So far, my memoirs have been about the missionary work of Jeanne and me. This time, however, my memoir goes back many years before that, to an event that includes a friend who is now in a nursing home, Vona (Ward) Wilson-Hearle. Perhaps this story will be an encouragement to her and give her the honor she is due.
The event is about the “Christ’s Ambassadors”, the young people of First Assembly of God, Wichita, Kansas, now known as Maranatha Worship Center. It takes place in the late ‘40s. I was the leader of the tract distribution group, and on Sunday afternoons we would usually go downtown to hand out gospel tracts.
It was a bitterly cold, windy Sunday, with snow on the ground, At first, I debated whether to even go to the church, but decided that I should at least show up, but doubted that anyone else would be there, and they certainly could not be blamed for staying home! One person had come, it was Vona. We went downtown by bus and there began handing out tracts to the few who braved such weather. Most had sense enough to stay home!
Then we found a man, standing alone, leaning against a building. We gave him a tract, witnessed briefly, and invited him to come to the evening service. After that, we decided to get back to the church for we were already half frozen, and by then I was building up a good case of self-pity and the blues! After the evening service, instead of gathering with the others at the altars to pray, I went downstairs where I could pray by myself, and my prayer of complaint was, “Lord, why do I have to knock myself out this way?"
The event is about the “Christ’s Ambassadors”, the young people of First Assembly of God, Wichita, Kansas, now known as Maranatha Worship Center. It takes place in the late ‘40s. I was the leader of the tract distribution group, and on Sunday afternoons we would usually go downtown to hand out gospel tracts.
It was a bitterly cold, windy Sunday, with snow on the ground, At first, I debated whether to even go to the church, but decided that I should at least show up, but doubted that anyone else would be there, and they certainly could not be blamed for staying home! One person had come, it was Vona. We went downtown by bus and there began handing out tracts to the few who braved such weather. Most had sense enough to stay home!
Then we found a man, standing alone, leaning against a building. We gave him a tract, witnessed briefly, and invited him to come to the evening service. After that, we decided to get back to the church for we were already half frozen, and by then I was building up a good case of self-pity and the blues! After the evening service, instead of gathering with the others at the altars to pray, I went downstairs where I could pray by myself, and my prayer of complaint was, “Lord, why do I have to knock myself out this way?"
It was only a few minutes before someone came downstairs and called me saying, “Curtis, the pastor wants you upstairs!” Once upstairs, I saw the pastor, and Vona, and a man—the man to whom we had witnessed on the street! He explained, “I was so amazed that anyone cared enough about my soul to come out and witness on a day like this, that I decided to visit the church whose address was on the tract. I’m just a salesman passing through Wichita. When I came to Wichita, I was a lost salesman, but tomorrow I leave as a saved one!” Was it worth it? Oh yes, and Lord, forgive me for being such a complainer!
My sincere thanks to Vona for also braving that weather. It meant that man’s salvation!
Yes, sometimes we have to “knock ourselves out” as it were, and many times we will never know the results. Thankfully, this time we did!
My sincere thanks to Vona for also braving that weather. It meant that man’s salvation!
Yes, sometimes we have to “knock ourselves out” as it were, and many times we will never know the results. Thankfully, this time we did!
Excellent! Thanks for sharing that experience which reminds me so many similar personal experiences. Blessings.
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