English Teacher Leads Client to Salvation

Pubisher’s note: When Jesus announced, “The fields are white for harvest,” (John 4:35), He was giving an oft-overlooked secret for effective evangelism.  Chicken evangelism means “share Christ before you chicken out.” Shelly Stalker is a good example of one who shares faith early in a relationship. 

Shelly’s Story

I recently returned from Oaxaca, Mexico, where I taught English classes for the last 3 years. After settling in Tucson, I started advertising that I was willing to teach conversational English.

Our First Meeting

One Hispanic man met with me about the classes. We will call his name Juan.We conversed and he asked about why I had been in Oaxaca. After I explained that I had been there as a missionary, Juan asked me if I was Christian. I said, “Yes!” Then I responded, “Are you a Christian?” To which he replied “No, I am Catholic.” I asked Juan if he understood the difference and he answered, “No.”

After that, I gave a pretty detailed explanation of grace and how Jesus came to give it to us as a gift and that we can not possibly earn it. We then moved on to other conversation and made an appointment to begin classes the next week on Sunday evening.

Our Second Meeting

The next Sunday evening, we got together and and it wasn’t long before Juan started asking me questions about my faith. He told me his sister was a Christian and that she was different than the rest of the family. I then explained that God wants to have a personal relationship with each of us and that He is my best friend. I talk to God about everything and ask Him for help or guidance throughout my day.

Juan asked me about why there are so many bad things happening in our world if God is really God. I said, there are many bad things that happen in this world, but there are many good things also. God is good and He wants the best for us, but we must make a choice to allow Him to help us. We must make a choice to serve Him and love Him. He is there to help when things go bad, if we are willing to listen and be obedient. It isn’t always easy, but I have joy and peace throughout it all because of Him.

Chicken Evangelism in Action

We sat for a few moments until I felt the Holy Spirit prompting me to push a little and ask him the all-important question. So I asked, “Would you like to receive Jesus as your Savior and have Him come into your heart?” Juan said,”Yes!”

So, I led him in a simple prayer asking forgiveness of sins and for Jesus to come into his heart to live and help him. He repeated the prayer after me. The smile afterwards said that peace had now come into Juan’s heart!

Then we began our English lesson!

A Modern Day Love Story

A modern day love story that will warm tender hearts.

They came looking for answers. He was a distraught father and she an eleven year old daughter. She had recently been diagnosed with brittle diabetes, a severe form of diabetes which can cause extreme fluctuations of blood sugar and carries a short life expectancy. They came from a mountain village near Oaxaca, Mexico, and stopped at Casa Hogar Benito Juarez, the Children’s Home where I live and work.  They hoped to see a specialist here in Oaxaca.

The father and daughter were invited to participate in our daily devotional, a teaching and prayer time, at Casa Hogar. The dad declined and sat outside but the daughter came in.

She sat and listened and after the teaching and much individual prayer, Beto, a former resident who is now visiting Casa Hogar asked for prayer for his niece for healing. We all gathered around, laid our hands on her and start praying. Somehow she ended up in my arms, crying. I pulled her close and started praying for her. I asked Beto if she had ever asked Jesus into her life and he said “No.” I then started seriously praying that God would envelope her in his love, wrap his arms around her and let her know how much He loves her.

After a short time of praying, she looked up at me and I started talking to her about how much God loves her. I told her about how God created her special, how He knew her from the womb and now knows everything about her. He knows how many hairs are on her head and what kind of foods she likes and dislikes. He knows all about this disease and wants to help her all the way through it.

Then I asked her, “Do you want to ask Jesus into your heart?”

She said, “I don’t know.”

Another helper stepped up and started explaining how Jesus died on the cross for our sins and how everyone has sin.

The whole time this precious eleven year old just rested in my arms. She began to feel God’s love for her. I felt like I was part of a modern day love story. Then she looked at me again and I started praying again that God would envelop her in His love. The verse was going through my head that His love brings us to repentance.

Shortly after that I asked her again, “Do you want to receive Jesus into your heart?”

“Yes!” came her reply!

I asked her to repeat a prayer after me. I led her in a simple prayer of repentance, asking Jesus into her heart and life. We also asked Him for help with the doctors and healing for this disease. She started crying again and I just pulled her close and loved her.

Afterwards, I told her they were having a party in heaven and that I loved her and wanted her to come back and visit me again. I went back to my work and she went out of that room.  With the help of another lady, they then led her father to the Lord. What a happy, happy day!

Publisher’s note: Shelly Stalker teaches music and dance (and does the laundry!) at Casa Hogar, a children’s home for disabled children in Oaxaca, Mexico. She is commissioned as a missionary and sent out from The Church of Living Water in Muscatine, Iowa. Anyone wishing to financially support Shelly will have a reward in heaven. Contact The Church of the Living Water.