The president recieves The Great Controversy!

"We need to be more aggressive in the mission that Christ has given us to take the gospel to the world. He is just waiting to do great things for us!" Warren's message (watch video below) was still fresh in my mind Sunday morning as I walked the two-kilometers out to the main road with my colportuers. Here at UETIRG Sundays are dedicated to service projects and outreach, and my group had an appointment to give a Bible study on Revelation with a Brazilian lady in Guayaramerin. When we reached the main road, all the traffic seemed to be going the other direction toward Yata and Riberalta. Finally an empty taxi going counter-current stopped and picked us up. The driver informed us that the president, Evo Morales, was on his way and would be arriving at Yata at 11:00 a.m. He would then continue on to Guayaramerin for lunch and to give the dedication speech for the new and only paved highway in northern Bolivia.

So it was true! We had received word just the night before that the president was coming, but such reports have circulated in the past and the promised visit never materialized. Today, however, the road was lined with welcome banners. We had been told that the schools in Yata would be lined up to greet the president, and that we should be there too! Suddenly I was struck with an audacious thought. Why not send the students with some copies of the Great Controversy! Just maybe God would give them an opportunity to give a copy to the president or at least to someone in his entourage! Yeah right. That's crazy. my built-in thought-auditor nearly succeeded in stifling the idea. But Warren's story came storming back to mind. Why not? The president is a real person! He needs to know about this final conflict just as much as anyone! As soon as we arrived in town I sent a text to the teachers still at the school and asked if one of them at least could take a group of students to wait for the president and to take along a half-dozen copies of the Great Controversy. Then I called my students into a huddle and we prayed. We prayed for our Bible study and for the people we would meet that day, but we also prayed for the president, and that if it was God's will that the students who went to see him would have a chance to testify and glorify God.

That afternoon Jerry sent me a text. "I shook the presidents hand!" Impressive! But it was the next message that really got me excited! "One of the girls gave him a Great Controversy and he accepted it! I got pictures!"

Wouldn't you know it! I have to smack myself. Why don't I pray bold prayers more often? Why don't I seize the sword of the Lord and press the attack, "turn the battle to the gates"? (Isaiah 28:6) Why don't I wake up and realize that the best defense is the urgent offensive ordered by our Captain Jesus Christ. "GO!"