Book Review: 'Strong to the End'
By Tim Challies - Posted at @challies.com:
You have probably heard of Davy and Natalie Lloyd, even if the names aren’t immediately familiar. In May 2024, you most likely heard the news about two young American missionaries to Haiti who, along with one of their Haitian colleagues, were brutally murdered by one of the many gangs that dominate the country. I suppose it’s more accurate to say they were martyred since their deaths were directly related to their mission to the people of Haiti. Their story is now told and told well in Strong to the End: The Simple Service and Sudden Sacrifice of the Martyrs in Haiti, a biography of the couple written by Davy’s parents, David and Alicia.Davy Lloyd was born and raised in Haiti. His parents founded Missions in Haiti in 2000, intending to minister specifically to the nation’s children, which they identified as Haiti’s most pressing need. They raised their own children there as well, including Davy. He professed faith at a young age, was baptized, and eventually set out for Bible college, intending to return to Haiti and continue the work there. He excelled academically, spiritually, and socially and graduated with a determination to “live my life intentionally, in light of eternity.” He was especially motivated by three key biblical truths: Hell is horrible, Jesus is good, and heaven is great.
Along the way, Davy met a young lady named Natalie, a politician’s daughter from Missouri. She, too, took her faith seriously, and she, too, was considering how to spend her life in the Lord’s service. Soon the two were dating and considering a future together. A missions trip to Haiti sealed the deal—Natalie would marry Davy and together they would serve the nation of Haiti by serving its children. They were married in the summer of 2022 and soon set out for Haiti, not knowing their marriage would last for just 23 months.