Alice Legrand Bernard

It was a bright and sunny Sunday morning… on the exotic Island of Haiti, also known as the Hispaniola, on the Caribbean Sea, in the beautiful and energy filled city of Port-au-Prince, nestled between majestic hills and set in a picturesque landscape. Jehovah Elohim breathed life into baby Marie Alice Legrand, born to Herminise and Alexandre Legrand. She was their third bundle of joy. That day of celebration was November 21st, 1920. She was an inquisitive child, energetic, playful, and passionate, with a natural pull toward connecting with others. Raised in the traditions of Catholicism, she learned to acknowledge God in her life at a very young age, and believed that she had a purpose to fill on this earth. As a teen, she excelled in school, developed a vision for her life, and embraced the belief that the same Jehovah Elohim who had infused breath into her soul, had also called her to partner with Him in making a difference in this world. She aspired to be a nurse. The playful Alice found pleasure in simple activities such as playing hopscotch with her siblings, enjoying a brief hike in the woods, telling stories by the fire on a cool evening, and even climbing a mango tree to rescue the family kitten, and while perched on a fruit laden branch, enjoy one of its succulent treasures. She was a bundle of creative energy. As a student she was eager to learn, and loved to stimulate her creative mind. She was gifted with an exceptional memory, and from a young age, enjoyed writing and reciting poetry, a gift she shared with thousands throughout her nine decades of life. She was an engaging speaker whose powerful presence penetrated the hearts and souls of generations. Her photographic memory allowed her to store dozens of historic facts and poems, stories and Bible passages. Even in the twilight of her years, she recited a cornucopia of favorite Psalms daily. Her telephone contact list was in her head. She rarely used a telephone directory other than her own internal one. Up to the last month of her life, she dialed the phone numbers of family members and friends from memory. Her quick memory and spontaneous access to her creative energy gave her an added edge, but also a low tolerance for discomfort. At the age of 16, she was introduced to the Seventh-day Adventist faith, and within a few months, she and older sister Vertulie, were baptized and became members of the Temple SDA Church in Port-au-Prince. She was a trend setter, a catalyst for change, pushing boundaries while discovering new frontiers. Soon, other members of her family transitioned from Catholicism to a faith that allowed them to more meaningfully and actively connect directly with the God of the universe. It was this active connection that inspired the young adult Alice to pursue her dream and enter nursing school after finishing secondary school, devoting her life to serving the world as a healing partner with Jehovah Rapha. As a talented and very attractive young professional, she was sought after by dozens of potential suitors. In her golden years, she shared many a story of young doctors, lawyers, educators, and other professionals who vied for her heart. She was a diva in her time. One of her favorite stories, included a scene where she attended a Christmas ball at the hospital where she worked as a pediatric nurse. Although her energy filled the room and her attractive glow mesmerized a great number of young suitors in attendance, she felt that her Adam, her partner in ministry, her soulmate, was not among them. The man of her dream was later introduced to her by her brother-in-law. The young Bastien Bernard had also moved away from his Catholic faith, and having decided to no longer become a Catholic priest, felt a call to pastoral ministry. Her commitment to the ministry of healing was strengthened as they became friends. She often reminisced about the first weeks of their magnetic friendship, especially as they exchanged warm glances at church, during choir rehearsal. She sang alto, he was a tenor, and their hearts sang in unison. He was reserved, methodical, focused on reaching his goals. She was creative, spontaneous, bright, playful, and passionate about helping others. Their friendship grew for almost a decade, until they decided that their partnership in the ministry of life was ordained by Jehovah Jireh, the God who provides. On December 29, 1953, Alice and Bastien sealed their love in marriage with a host of family and friends in attendance. He had recently finished his training as a pastor at the Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary. The pastor and the nurse, committed to partnering with God in the ministry of healing the body and the soul began their journey as one……. Their first place of service was La Gonave, a small island of Haiti located to the west-northwest of Port-au-Prince in the Gulf of Gonave. It is the largest of the Hispaniolan satellite islands situated off the mainland. Bastien and Alice were the first Seventh-day Adventist missionaries there. He served as pastor and teacher, while his young wife, having completed her nursing degree, opened the first clinic that the island had ever had. Together they facilitated both spiritual and physical healing. Their journey of discovery and service took them to many countries around the world, where the vivacious nurse Alice opened and managed dozens of medical clinics, delivered babies, trained younger nurses, taught health classes, assisted physicians in the OR, served as lead nurse on college campuses, and sat with the sick as they took their last breath. She was indeed a helpmate to her husband who pastored congregations, planted churches, fed souls, preached the gospel, and shared the good news of salvation. Their active life of service spanned over 60 years, and even after they retired, their passion for learning, for serving others and for Jesus continued to fuel their lives. To their union were born two daughters, Judith and Delivranss. Later, they adopted a son Kennedy, their “miracle child.” Their family was complete. Mama Alice was a perpetual mother. She knew how to multitask with dexterity. She managed her home, cared meticulously for her children, co-led several ministries in her husband’s churches, while serving in her nursing capacity. Her home was always filled with guests and laughter. She loved vibrant colors, and pink was her favorite. Although her nuclear family was small, she served as surrogate mother to lots of nieces and nephews as well as their friends and members of the community. As the only nurse among her siblings, she was always on call, visiting sick relatives wherever they were, and sharing of her gifts of healing. She loved her extended family, adored her nuclear family, cared for her community, and was extremely in love with Jesus. In her golden years, Alice returned to the classroom and earned a degree in child development. She was an eternal kid at heart and was at her best relating to those of the younger generation. After she formally retired from the nursing field, dozens of little ones sat at her feet during their formative years, learning about life and Jesus in the daycares and pre-schools that she coordinated. Mama Alice embraced her Seventh-day Adventist values and faith in Christ with utmost passion. She witnessed for Jesus with every breath, shared about her journey with God, and believed that God had called her to proclaim the gospel to everyone whose path intersected with hers. She was a soldier for Christ, a messenger of the good news. On numerous occasions she would gather family and friends to share about inspiring dreams she had about the second coming of Christ and the beautiful life that awaits God’s children in heaven. One of her latest “visions” as she referred to them, was a depiction of the return of Jesus. On numerous occasions this past year, she described the breathtaking scene in her vision where Christ in His glory with a throng of angels burst out of the bright horizon…. and she would say with conviction, “ and the dead in Christ shall rise to meet our Savior in the air.” Whether she was at the grocery store, at the park, at a social gathering, at church, or on the street, she would reach out to complete strangers and tell them about the love of Jesus, adding with all her might, “ Jesus is coming soon.” Mama Alice loved to worship her Lord and Savior. In the early hours of the morning before sunrise, her strong alto voice could be heard echoing beyond her bedroom as she sang her favorite hymns and recited by memory her favorite Bible passages. Noon, and night, especially when sleep escaped her, she recited poetry and sang. Sabbath was always her favorite. After her hospital stay this past spring, her health declined steadily, but her resolve to praise her God became even more intense. In spite of her weakened heart, and the constant pain she experienced from her arthritis, she still sang and prayed to her Heavenly Father. So it was not by coincidence that she took her last breath early Sabbath morning. On October 17, 2020, she went to sleep in the loving arms of Her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. She was a few weeks short of her 100th Birthday. She was preceded in death by her parents, all of her siblings, her husband and partner in ministry, Dr. Bastien Bernard, and her daughter, Delivranss Jennie Bernard Cadet. Remaining to cherish her memory are: Daughter, Dr. Judith Bernard Fisher, Her miracle Son, Kennedy Bernard, Son of her heart, Pastor Keynel Cadet (Frida) Six precious grandchildren, Monique Gosling (Tamar), Christina Hunter (Claval), Sarah Cadet, Richard Alexander Fisher, Andrew Fisher, and Kenny Bernard; Five adorable great-grandchildren, Ayden Fisher, Chloe Hunter, Isaiah Hunter, Lucy Fisher, Adam Hunter, and Veronique Gosling. Sisters –in-law Mrs. Victoire Legrand, Mrs. Enide Legrand & Mrs. Josephine Legrand Also a host of nephews, nieces, extended family and friends. Alice Legrand Bernard, shepherdess par excellence, great warrior for the King of the Universe, loving wife, thoughtful mother, tender grandmother and great grandmother, and caring nurse embraced the promise of her Abba God:” and I give eternal life to [you], and ]you] will never perish, and no one will snatch [you] out of My hand.” John 10:28. She now waits peacefully for his crown of glory: ‘ And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing.” 2 timothy 4: 8 NL