"I Will Serve Christ Until I Die": A Legacy of Faith in L'Estère

The doors of L'Estère Christian Church first opened in 1976. Later that December, a man walked through them carrying more than curiosity; he carried the memory of a dream that would change the course of his life.

Today, at eighty years old, Edmond remains one of the church's first and most faithful members, a living witness to God's work over the past five decades. Before coming to Christ, Edmond admits his life was headed in the wrong direction. Then, a missionary appeared to him in a dream. Though he didn’t fully understand it at the time, the encounter convinced him to seek God.

Building a Spiritual Home

Around that same time, missionaries were constructing a new church building in L'Estère. Although he had not yet fully surrendered to Christ, Edmond volunteered to help, carrying heavy sacks of cement to build the structure that would soon become his spiritual home.

In December 1976, during a revival meeting led by missionary Reggie Thomas, Edmond surrendered his life to Jesus inside the very walls he helped raise. He was thirty years old. Nearly fifty years later, he is still there.

Reflecting on those early days, Edmond remembers more than just the architecture. He remembers the people like Frederick Etienne who faithfully taught God's Word. "The Word of God made me stronger," he shared. "It is there that I feel the Holy Spirit. To be in God is the best thing in life."

Faith Through Hardship

Looking back over nearly five decades, he does not deny that the church has faced difficult seasons. Without dwelling on specific hardships, he simply says that through every challenge, God's faithfulness has never failed him. 

Edmond watched the church grow in both numbers and spiritual maturity. "God has always helped me," Edmond said. "I stayed faithful, and I will continue." He saw believers discipled into leaders, including his own son, Edner, who is now a leader in the church. Other leaders were developed at L’Estère and have since gone out to serve across Haiti.

When asked what he is most thankful for, his answer was immediate: "I thank God for everything He has done in my life since 1976." His gaze remains fixed on the future. "Many have passed away or moved, but I am still here. I will serve Christ until I die. When my time comes, I want my funeral to be held in this church." His words reveal a lifetime of unwavering devotion, not simply to a building, but to the Savior he met there nearly fifty years ago.

A Legacy Continued

Elder Edner sees his father’s story as part of a much larger story. As a second-generation believer, he credits the church's strength to its commitment to biblical teaching. Today, under the leadership of Brenus Etienne, founder Frederick’s son, that mission continues despite ongoing instability in Haiti.

"Some have given up or joined gangs for money," Edner reflected. "But we remain connected to Christ. We serve the only true God." These hardships have only deepened the church's dependence on the Gospel.

As L'Estère Christian Church approaches its fiftieth anniversary, Edmond and Edner’s testimonies remind us that the true legacy isn't found in brick and mortar. It is found in lives transformed by Jesus Christ disciples who remain steadfast through every season, proclaiming the Gospel until the Lord returns.