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A Real Life Story from
the Nutmeg Island
(Grenada) By Joseph Childers
Joseph and Donalie Childers arrived in Grenada in 2016. God had laid a burden on their hearts to
reach the second largest town on this Caribbean island. Below is a heart touching story of simply
following the Lord.
“No, I cannot do that!” Multitudes
have used this excuse. Some form of this
quote is given by Moses, Gideon, Jeremiah,
and probably most missionaries on the field
today. I personally gave God my excuses for
why I could not go to Grenada and why I
would never be effective there. However, God
taught me something through 1 Corinthians
1—that He has chosen the foolish things, the
weak things, and base things of this world to
bring about His will so that God may receive
the glory!
In our first year on the field, we worked with
Mamma Cannes Independent Baptist Church
under a national pastor. During that time,
we familiarized ourselves with our target city
(Grenville) and the surrounding villages. We
met a number of people who were interested
in starting a church, and we would pick up
several of them to come with us to Mamma
Cannes with the understanding that they
would come with us when our church plant
officially launched.
One of the men we would pick up is named
Roland, but we know him as Musche. He had
been saved about a year prior to our arrival
and was baptized at Mamma Cannes. Several
men from Mamma Cannes came to assist in
our opening weeks, including a pianist and
song leader. On our first official Sunday, I
approached Musche about how he could serve
within the church.
“Would you help with song leading?”
“No, I can’t do that!” he replied.
“Can you play the keyboard? Or the guitar?”
“No, I can’t do that.”
“When we get a church
bus, would you be willing
to drive for us?”
“No, I can’t do that either.”
Not deterred, I asked, “Do
you think you could lead
a Sunday school class
someday? Or maybe
learn to preach on
occasion?” “Oh no, I
could never do that!”
was his immediate
reply. 4
Therefore, I asked simply, “What could you
do?” He responded, “Well, I can pray, and I
will commit to coming for every service, and
maybe after I have been coming for a while, I
would like to be a soul winner.”
Now we were getting somewhere! Since he
was faithful to every service, I let him lead the
church in prayer each service, and he became
an usher. From that first week, he became a
soul winner and has been my personal soul-
winning partner for most of the past six years.
Every time we go out, no matter what village,
everyone knows Musche!
Today, he teaches the adult Sunday school
class weekly. He leads the singing every week.
He counsels and prays with the young men.
Now his life verse has become I can do all
things through Christ which strengtheneth me
(Philippians 4:13)!
I am thankful that God used great men like
Moses, Gideon, and Jeremiah despite their “I
cannot do it” attitudes they began with and
that God also can use people like Musche and
even me. It is not about a person’s skill or ability
or inability—but whether he will allow God to
work in him and through him! W
Before he was saved, he was a footballer
(soccer player) and then the village drunk. Not
only do they know him but they also know
his testimony of how God changed him! As
Musche continued being faithful and continued
serving in small ways, God has grown him
considerably. He began waking at 4 a.m. to
read his Bible. He prays for a couple hours
each night. He joined the Bible institute. He
cuts the yard and helps with projects. He began
leading a weekly half-night prayer meeting.
5