Miracle at Marsh Harbour

As we sailed to the Bahamas, the salty breeze blew our son’s blonde hair, and his hazel eyes sparkled. Billy waved to seagulls swooping in the air, laughed at dolphins jumping through waves, and entertained his grandparents.

My dad anchored his 44-foot sailboat in Marsh Harbour, then we all rode to the dock in dad’s small powerboat. We enjoyed conch fritters at dinner before strolling around the island. Later that night, we talked and gazed at glistening stars while the sailboat rocked gently.

In the morning, my husband and I rode in dad’s little rubber dinghy to the island. It was our first ministry trip, and we asked the Lord to guide us as we explored the island and offered gospel tracts to the people we met. The following day, we took our cardboard puppet stage and puppets in the dinghy to the island. Wind gusts blew against the stage, and we almost capsized.

“Lord, please help us!”

We reached the dock safely and set up the puppet stage, then I climbed in with our puppets while Jim interacted with the gathering crowd. When Jim knocked on the cardboard box, the puppets appeared. Jim shared the gospel with the puppets, then he talked with the crowd while I climbed out of the box and handed out tracts.

A man introduced himself. “I saw you in your little rubber dinghy, and you almost capsized. Will you do more puppet shows?”

Jim nodded. “We plan to.”

The man pointed nearby. “I’m pastor of that church. If you want, you can store your stage there until you need it.”

The next day the Lord led us down a narrow path to a wooden shack. The door was like a magnet pulling us closer, but a growling dog bared its teeth and blocked our way.

“Lord, is this where you want us? Please help us.”

God’s presence overwhelmed me. When we stepped forward the dog backed away.

Jim knocked, but nobody answered. He knocked again, but still no answer. We prayed again, then an angry-looking man opened the door, glaring at us.

Jim introduced himself and said, “God wants you to know that He loves you.”

The old man shook his head and whispered. “Nobody loves me.”

Jim leaned forward. “God does.”

We talked a long time, then the man finally invited us inside. We saw a rope tied to the rafter, and the old man admitted that he’d planned to kill himself. After we shared the Gospel and answered his questions, he trusted in Christ. Before we left him that day, he promised not to harm himself. We later introduced him to the pastor we’d met.

Months later, we got a letter from the old man. He’d been attending the pastor’s church and was making new friends. Life was worth living after all. Two years after that we moved to Mexico as faith missionaries. We didn’t know what to expect, but we knew we could ask the Lord to guide us, and He would.

 

“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.” Psalm 32:8 KJV

“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10 KJV

 

This true story recently appeared in the anthology God Answers Our Prayers: True Stories of God’s Power and Promise by Christian Writers for Life.