GOD USES PEOPLE TO CHANGE PEOPLE'S LIVES
by Les McCoy
We have reached the end of another excellent summer for 75 students in our Florida student literature evangelist program. These students made contact with more than 300,000 people in Florida, distributed 40,000 books, and received $300,000 in donations of which $200,000 went to student scholarships. Plus the students received approximately $50,000 in matching funds through various Adventist universities.
Of the untold number of answers to prayer and life-changing experiences, one story in particular stands out:
As Andrea Salcedo was working in Miami, she attempted to canvass several people in a barbershop but no one seemed interested. Finally, one tough-looking man started listening to Andrea. At the close of her presentation, the man decided to give her a small donation but made it clear that he did not want the book. After several attempts, Andrea convinced him to take the book.
A few weeks later, while canvassing in a completely different area, Andrea was assigned to an industrial complex that included what she thought was an abandoned building. She was nervous but decided to look inside when something told her to proceed. Sheepishly poking her head through the door, she was taken back when she saw two men. Being alone, she was at first afraid and then quickly sent up a prayer for protection.
Although Andrea did not recognize the men, one of them recognized her. He was the tough man she met in the barbershop at the beginning of the summer. He began to rejoice at seeing her, even weeping. After much excitement, he told Andrea that her book had changed his life. The book was Peace Above the Storm. You may know it as Steps to Christ.
I tell you this story for two reasons: First, all of our students had experiences like this throughout the summer where their books changed someone’s life, but only a few like Andrea got to meet their customers again and hear their testimony.
The second reason I tell you this experience is because it’s true that the book changed this man’s life. These inspired books are vital, but that is only part of the story because the Lord also used Andrea to change this man’s life. Perhaps we could put it this way: God uses people to change people’s lives.
Thank you students for your courage and commitment to Christ and His Gospel this summer. Also, a special thanks to our hosts: Jacksonville First Church, Sawgrass Adventist School, Plantation Church, New Port Richey Church, Tallahassee Church, and for our extended program, Avon Park Church. Thank you for giving to the Lord and to us. Without you, we could not have accomplished this mission.
We have reached the end of another excellent summer for 75 students in our Florida student literature evangelist program. These students made contact with more than 300,000 people in Florida, distributed 40,000 books, and received $300,000 in donations of which $200,000 went to student scholarships. Plus the students received approximately $50,000 in matching funds through various Adventist universities.
Of the untold number of answers to prayer and life-changing experiences, one story in particular stands out:
As Andrea Salcedo was working in Miami, she attempted to canvass several people in a barbershop but no one seemed interested. Finally, one tough-looking man started listening to Andrea. At the close of her presentation, the man decided to give her a small donation but made it clear that he did not want the book. After several attempts, Andrea convinced him to take the book.
A few weeks later, while canvassing in a completely different area, Andrea was assigned to an industrial complex that included what she thought was an abandoned building. She was nervous but decided to look inside when something told her to proceed. Sheepishly poking her head through the door, she was taken back when she saw two men. Being alone, she was at first afraid and then quickly sent up a prayer for protection.
Although Andrea did not recognize the men, one of them recognized her. He was the tough man she met in the barbershop at the beginning of the summer. He began to rejoice at seeing her, even weeping. After much excitement, he told Andrea that her book had changed his life. The book was Peace Above the Storm. You may know it as Steps to Christ.
I tell you this story for two reasons: First, all of our students had experiences like this throughout the summer where their books changed someone’s life, but only a few like Andrea got to meet their customers again and hear their testimony.
The second reason I tell you this experience is because it’s true that the book changed this man’s life. These inspired books are vital, but that is only part of the story because the Lord also used Andrea to change this man’s life. Perhaps we could put it this way: God uses people to change people’s lives.
Thank you students for your courage and commitment to Christ and His Gospel this summer. Also, a special thanks to our hosts: Jacksonville First Church, Sawgrass Adventist School, Plantation Church, New Port Richey Church, Tallahassee Church, and for our extended program, Avon Park Church. Thank you for giving to the Lord and to us. Without you, we could not have accomplished this mission.
