Welcome to Renaissance Voices. My name is Kristene ODell, owner of 8 Owls Publishing. Have you ever wanted to get to know the authors behind the books you read? I have! I’m fascinated by the way Jesus moves in the lives of real people with real stories who have met a real Savior in their time of need. It’s these types of authors I love to work with and it’s my privilege to introduce them to you.

Season 2 - Episode 7

by Kristene O'Dell

In 2010, an earthquake hit Haiti that destroyed much of it’s infrastructure. They are still recovering today. Junia Voltaire Demesle was attending class when her university collapsed upon her. She has written a book about her miraculous survival. Through severe injury, she managed to get home, heal both physically and emotionally, and then be one of the few chosen to attend a Bible college in the United States.

Time Stamps:

8:40: When Joyce and Junia met, Junia had cut off the end of her thumb. 6 hours later, the doctor told her he didn’t think her thumb would grow back.

9:56: Intercessors at her church prayed that God would grow her thumb back and He did!

10:26: Junia’s book is called Survival. It is her testimony of how God saved her life during the Haitian Earthquake of 2010.

12:46: Junia was at the university when the earthquake hit. The building she was in collapsed upon all those in attendance. She was trapped in the rubble.

13:29: She felt as though someone pushed her as the building was collapsing. Instead of being in the middle of the room where she was standing, she ended up next to the door.

15:02: When she gained consciousness, she began to yell out for help. A student who was looking for his sister came over to where Junia was trapped. He cleared the dirt from her face trying to see if it was his sister. When he realized it wasn’t, he left Junia. But he had cleared enough rubble from her face that she could now be heard as she cried out for help.

15:56: A janitor dragged her out of the rubble. This created more injuries and bleeding.

18:25: Junia’s friend from school took her to the hospital. When they got there, the hospital could not take in anymore people. Junia and her friend found a place to rest outside on the ground. Junia was bleeding and going into shock. She also was aware that she had broken bones and was in a desperate situation. Her friend laid on top of her and prayed like Elijah.

21:28: They had to take clothes off someone who had died to make bandages and slings for Junia so that she did not bleed out.

21:40: Junia told her friend, if I do not die tonight, take me home.

21:52: Junia and her friend believed in the power of God to save her that night.

23:51: This book is a tremendous testimony of faith in God and persistence to survive.

24:20: Junia was not only healed physically, but emotionally as well, and ended up attending Christ for the Nations Bible college in Dallas, TX.