“I had a vision of Jesus when I was 19 or 20 and became a Christian in my home country of Sri Lanka.”
Graham and I were in town conducting a business transaction, and a sales assistant asked Graham the name of his company. “Adventist Frontier Missions,” he responded.
“So, you’re evangelical Christians, too,” the assistant said, smiling. He then went on to tell us that his vision of Jesus had been so special and had such a profound impact on him that it turned him from nominal Roman Catholicism to “true” Christianity. “My mother was unhappy that I no longer considered myself a Catholic, and she made life difficult for me.”
Our business transaction was interspersed with further Christian conversation as the assistant told us he is actively involved in a Pentecostal congregation. He asked where we worshipped, and we gave the name of our church and told him he would be very welcome to have Christian fellowship with us anytime.
“My son is keen to go on some type of mission trip. He would like to go and do something to benefit others—perhaps in Africa.” We told him of our son Stephen’s involvement with Ubuntu Design Group, a nonprofit organization set up by a friend and fellow student at Andrews University to design affordable and sustainable homes for people in the shanty towns of South Africa. “My son would be very interested in that,” declared the sales assistant. “He wanted to be an architect.”
We noticed one or two other sales assistants glancing our way, perhaps wondering why this transaction was taking so long.
“My son is a Christian, but he really struggles with the question of how a loving and powerful God could allow so much pain and suffering in the world. I tell him we’re living in a fallen world.”
“He’s not the only one who struggles with that question,” I responded. “There are many who ask that same question, even many Christians.” In the limited time available, I went on to share a few thoughts that might help his son, acknowledging that there are no easy answers.
Our conversation ranged to other Christian subjects, intermittently getting back to the transaction in hand. As we finally brought our business and conversation to a close, we wished each other God’s blessings.
We went into town that afternoon expecting to get our business done in a speedy manner and return home to finish our Sabbath preparations. However, God had other plans. I don’t believe it was coincidence that we connected with that particular sales assistant and had such a lengthy conversation. I pray that God will use some of the things we said to help this man’s son not to waver in his faith and to have the opportunity to go on a mission trip.
Reflecting on this experience later, I marveled once more at how God is using visions and dreams to bring people to Him. May we faithfully do our part as He gives us opportunities to be co-laborers with Him.
