M. Dieu Maitre remembers when going to church in Terre Blanche meant gathering outdoors under palm branches. Today, the Free Methodist congregation of about 300 people fills the concrete building that sits on that same site. It’s the only church in the community and some people walk more than an hour to get there.
The church has outgrown its building and earlier this year, members began construction on a new, larger building about two hundred yards from the current church. The walls are up on the new building and church members, including children in Sunday school, have hauled rocks from a nearby riverbed to start the foundation.
M. Dieu Maitre says it brings him joy to see so many people at church and he is excited to have a new building with space for even more people.