Covenant Church

Breath of Life headed out once again on a mission: to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ through song on the lovely island of Jamaica. Fabian Bronstroph, the leader of the Merciful Shepherd Ministry International in May Pen, Clarendon, invited us to come and share our ministry during Christmas of 2006. We gladly accepted and arrived in Montego Bay on December 21.

Upon arrival at the airport we were greeted first by the intense Caribbean heat and then by our smiling host, Fabian! Our drive from Montego Bay to May Pen along the coast was breathtaking, not only for the phenomenal views of the aquamarine ocean, but also for the bumpy ride along the two-way highway upon which we almost met head on with trucks driving in the wrong lane to avoid pot-holes! That did not scare us (well, maybe just a little)! We just sang our songs along with Fabian who simply laughed at us every time we screamed going around a curve. Any fear we had was tempered by the frequent commercials on the radio announcing Breath of Life’s upcoming concert with Perpetual Praise the following night in May Pen.

We finally arrived at the mission home and were greeted by Suzette, Fabian’s wife, and their little daughter Gaby. The home is a very large, new construction in a neighborhood in which many new homes are being built. The mission house has several rooms with multiple beds and was designed for the purpose of housing missionaries that come to Jamaica through Merciful Shepherd. The house still needs some finishing touches, but is coming along quite nicely. It is amazing to see how the Lord has blessed and ministered through and to Fabian personally. Fabian told us of his humble beginning as a child in a small lean-to house in a little community in Jamaica where he lived with his sister and ultimately, by himself. He shared how the elderly people in the community helped to look after him and see that his basic needs were met. The mission home is just one example of many of how God is working in brother Fabian’s life and ministry.

The next morning after our arrival, E. Howard Booker and Cynthia Murray were interviewed live on Love 101 FM, a national Christian radio station in Jamaica. We explained our ministry and our mission which was to share the gospel through our singing and to minister to children living in Jamaican orphanages. Later that day Fabian took us to the site of a two acre parcel of land that Merciful Shepherd Ministry is in the process of buying. They intend by God’s grace to erect four buildings: an orphanage, an eldercare home, a mission home and a shelter for abused women. It was our privilege to touch and agree with them in prayer that God would help them to acquire the land and do exceeding abundantly above all that they ask or think!

That following night we sang with Perpetual Praise at Word of Prophecy Church of God. The crowd was standing room only and as we praised and worshipped the Lord with all of our hearts and strength many youth came to the altar for prayer and salvation! Many of the children were as young as ten years old! One woman who came for prayer after the concert was distraught over the fact that her husband had been abducted by a witchdoctor and she had not seen nor heard from her husband since. Our prayer is that every chain and stronghold of the enemy over her and her family’s life is broken by the blood of Jesus!

On Saturday, Fabian took us to St. Augustine, a home in the mountains for delinquent or abandoned juvenile boys. After singing Christmas songs with the boys we broke into small groups and shared the gospel with them. Many of them were receptive to the gospel message and expressed a desire to change their lives and live for Christ! Krista Darcus used a very creative example to share her faith. As the boys were playing soccer Krista told them that living without Jesus Christ is like playing soccer without any skills. Kicking the soccer ball wide outside of the goal post she told them that without Christ you will always miss the goal! Some of the boys told us their stories of abuse, alcohol and drug addiction and even thoughts of suicide. Michelle Minor and Booker ministered to a young man who wanted to commit suicide. We believe that spirit of death was bound away from that young man and that he is free to live a full and productive Christian life.

On the way back to May Pen we stopped to pray with a woman that Fabian knows who was battling with thoughts of killing her husband. He had been unfaithful to her and she was ready to take the matter into her own hands. Dolores Johnson led this young woman in a powerful prayer of deliverance and she was refreshed and encouraged to abandon her plan and live a Godly life after that time of ministry!

It was clear that God had sent us to Jamaica to tell everyone we met that the Lord wants to give them overflowing joy. On Christmas Eve Cynthia Murray preached at Word of Prophecy Church of God. Her message was exactly that! The congregation was blessed and encouraged. On Christmas day we fellowshipped with Fabian and his family as Suzette prepared a wonderful Christmas feast of curried goat and rice! That night we set off again to New Hope, an orphanage high in the mountains of Mandeville, Manchester. There we met and played with the babies and toddlers. Sandra Carter particularly enjoyed pulling the children in the wagon and playing with the toddlers. She hugged as many children as she could!

Each child is waiting to be adopted by a loving family. We sang for the children and Michelle prayed for two little babies in an upstairs room that she cradled in her arms as though they were her own. Feeling the love of Christ in her heart for them the babies did not want Michelle to put them down. Our hearts were all filled with compassion for every little one.

Although we wanted to minister in Kingston, the Lord prevented that and protected us from an outbreak of Malaria. The authorities cancelled all performances in Kingston until the outbreak could be contained. We were able to minister in Rocky Point, however, which has a reputation of having a very demonic influence. We performed in a church there and many people from the community came and were blessed by the praise and worship. No devil could stand in the presence of the Holy Spirit of God!

The next day it was time to head back to Montego Bay for the last few days of our journey. On the way we stopped at Dunn River Falls and Ocho Rios for a brief excursion. There Cynthia engaged in a lively and challenging discussion about Christianity with a Rastafarian. He was adamant that Christianity was only for white people and that Haile Selassie is the true Messiah. However, Cynthia did not back down, and continued to sow the seeds of truth in his life.

Once in Montego Bay we visited another orphanage and childrens’ home named "S.O.S." There were approximately 100 children living in the beautiful little village. They are cared for by widows who want to dedicate their lives to serving Christ as "mothers". We sang for the children, but we were blessed when they broke out in song to us. With their little voices raised to heaven, it was hard to imagine the grief and trauma that they have experienced at such tender ages. We learned that one of the cottages had burned and two children died in the fire. Of course, we lifted them all in prayer to the Lord.

Our final concert would be in the outdoor plaza in downtown Montego Bay. Fabian and some other Christian brothers from a local church helped us to set up the equipment and we sang right in the streets. A large crowd gathered and we ministered several songs to them. After the concert we had a chance to pray with several people, some of whom received Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal Savior!

Jamaica is not what we all see in glossy advertisements by big cruise ships and travel companies. It is so much more! The island is multifaceted. There is opulence and there is extreme poverty. There are clubs and celebrity parties, but there is also high crime and abuse of every kind. There is voodoo and witchcraft, but then there is a heartbeat and a hunger for the things of God. There is a war in the heavens for Jamaica. Merciful Shepherd Ministry International and other Christian organizations and people are in the battle fighting - strong in the Lord and in the power of His might…and the good news is that the Lord wins!