While hospitalized for subsequent knee surgery at the same hospital where I met Woody, I encountered another boy named Yves from Haiti. Strangely enough, he would sleep under my hospital bed. The nurses would be looking for Yves and there they would find him – sound asleep under my bed. I guess he felt safe near me.

Yves had traveled a long, circuitous route to wind up in an Ohio hospital. When he was a young boy, Yves was taken for a voodoo sacrifice in Haiti. The torture he endured was severe and included people cutting off his nose and putting a torch down his throat. The voodoo chief claimed that Yves’ demons were greater than his, and because of that, he decided to release Yves. Yves was then taken to a local hospital and dropped off to die.

Back home in Haiti, Yves slept on the ground and ate out of the garbage for a while to sustain himself. He said he couldn’t remember all the details, but somehow God kept him alive during that season. Eventually, Yves ended up at an orphanage for boys. He stayed there for a couple of years until some missionaries from the U.S. came for him. When they saw Yves, he ran away since he had been told, “The white people will kill you!”

Fortunately, that was not the case, as this American family genuinely wanted to care for Yves and adopt him as their son. After the voodoo abuse, Yves was in severe need of some surgeries, and the “white people” took him to the U.S. and got him the medical treatment he needed. He ended up in Ohio with them, where I met him during his physical healing process. Due to his injuries, he had a tracheostomy; and he would call me from the hospital after I had been released, singing “glory, glory, hallelujah” with his coarse voice.

Yves’ new family helped him with his physical health and his spiritual health as well. The first time they took him to church, he sat in the back not understanding what was going on. At the time, he did not speak English, nor did he know God. However, the Holy Spirit transcends language, and Yves heard God tell him to go to the altar for the altar call. When Yves obeyed, God supernaturally gave him the gift of English – both speech and understanding!

Throughout Yves’ youth, he acclimated to American culture and learned to walk closely with the Lord. He endured multiple surgeries and various trials throughout his school years but transitioned into a relatively “normal” teenage life.

So many of us in that Akron hospital adored Yves. He was such a wonderful boy, so full of enthusiasm and determination! After leaving the hospital, we remained in touch for a while, then lost contact for a very long time. For years, I tried to locate Yves but never could find him. While writing our book, the Lord brought Yves to mind, and I realized that I wanted his story to be told within these pages. After nearly fifty years of no contact with Yves, I was Jinally able to locate him! God knew the desire of my heart, amazingly reconnected us, and Yves recently emailed me his testimony:

“After high school, I went to Bible college. After I graduated from college, God told me to go back to Haiti and minister to the Haitians. I wanted to run…the Haitians tried to kill me! But anyone who has ever struggled with God knows there is no peace until you submit. In my battle with the Lord, He gave me a vision. So, swallowing my fear and choosing obedience, I returned to Haiti to be a light for the Lord in a dark country.Ihave been here ever since. God has provided, protected, and guided me for many years here. I now have fifty-five churches, twelve schools, and three orphanages in Haiti, along with six churches in the Dominican Republic. I spend my days leading seminars for pastors, new believers’ classes, Bible studies, ptayer meetings, and traveling between churches to help the pastors solve problems or assist with other needs. The work is hard, and the needs here are never-ending, but keeping my eyes on the Lord is my strength. May God bless you and keep you, and may you always remember the love the Lord has for you. – Yves Regaillard The little orphan who used to sleep under my hospital bed is now a powerful man who loves the Lord with all his heart. It truly is amazing to witness such an incredible testimony of redemption. (Please refer to Addendum B at the end of the book to get information on how to support Yves’ current ministry in Haiti/Dominican Republic.)