As hippies searching for the truth in their early twenties, Keith and Melody Green found Jesus and knew their life mission. Everyone needs Christ! A gifted musician, Keith would take his guitar to the California beaches and street corners and sing about his Savior. A crowd would gather and Keith would tell everyone about the One who died for our sins and who was calling people to repent and follow Him.
In 1982, at the age of 28, Keith and two of his children died in a small airplane crash in Lindale, Texas. In a short life and tragic death, multitudes have been impacted by the message Keith and Melody sang and proclaimed. God has ordained His Good News be sung in every language and for His message to be shared all over the world.
In a small village high in the Andes mountains of Ecuador, another young man found Christ many years ago. Realizing Jesus was the hope for his people, Pastor Manuel and his wife Paula determined to share the Lord the rest of their lives. In his native language of Quichua, Pastor Manuel would walk to mountain villages, sing songs about Jesus, gather a crowd, and preach the Gospel. Over the years, thirty to forty churches have been planted in the hidden valleys and majestic peaks of his beautiful country. The poor, the disenfranchised, the young and the old are offered a place at the Lord’s table.
Pastor Manuel, Paula, son Marco, and his wife Mayra flew into Atlanta Good Friday and have encouraged many. At one gathering, teachers who have led mission teams to Ecuador shared the marvelous ways they and others have been impacted by this humble family. God’s ways are amazing.
Here’s a summary of heartfelt love: “Thank you for sharing your lives with us. Though we come from different cultures and speak different languages, we see Christ in you. We have witnessed true faith in action. We see how much you love the Lord and how much you love people. We see how you serve the elderly and the children. You have prayed for us and blessed us more than you know. We love you.”
Some of us would not gather much of a crowd by singing on a street corner, but God wants His Light to shine through us. He wants every person from every nation to hear the Good News of His Son. The Holy Spirit is at work to bring forth the harvest. May we offer ourselves as willing servants.
“I will sing of the Lord’s great love forever; with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations. I will declare that Your love stands firm forever, that You have established Your faithfulness in heaven itself.” Psalm 89:1-2