Saved From the Power of Voodoo

CBN.com Pierre Julien grew up in Haiti as the son of a wealthy landowner. Like many kids, he spent his days playing with friends. But there was one activity he engaged in that wasn’t so innocent.

“We all worshipped voodoo” Pierre said. “Almost everyone in my community was connected by the fact that we all do voodoo ceremonies.”  Two of Pierre’s uncles were well known voodoo practitioners.  His parents attended Catholic Church regularly but they also practiced voodoo. “They went to church on Sundays, but would return home do ceremonies. A lot of Haitians believe here is no problem with them being Christian, going to church and still worship the spirit, which is called WUA.”

His family offered food and dance rituals to the voodoo gods.  Young Pierre took part in these rituals.  He developed a deep belief in the power of voodoo.              

Pierre said, “We would do dances, you would see people dancing and singing and you would see the spirit entering the people.”

In 1978 Pierre emigrated to the U.S. and joined the Army.  He was in training when he met his future wife Carolyn. 

Pierre said, “We became friends and later on that friendship developed into love.”

As the relationship progressed and they started to talk “marriage” Pierre told Carolyn about some “cultural” expectations that he’s brought from Haiti.

Pierre told her, “When we get married, she’s going to be wife number one because I have to have a mistress.  But she did not take me serious.”

Carolyn said, “Oh, I did not believe that.  Because he said in Haiti all the men have more than one wife and I would be wife number one. This implied a wife number two, three, four, and even wife number five!  And I didn’t believe that. I thought it was a joke.  I said this is America, I said that’s Haiti.  It’s nonsense.”

Carolyn convinced herself that Pierre was joking and they decided to marry.  But is was no joke.  Pierre’s own mother was actually a mistress of his father.

Pierre said, “I used to have two homes; my mother’s home and my father’s wife’s house. In fact, I never knew there was a problem with that kind of lifestyle.”                   

Over the course of their marriage, Pierre has several extramarital affairs.                       

“There were hints that he was cheating on me.” Carolyn said. “I kept denying it because I didn’t want to believe it because he’s still a good-hearted person in spite of the fact that he may have had someone.”

“I didn’t think there was a problem with that because I told her from the beginning that my culture tolerates the fact that I can have her as my wife and have a mistress” Pierre said.

Pierre and Carolyn stayed together despite his infidelities. They also had a son.

“Josh brought joy, but that did not change the fact that I still would like to have other relationship outside my marriage” Pierre said.

Pierre continued his adulter lifestyle.  And though it was harder to practice in the U.S. he continued to believe in the power of voodoo.

 “In the United States I didn’t have access to voodoo priests, at least not to good ones. You know a voodoo priest to be good if what he says comes true.  ” Pierre said. “I would go really simply to get protection.  I just enjoyed the rituals. So I would go and talk with them.”

Carolyn was a Christian.  She knew Pierre had a past with voodoo, but thought it was more a cultural thing.  She didn’t know to what extent Pierre believed.

Pierre said, “I don’t think she knew as much because I professed to be a Christian as well. I believed I was a Christian because I went to church, I was a catholic. I just did voodoo. I believe in voodoo.

Carolyn and their son Josh attended church regularly and often asked Pierre to join them.

Carolyn says, “He was stubborn about it, but he did go.  He didn’t want to be there.”

“If I start an argument on Saturday night, we get angry with each other, and she would not ask me to go to church on Sunday morning” Pierre said.

But once Pierre’s son was old enough to see what was going on, he confronted his dad.

Pierre said, “He woke me up and he said, ‘Dad, the family’s going to church.  Get up and get dressed and go to church with your family.’  I was convicted.  And I got up.  And I went to church with them.

Soon after, Pierre started watching The 700 Club.

Pierre says, “I was captivated by The 700 Club. And I would not miss that program for anything. I enjoyed the testimony part of it. And one day, I saw a testimony of two men, one Jew and one Arab. And I saw some changes in their lives through that testimony.  How Jesus Christ changed them.  And I did not hesitate that day for some reason.  That testimony touched my heart so profoundly and I pray. I did not even know how to pray, but I said the simple thing. I want to be changed.  I said I don’t want to be a Sunday morning Christian. You know my life; you know my engagement to voodoo. I want you to come into my life and fill me with your power.”

From that moment on, Pierre was a new man.

Carolyn said, “When he became committed to Christ, there was no turning back.  When they say you become a new creature in Christ, my husband was a new creature in Christ. 

But Pierre faced many challenges as a Christian. He was haunted by dreams of his past.

Pierre said, “It was trouble in my spirit. I would cry sometimes and my wife did not understand what was going on, and I would share with her the thing that I have done, way back in he past, the devil would bring back to my remembrance.”

Pierre asked his wife and son to pray for him. As they did, he was set free.                  

Pierre said,  “The bible says when you resist the devil, he will flee.  He flees every time. And i’ve been free.  The first 40 years of my life, I live for Satan.  I did those things that were not pleasing to God.  For the rest of my life, I’m going to live for Christ.  I’m going to let Christ live through me.”

Recently, Pierre retired form the U.S. Army after 25 years of service. He’s going back to Haiti to preach the Gospel to a nation filled with darkness. He wants them to know that the power of God is stronger than voodoo.

Pierre said, “I want people to know that no matter what their past may have been, the sins they may have committed, the blood of Jesus Christ is strong and power enough to cleanse them. I believe with all my heart the power of God to change a man. He changed me. He can change the people. He can change that nation. The word is the power of God to save those who believe.”