He Brought Linens But Left With Life

We had been away from home for two weeks at a Mission Meeting.  For two days we had driven through the beautiful Andean Mountains of western Venezuela. It was hot, humid, and dirty!  At the hotel, (a twinkle rating, not a star rating), they said we didn’t have a reservation.  All the rooms in town were full because of a mid-year Denominational Convention.

After talking and pleading for a while, our family of four was taken to a room out back of the hotel. The windows were painted black.  The bed was covered with dust. And the cobwebs hadn’t been cleaned in a while. It was all that we could get, so we took it.  The young man showed us the room and left to get towels and bedding. We had our own sheets, so while Norma, my wife, started consoling our daughters, ages 13 and 12, I began to strip the beds so we could use our own sheets.

There was a knock at the door, and a courteous young man brought us towels and sheets. He asked why we, North Americans, were in his town of San Carlos.  I shared with him about our mid-year Convention meeting that people from all over Venezuela would be there, and that he was welcome to come at night for the services. 

I then shared with him the love of Jesus.  Jesus could change his life by forgiving his sins and giving him eternal life. The Bible tells us that, “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him can have (receive) eternal life” John 3:16. He was interested, so we prayed together, and he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior.

He had come to our hotel door bringing linens, but he left with life and a big smile.  The Bible tells us that, “Beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things.” Romans 10:15, but beautiful are the lives of those who believe in the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Would you accept the great gift of forgiveness that God has for you today?

“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart

that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”  Romans 10:9

Dr. Joe Powell

Pryor, Oklahoma

International Missionary, Retired