomed from the beginning.

Born into a Port-au-Prince neighbourhood in Haiti, Ricardo's family was poor. As he grew up, Ricardo was desperate for change. He attended school and his family tried to teach him right from wrong but by the time he reached 18, Ricardo was determined to make his own way and to make his own choices.

“At 18 I abandoned my family and I got involved with drugs and prostitution," remembers Ricardo. With government turmoil dominating so many aspects of Haitian society, it was not long before this wayward young man identified himself with the violence on the streets, all in the name of political activism.

"I killed; I broke bones; I blackmailed and I raped young women," Ricardo says. He made life decisions that he knew would welcome death at an early age.

A life doomed no more

But when he came into contact with Bible League’s National Director for Haiti, it was a new experience for Ricardo. This troubled young man was not used to people expressing God’s love to him or being patient with him.

"Bilda was very tolerant with me," says Ricardo. "After a time, he began talking to me about Jesus." Bilda showed Ricardo that the Bible says he could become a new person. Ricardo realised that his "old person” and his old way of living had no hope or promise for a positive future. He decided to keep listening to the hope-filled words of his new friend.

Ricardo did not come to Christ immediately. But Bilda did not give up. He continued to show the love of Jesus to Ricardo regardless of his response. One day Ricardo could not resist the claims of Christ to make him a new man any longer.

"It is with much thankfulness that I announce to the world the changes God has made in my life," says a beaming Ricardo. "I am no longer a slave to drugs or alcohol. I am no longer feared by people—thanks to God, to Bible League and to my pastor."

Ricardo continues to grow in his new faith. He has been freed of the past and God is using him to share His love with other Haitians who see no hope. He knows the truth of 2 Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

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