Remember my young friend, Annie? She was working as a waitress before leaving for the university. She was also sharing the Lord with her co-workers.
One Sunday she invited five waiters to church! All came but Alberto. Alberto was the cook, 23-years-old and had come from Central America. At first Annie felt he was a lost cause. He had a drinking problem, had been in a gang, used offensive language and she avoided him.
One day he said, “Annie, what are you always talking to those guys about? What are those books you’ve got?”
“It’s about God, Alberto. You wouldn’t be interested.”
“I AM interested! Tell me. Tell me!”
So Annie began sharing with Alberto about God.
He’d listen and say, “God is for wimps, man! You think I’m gonna believe that? Get outa here!”
The next day he’d say, “Annie, you think there’s a heaven and a hell?”
She’d say, “The Bible tells us there is.”
He’d start cursing and saying, “I don’t believe that! That’s for wimps! Get outa here!”
This went on for days and then he said, “Annie, I need to talk to you. Everyday I ask you about God and when you tell me I get mad and yell at you. That’s wrong and I shouldn’t do that. I’m sorry.”
Alberto told Annie he’d never read a book in his life. All the guys at work had read a book Annie had brought called, Bruchko. It’s the story of Bruce Olson, a missionary living among a primitive Indian tribe in South America. Annie decided to offer it to Alberto.
“No, I can’t read a whole book! No!”
She said, “Go ahead. Read one chapter and we’ll talk about it. I’ll help you if you have questions.”
Two days later he had finished the book and was telling everyone in the restaurant, “I read this book! I read this book! Ask me anything, Annie! I’ll prove to you that I read the whole thing. Give me another one—I want to learn! Do you have any books on history?”
She said, “Civil War or World War II?”
He said, “Both! He ended up reading The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, Uncle Tom’s Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe and Twice Pardoned by Harold Morris.
Meanwhile, Annie left for the university and one of the waiters continued to come by my home to pick up a load of books for the waiters to read. When they’d finish, the waiter would return them and pick up another load.
I had never met Alberto, but one day he called me to say he’d been fired for drinking on the job. He wanted to return the books and thank me. He said, “I didn’t read them because I was interested in them, I read them because someone cared about me—and that meant a lot. By the way, I read 15 books. That’s impressive, Huh!”
- He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.” Mark 16:15
- SONG: WELL OF DESPAIR – Lyrics by Liana Wendy Howarth; Music by Kathleen
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[This life is temporary. This life is short. When this life is over, our bodies will die and become empty shells, but our souls will continue to live forever. Where will the “real you” live? Will you live for all eternity separated from God? Or will you spend eternity in the presence of God in heaven? Learn more so you can make your most important decision: http://www.godlife.com/gospel/ and http://www.godlife.com/en/about-christianity
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Thank you Kathleen for your sweet obedience to the One who loves. Many lives are being touched deeply.
Thank you, Liana. I appreciate the encouragement.
Thanks, Kathleen. It just goes to show you that a little love and care shown for someone can go a long way.