Sharing the Good News

Are you the kind that enjoys handing out tracts? Some don’t. I suppose there are various reasons for objecting, and I’m not inclined to hand them out indiscriminately. That’s just not me. I far prefer the personal touch. Like tonight, for instance, we were sitting in a restaurant when my husband got to chatting with the waitress about the cross on her necklace. Good enough place to start, right? Fleetingly a troubled looked crossed her face when Stephen asked if she was a Christian. From what she told us it sounded like she had tried to be one, once, but her family wasn’t at all ‘into that sort of thing’.

Well, what do you tell a young girl in the few minutes of time allotted to you? I told her that Jesus was not only a Saviour but a Friend who wants to guide her through life. But how much did she know? In the busyness of life that brief thought could be like a leaf caught in an eddy and soon lodged far away in the back of her mind. That’s when I looked into my purse and lo and behold I found one tract in there. Search For God, How Can I Find Him. Perfect! And the perfect opportunity to give it to her also came up. Did she turn up her nose and act insulted when I offered it to her? No way! She snatched it eagerly and carefully put it in a safe place. This isn’t a one- time type of experience for me—for us. We have often found that people are happy to receive one of those little messages from God if we chat with them first. We are so fortunate—so blessed, and long to share the wonderful gift of salvation. I’m sure you do too. Try handing out a tract next time you have a nice, little visit with a stranger. It is so heartwarming. But don’t forget to pray for them, also. P.S. Do YOU know what the Good News Is?

You Mean She is Alive?

This came in a letter from my nephew who is a missionary:
------ have chosen to visit the Andaman Islands of India and invited us along! We are enthused about it. Gospel tract has had a few contacts there for five years or so. We flew to Port Blair, the largest city of the Islands. We went to our hotel and agreed to meet Dr. T. Raja Wilson that evening. We had a good visit with Raja and his wife, Shiva. They are originally from Kerala and of the A.G. Church. He had been an assistant pastor in a large church there. In time, he felt called to missionary work in the Andaman’s. His mother was on her deathbed and he felt bad for leaving her. She told him he should go with her blessing, but. “Wait until I have died. Bury me first, and then go.” Nevertheless, he felt God wanting them to go. The church had given him a good collection to help him go very nicely to Port Blair and get set up. He cared not for the money and used it to buy provisions for his mother and family. Or something? Then, he and his wife set sail in the very cheapest berth on the ship, headed for Port Blair. The journey took like 4 days and when he arrived he called home to find out that his mother had been healed that very day! This boosted his faith. This incident took place 13 years ago. She is still alive and well today! She has visited his place in Port Blair twice. They were married 5 years with no children. One day, they became aware of three homeless, parentless children. They felt to take them in, although they didn’t have the room or ability to do so. They continued in faith and opened their home to more needy children and today they have 90+ children they care for and influence. Once, they had run out of food. Shiva asked Raja what to do. They decided to feed the children the rest of the rice and serve it in bowls with water, so basically rice water soup. Then, instead of playing after the ‘meal’ or doing homework, they sent the children to bed so they wouldn’t feel their hunger. After the children were in bed, husband and wife began pouring their hearts out to God. They were tempted to doubt their calling or their work as it didn’t seem as God was blessing, or guiding them. Here they had these children trusting them, to provide and they weren’t able to do so. Raja prayed for several hours. He felt he had shared and prayed what could be prayed for and felt to go to bed. But Shiva would not stop. She cried to God all night through, demanding help, pleading help, interceding for the children and for the work she was convinced God had called them to. At 5:00 am, the time they normally began preparing breakfast for the children, Raja was awakened by the sound of hammering on the outside door. He was startled and fearful of who he would find there at that hour in the morning. Hesitantly, he opened the door. An army officer was there. On asked whom he sought, the officer said he was looking for Love Children’s Home. Raja had to admit that this was the place. “I have a truck load of food for Love Children’s Home.” Raja was quizzical, “What? Why? We did not request… ?” The answer the officer gave, “My Boss has ordered me to have this load of food delivered to Love Children’s Home by 5:00 am.” Army men unloaded the truckload of food, piling the kitchen and storage place full with rice, dal, vegetables, etc. Raja was completely confused. He realized this was a work of God. They praised God with tears of unspeakable gratitude.