Say to These Mountains: A Biography of Faith and Ministry in Rural Haiti

Elizabeth Turnbull

Oct 2017 · Light Messages Publishing

About this ebook

Through the true story of Wallace Turnbull, one of Haiti’s pioneers in development and missions, Say To These Mountains takes readers on a journey where grace and beauty shine into even the tightest crevices of brokenness, poverty, and loss.

Over the course of 70 years, Wallace’s work changed countless lives and influenced national policy in both Haiti and the United States. For his contributions, he was decorated with the National Order of Honor and Merit, Haiti’s highest honor.

As told by Wallace’s granddaughter, this eloquent biography reveals the life of a complex man and his adopted country, painting a picture of hope and mercy vastly different from the often-grim stories shared about the island nation and her people.

“How many children, how many elderly, how many generations were touched—how many survived—because of the work the Pastor has done?” –President Michel Martelly of Haiti during the bestowing of the Order of Honor and Merit to Wallace Turnbull

Ratings and reviews

Say Yes to this Book By weaving multiple plot threads into an engaging narrative fabric, author Elizabeth Turnbull creates a complex portrait of a nation and of a family in Say to These Mountains, her newly released biography of her grandfather, Wallace Turnbull, who spent almost seventy years as a missionary in Haiti. This compelling biography reaches beyond the challenging physical landscape of the Haitian mountains—where Wallace Turnbull yoked himself to a people with whom he deeply and authentically connected—and into the psyche of a troubled nation. Turnbull’s life story is not a tale of proselyting or spiritual hubris but one of service and respect as he participates in the struggle of a dignified people wishing to rise from poverty and from lives with limited options. Readers who might be wary of the intentions of Christian missionaries will find here the story of a man who offered the Haitian people not only the promise heavenly rewards but also of a better life on earth. Elizabeth Turnbull presents a rare glimpse into the passion and humility of one man’s on-going labor in an evolving Haiti. Working alongside his wife, and later with his children and grandchildren, Wallace Turnbull offered himself as a servant to a cause larger than himself—one that required belief, duty, self-sacrifice, and devotion. Turnbull and his family—whose lives are forever linked to Haiti’s political and economic history—built roads, schools, hospitals as well as churches and did so with open hearts, an open mind, and the belief that with faith all things are possible. Say to These Mountains offers a remarkably uplifting, readable, and well-paced biography. Elizabeth Turnbull’s book is a page-turner; I couldn’t put it down.

About the author

Elizabeth Turnbull was born and raised in Haiti where she grew up surrounded by the people and landscapes of Say to These Mountains.

After graduating from Quisqueya Christian School, in Port-au-Prince, Elizabeth went on to study Spanish and Journalism at Wake Forest University and received her MA in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from Florida International University.

As a "Third Culture Kid," she sees herself as living between two worlds, never fully belonging to one or the other. She's spent a lifetime trying to reconcile those worlds, to help both sides understand one another. Writing, she believes, is the best tool she has for that.

Today, Elizabeth is the Senior Editor for Light Messages Publishing where she is immensely grateful to immerse herself in new stories every day. She is also the author of two children’s books: Janjak and Freda Go to the Iron Market and Bonnwit Kabrit.

Elizabeth lives on a budding farm in Hillsborough, NC, with her husband Roberto Copa Matos. Connect with her online at lightmessages.com/elizabeth-turnbull. Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest @ejturnbull and on Facebook at elizabethjturnbull.