No longer a coward...
ASI member Patti Guthrie shared her church's experiences going "Door to Door in Dunsmuir" in the last issue of Inside ASI. Since then, she has visited several churches sharing her vision for the door-to-door ministry concept. She and her family recently visited the church in the tiny town of Etna, Calif., presenting the door-to-door concept and visiting Etna residents with the church members.
At one home, a 13-year-old girl answered. The girl expressed interest in healthful cooking and said she wanted to receive Bible studies. Her father gave permission, and the group moved on.
Later, the Etna church pastor expressed amazement that someone at that particular house wanted to study the Bible, because that house was known throughout town as the "crack house" and was regularly raided by police for drugs. "It made me think of how many children are being raised in undesirable situations with no hope of anything better—unless we find them," said Guthrie.
Back home, Guthrie had an inspiring door-to-door encounter with a fellow church member. She tells her story...
"One Sabbath, Rose Price, an elderly lady in our church, asked for some literature to share with her neighbors. That afternon, I called her and asked if she'd like some help. She said, 'Sure. Why don't you come at 3 o'clock.'
"Meanwhile, her 20-something grandson who lives with her called back and said, 'What are you going to do with my grandma? She can hardly walk.'
"I explained to him that we would just go to one or two houses, or whatever she felt up to do doing. I assured him we'd take good care of her and asked if he wanted to come along. He said he didn't think so.
"Later, I and Janelle, my 13-year-old daughter and only child home from school, went over to meet Rose at her trailer. She lives in a well-kept mobile home park with 80 trailers in it. When we arrived at her house, she was already outside with her walker, ready to go. We prayed for God to go with us.
"She suggested we put my literature bag (containing Signs magazines and Better Life Broadcasting program guides) in the front basket of her walker. It was kind of chilly—in the low 40s—but she said she wasn't cold. We walked to the manager's trailer to get permission to visit her neighbors, but the manager wasn't home. Rose said, 'Let's just do it anyway.'
"We walked to the farthest point in the park. Janelle and I started knocking on doors and leaving tracts behind. Hardly anyone came to the door, but that was fine because no one was there to say 'No.' We kept walking and passing out the magazines. I asked Rose how she was doing.
" 'Fine,' she replied.
" 'Want to quit?' I asked.
" 'No," she said firmly, continuing as we walked along, 'A little voice has been telling me to get out and share with my neighbors. I've been a coward for so long, and I've decided I don't want to be a coward anymore!'
"She pointed out the community center in the park and said she'd like to have Bible studies there. I asked, 'How about we start with a cooking class and then invite the attendees to a Bible study?
" 'Sure,' she said. 'Let's do it.' Then she said she'd like to help teach a Bible study herself. I was astounded. This little lady comes to church every week, but is so quiet I have hardly ever heard her say a word!
" 'The trailer park publishes a community newsletter each month,' she said. 'It goes to all the residents of the park, and we can announce it in there. My grandson Tony will help us.'
"After an hour of walking, we had distributed magazines to every home in Rose's trailer park. She pushed her walker up and down every road and refused to quit until we were done. I was so touched by her determination. A couple from our church who also lives in the park wants to help Rose with her project. I vowed to have Rose share her testimony at church the following Sabbath. If Rose can go door-to-door, anybody can!
"What really inspired me most was to hear Rose tell about the Voice that had been asking her to visit her neighbors. As I listened to her, I thought, 'God must really be working right now. Everyone has an opportunity to share the Good News with someone. Perhaps there isn't a lot of time left to do this work as openly and freely as we can now. Time must be short, and God is speaking to all who will listen.'
EPILOGUE: Guthrie and Fay Castillo, the church's head deaconess who also lives in Rose's trailer park, met with Rose at the clubhouse where Rose envisioned holding Bible studies. Together, they brainstormed for ideas on how to interest people in attending the studies. They plan to begin with a four-part vegetarian cooking class like the ones they've held in town, with much success.
Fay obtained permission from the trailer park manager to hold the cooking class in the clubhouse. They will begin the four-part series on Monday, Feb. 22, using the Simple Solutions program by Dane and Vicki Griffin.
Rose's grandson, Tony, recently expressed to Rose that he's afraid she's going to die. She responded, "How can I live with myself if some of these people are lost and I never shared our message with them?"
Download the Winter 2010 issue of Inside ASI and read "Door-to-door in Dunsmuir."