Plays On Word Radio
An in-depth look at the Word of God, the Plays On Word community, and the Plays - with original music - we perform, that are based on the Word of God. New episodes drop Fridays at 7AM EST! To find out how Plays On Word Theater can perform 'LIVE on YOUR STAGE' and to support this missionary & podcast visit: https://playsonword.org/
Plays On Word Radio
Ep 127: From Voodoo to Worship - One Man's Journey to Faith (Part 2)
"Pastor Teddy explores hope through David’s Psalms and highlights Pastor Bastia’s resilient ministry in crisis-stricken Haiti using Scripture and solar radios. How can YOU hold on to hope and share it with others when your surroundings feel overwhelmingly dark, like those in Haiti?"
Pastor Teddy, a.k.a. Fred Kenney, Jr. explores how Scripture offers hope in our darkest moments, featuring the continuation of Pastor Bastia's testimony about ministry in Haiti amid growing gang violence.
• Scripture provides encouragement through stories of faithful people who experienced hardship
• Psalm 42 and Psalm 30 demonstrate how David moved from despair to hope in God
• Pastor Bastia returned to Haiti in 2005 after Bible training to teach Scripture verse-by-verse
• Gang violence has overtaken entire towns in Haiti, forcing people from homes and shutting down churches
• Christian radio stations provide spiritual support to displaced Haitians through solar-powered radios
• Support organizations like Step of Faith serve as crucial "supply chains" for frontline missionaries
• Prayer is needed for Haiti to experience stability and for missionaries to maintain focus despite danger
Please send this to someone who needs encouragement or to hear something about the Lord today.
The School of Grace at Calvary Chapel Caneille: https://www.caneille.org/
Interested in more information about the mission at CC Caneille? Please contact Calvary Chapel Waupaca at https://calvarychapelwaupaca.org/
Step of Faith Ministry: https://stepoffaithministry.org/
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Lord you know. Hey guys, you are now listening to Play.
Speaker 2:It's the best. We'll be right back. You're the only name. You're the only name. You're the only name.
Speaker 3:Hello and welcome to Plays on Word Radio, where we discuss, analyze, work and play on the Word of God. Thank you for joining us on this excursion. Today let's join Pastor Teddy, also known as Fred David Kenny Jr, the founder of Plays on Word Theater, as he does a deep dive into the Word of God.
Speaker 2:All right, all right, all right. Welcome all of you back to Plays on Word Radio. Oh yeah, last week we got some feedback about last week. It's always fun to get feedback, so please feel free to send an email or a text or something, if you like or even dislike anything that we're doing here. We got some feedback.
Speaker 2:Some people really appreciated Pastor Bastia from down in Haiti. He's holding it down down there and it was encouraging to some of you that listen, and one of the reasons why we do a lot of these interviews is to provide encouragement, and that often comes from hearing how the Lord has worked in someone's life, and that encourages all of us Hearing about how the Lord has worked in our lives, and it should give hope. It's the reason, in part, that the scriptures were written to provide hope for us. How cool is that? God has not left us hopeless. God has not left us without hope Over and over. We are strengthened and encouraged by the hope that's provided in the stories of Scripture in the people's lives. I take great hope when I read, actually when I read how bummed out David gets sometimes. Why is my soul so downcast? And you know, it always turns around. It always turns around back to God. You know, david said in Psalm 42, why are you cast down, o my soul, why are you in turmoil within me? You cast down, oh my soul, why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God, for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. You know the bummed out parts. They may last or they may they hang for the night or for a little while, but joy comes in the morning. Can I get an amen on that? That's Psalm 30, right there from David, the same dude. He said weeping may tarry for the night, weeping may hang out for the night. You might be bummed out for a minute, be going through it, but joy comes in the morning. I'm telling you.
Speaker 2:David actually continues. He says as for me, in my prosperity I shall never be moved by your favor, o Lord. You made my mountains stand strong. You hid your face. I was dismayed. To you, o Lord, I cry, and to the Lord I plead for mercy. What profit is there in my death? I mean, he's like he's really facing it here. If I go down to the pit, will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, o Lord, and be merciful to me. O Lord, my helper. He's really crying out here. You have turned for me my mourning into dancing. Oh yeah, there it is. You have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness. Sackcloth is what they would put on when they were in a period of mourning or complete despair, but the Lord has taken that off and clothed him with gladness. That my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. Oh Lord, my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
Speaker 2:Bottom line is we are to be encouraged, and that is one of the reasons why we do these interviews also to encourage you. I don't know what you're going through, but I know somebody who does. Yeah, and you do too, if you're in Christ, and it is my prayer that you will find encouragement in what we do here, along with the plays that we do, and that you would be encouraged in your walk. This life is so temporary right now. This first go, this first run before glory, compared to eternity, this is nothing. This isn't even a drop in a bucket, this isn't even a molecule of water compared to eternity. Okay, but we can be encouraged in it, we can be strengthened in it, and that strength comes from the true and living God in Christ Jesus. So, saints, be encouraged. I don't know what you're going through, but I know somebody who does, and he's the one who will bring you through it, amen. So the long way around to this is I wanted to continue with Bastia.
Speaker 2:You know, before we get to that though, you know there's a little bit of a Haiti theme going on here we had Pam and Patrick Hess, and Pam is one of the directors for Plays on Word. She's on the board and she has been instrumental in I mean just helping to steer the ship, instrumental in with wisdom. She runs a nonprofit called Step of Faith. Her and Patrick run it. Her and her husband, patrick, run it and they help missionaries to with their missions and they make it possible for missionaries, to many missionaries, to accomplish their missions. So, you know, a lot of times the armies get the glory, the guys up front get the glory, the soldiers and the Air Force and all that get the glory. But you know what? There's a supply chain behind them. If there's not a supply chain bringing food and gas and ammunition and all that stuff, the glory boys don't get the glory, the mission does not get accomplished. And in many ways, besides being frontline people, they're frontline also, but they also are part of that supply line, making sure that the missions go forth and that connecting mission-minded people. That's one of the things they do, and they have a very big interest in Haiti. In fact, I believe Haiti is really what started Step of Faith ministry and we talked about that on the podcast.
Speaker 2:I don't remember which number, but if you scan through you'll see it. There's a whole bunch of them. We're on what 127 now. We're on what 127 now. Hallelujah, thank you, jesus.
Speaker 2:Uh, and then we had, uh, our dear brother, pastor brian, who is Down in haiti, and he was I had a chance to get. We've been trying to get him, get together with him for years, trying to get together with him and we're planning on going down to visit him once things Calm down and he was just a few episodes back. Get together with him and we're planning on going down to visit him once things calm down and he was just a few episodes back his interview and we're going to have him do I didn't confirm this with him yet. So this, if you're Brian, if you're listening, this is news to you, but we're going to have him do some some updates every once in a while and just give us updates on what's going on from the ground. So we're going to do that. Yes, he's probably surprised right now. Have you ever been to a surprise interview? Yeah, that's what we're going to do, and we're going to do that with many of the people that are around the world. I believe the Lord kind of put that on my heart the other day. We're going to just do some updates short, you know, quick, short updates what's going on with many of the people that we have interviewed, and so that way, we can continue to remember, to keep them in prayer and stay connected with what's going on.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, brian's down there in Haiti, and now we have Bastia, who Brian's down there in Haiti, and and now we have, uh, bastia, who we interviewed also down in down there in Haiti, and so I believe the Lord wants us to really focus on praying for Haiti. You know, I don't think it's an accident that we have three well, I'm counting Patrick and Pam as one, but four, you know, haiti missionaries on this program. We have yet to go there. We still need to go. So, with that being said, let's get back to the Bastia interview. Oh, my goodness, so you were here for a while and then you decided. You said I'm going back because I want to see what I can do. So what did that look like when you went back?
Speaker 1:Well, first of all, as I said, when I moved to Appleton, I was under the teaching of Pastor Dwight, calvary Chapel in Appleton, wisconsin, and Pastor Dwight is a great teacher. And Calvary Chapel in Appleton, wisconsin, and Pastor Dwight is a great teacher and Calvary Chapel in general, is known as a good Bible teaching movement. You see what I mean. So in almost all of the churches, if you go, you know, I guarantee you, you will be fed, you know, in the Word, because that's what we focus on. We focus on worship, you know, fellowship and the teaching of the Word.
Speaker 1:So, being under Pastor Dwight, you know, it was my first time, you know, sitting under a pastor who was teaching the Word of God straight, book by book, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, straight book by book, verse by verse, chapter by chapter.
Speaker 1:And so my mind changed on being, instead of being, a mechanic, and I said, well, I need to go to the Bible college so I can bring back what I'm learning, because I saw that if I really learned the word of God and I become a teacher, I could save so many lives in Haiti. So, you know, I was not attached, you know, to all the things in America. I mean, you know, all I could think about is go to a Bible college and go back to Haiti so I could start, you know, a freshman work and start teaching the Word of God, start, you know, invest in the community, et cetera. And after I went to the Bible college in 2003, 2005, I graduated. And guess what? I graduated in June 2005. And July 2005, july 19, 2005, I landed at the airport in Port-au-Prince with the mission for God to use me so life could be changed in Carnegie.
Speaker 2:Wow, that's a great story right there, man. So you went back and you just what? Did you? Start A Bible study, did you just say we're starting a church here. What did you Actually? What?
Speaker 1:happened since. I say that my dad was a lay pastor and before he passed away, he came to me to take over the church and at that time I did not go to the Bible college. I went to Pastor Greg for counseling on that and Pastor Greg said just tell your dad to wait. As we were talking, my dad passed away and he I mean not that we knew that he had some problem, you know and unexpectedly, after he was done teaching at a neighbor's church and, uh, he walked out and he gave the bible to somebody who was close to him and he collapsed, wow and uh and uh, that was, that was the end of it. He went home to be with the Lord.
Speaker 1:So the church that he was leading he was pastoring. He told him that I would be the one being the pastor. Okay, oh, wow. He told him that. Wow, it's like you know, in his communication with the Lord, you know he knew that that would probably be the end of his life. You know, he was about 47 at that time. And so when I go back to Haiti and you know, churches, as I said at that time, most of them were kind of entertainment, and so I started teaching the book of John, so would have a good relationship with Jesus Christ. And we had a Bible study every Wednesday and we had a regular service on Sunday, and so we started very, very, very slow and we were teaching like little baby, that's how we started it and people asking questions.
Speaker 1:They were so hungry for the Word. You know how it is. You know when you think for the first time you've been reading, but you could not understand when you were able just to find someone to really explain the Word of God. You just don't want to go home, you just want to stay there just to study more. This is how it was and this is how we started, my friend.
Speaker 2:Wow, that is amazing. And when was this? 2006? You said 2005. 2005, wow, oh my goodness.
Speaker 1:July 2005.
Speaker 2:So we're going to. That's where we're going to come down and do a play for you when everything cools off a little bit down there. Okay, we're going to come down and do a play in our actually the the one of the people that are on the board for plays on word. She is a missionary to Haiti and yeah she's been trying to get us to come down and she was there in Haiti when the president got assassinated.
Speaker 1:Really, yeah, yeah, it was just yeah, it was craziness, yeah things were getting better at that time, but not the way it is today.
Speaker 2:So the main thing what are the needs that you have down there? What is the number one need, what can people, I guess, pray for first and foremost?
Speaker 1:You know, if I would say nationwide, I would say we need prayer, that this country could make a U-turn to the Lord, this country could make a U-turn to the Lord. And the second thing I would say that we want to see the missionaries that are in Haiti, all the churches. They don't lose focus because with all that is going on with the gang getting territories and doing kidnapping, all that is going on with the gang getting territories and doing kidnapping, and it's easy for pastors, for missionaries, to lose focus just thinking about, you know, it's maybe our territory. Tomorrow the gang probably will plan to come and take and I mean I'm praying that we don't lose focus, we don't focus on that.
Speaker 1:Yes, we need to pray and we need to watch, but our focus should stay the same and even more to teach God's word. I mean we need to find other way, like radio station, christian radio station. Let's make sure that we have the teaching on the air and people are so stressful today and I think we need to make sure that we get more radio, more radios Like our radio station. We have a fixed solar radio we used to give to the people so they could catch only our radio station. So one of the big needs right now, I would say, is if we could buy solo radio and we could give to so many. And because people are so stressful, they need to hear what God would say in a situation like that and we need to be more active and effective in a situation like that.
Speaker 2:Are there any Christian radio stations down there playing Bible teaching or anything like that?
Speaker 1:Yes, yes, there are, especially in the North area, Because what happened after? The gang took over mostly the whole capital which is Port-au-Prince, over mostly the whole capital which is Port-au-Prince, and they moved to our central plateau and in the central plateau they killed the people in that town and they killed the security at the hospital. They broke the police station and all the police had to run and they took the radio station. You know, there that was really. I mean, at the radio station they had the word of God. You know on the air. They took that radio station. There is no school right now in Miobale. There is no church running in Mi, no school right now in new valley. There is no church we running in new valley right now, and so the whole town in um is uh, is controlled right now by the gang. So, uh, in in a higher plateau we have at least uh two christian radio, so our own radio station and another one in the town.
Speaker 2:Oh, wow, I mean that is. Oh, my goodness, there is so much to pray for, yes, so much to pray for.
Speaker 1:That's why we would like to see the focus and, you know, let's see how we can make sure that more people hear the word of God, and so, you know, to see how we could help them with the stress is so bad.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, okay, well, wow, man, I'm just thinking about what you told me, man, this is, I mean if you would talk about the need.
Speaker 1:There are so many needs. You know the people that move from Mill Valley. They are without a home, they're staying, they're living in the park. You know they're living, you know at school and you know so I mean they're all over. Even in our church we host some of the people that got out from Mewballe for their lives. So we have them in our house, we take care of them with food and clothes and anything that they have, because they have nothing left.
Speaker 2:Oh man, this is amazing and this is very close to the United States. It's not like it's on the other side of the world.
Speaker 1:A little bit over one hour.
Speaker 2:And that's amazing that this is happening under our noses right now. And, man, I'm feeling just a burden to keep you guys in prayer and pray for what's happening, because I know the, the lord, actually shines in situations like this. He, he's an expert at taking a bad situation and turning it for good. So you know, I would, I would look to see him, um, through the power of his spirit and getting the, the word of god, uh, into the hearts and ears and the hearts of people there. That will change the whole culture. It'll change the whole yes.
Speaker 2:You know it'll change the whole country. Yes, so that's really the prayer. And the enemies? No doubt the enemy is against that, that's so true, but he, he who's within us, is greater than he who's within the world. Yes, yeah, so all right. Well, my brother Bastia, yes, yes, thank you for being on Plays Onward. And can we continue to check in with you throughout the year and just keep tabs with you and see what's going on and see how else we can pray? Maybe you can give us a praise report and what's happening?
Speaker 1:It's easy, you know. I just want to return it to you, to thank you so much for giving me the opportunity, fred, to receive me on your show radio and sharing your audience. You know with me and and I just pray that the people who would be listening that would, first of all, lift up the Haiti. And actually one of the things that I you know, my subject as I'm here, is, I want each and everyone who's been missionaries in Haiti and every Christian in the United States, let's stand up and let's cry out so God could hear our prayer on behalf of Haiti and so we could experience, you know, what we call stability, and so let's pray that. You know that will keep us focused, and I do believe that if we are able just to stay focused, god will take care of all our needs, needs that we would like to share with people, because there are so many needs but if we stay focused, god will help us find a way so we can take care of the rest of the things.
Speaker 2:Amen, amen. Now, do you have a website or a Facebook page or anything we could connect anybody with?
Speaker 2:Actually, we have an email address and people can share and okay, I'll put that in the show note. If you send it to me, or get Dave to send it to me, I'll make sure that it'll be in the show notes. So if anybody has any questions or they want to reach out, they can send you an email. Okay, um, directly, I tell you what. Can you close us in a short prayer, close us in a short prayer, close us in prayer and maybe let's pray for Haiti, whatever. Let's pray whatever is on your heart there.
Speaker 1:Oh, let's start. Dear Lord, we thank you so much for today and for this ministry Place on Words and you are using mightily, lord, just to reach out so many. And, lord, we thank you for Pastor Fred, who received us today and so we could talk about what is really going on in Haiti and lift him up. Lord, you know this nation to you, lord, we come before you on behalf of this nation who has been through so many things, who's been through COVID, who's been through cholera, who's been through earthquake. And, lord, today we're facing a hard situation where the gangs, lord, are really fighting against their own nation again and their own brothers and sisters, lord, and this is something very hard for us, and just to see all the people, the kids, are running, leaving everything that they have at the house and not knowing where they were going at the house and not knowing where they were going, and, Lord, it's so hard for us, you know, as your servant, and to see how that is going on in Haiti. Lord, we come before you and when we look at the situation, lord, it's like you know nothing is going to happen, but because we're serving you, we know that, lord, you know anything that is impossible for us is possible for you, lord. I lift up this nation to you.
Speaker 1:Please find a way so people would understand that only one person who could save Haiti, who could help Haiti at this time, is only you, jesus and Lord. This is our prayer. This is what we pray for every day. We pray for you to intervene.
Speaker 1:The same way you heard the cry of the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, lord, I pray that you would hear the cry of the Haitians, people saying that we can't, no more, we cannot, we cannot. There is nowhere else to go. So what are we going to do? And, lord, we pray that you would hear their cry and we can just trust in you. We can just wait on you, knowing that you are going to do something. And when you stand up, we know that what you're going to do for your children is going to be something good. And thank you, lord, for this ministry again, and thanks for keeping us safe still. Thanks for keeping my family safe still and thank you for keeping us safe still. Thanks for keeping my family safe still, and thank you for keeping some of the churches safe still, lord, in Haiti, and we trust you and we're rooting for you to do a miracle In Jesus' name Amen, amen.
Speaker 2:Thank you, my brother, all right. Well, perfect, thank you. Thank you for being on Play His Own Word Radio Amen, amen, all right. Hey, you for being on Plays Onward Radio Amen, amen, all right. Hey, we have something kind of cool next week for you guys. I believe it's going to be new for you. That's all I'm going to say. I'm not going to say no more. That's next Friday. Thank you for joining us on Plays Onward radio today. And, um, do me a favor, send this, send this link to somebody else. Send this to somebody that needs to be encouraged. You know somebody that needs to be encouraged, needs to hear something about the good lord. Send this out to them. You can just forward the Amen. That's all the time we have today, but until we get back together again, may the Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you. The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.
