Closing DOWN or Opening UP?
by Keith Reid/Tim Leffew | Publishing Ministries Associate Director, Southern Union/Publishing Ministries Director, Georgia-Cumberland Conference
During this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, literature evangelists (LEs) have faced a time of unusual challenges, but also a time of unusual opportunities. When it would seem that some doors are closing, it has proven to be a time when many hearts are opening. Each LE has been counseled to follow local ordinances regarding COVID-19 protocols. As they have done so, they have found that God is still able to work and open hearts.
Literature evangelist Tad Stauffer has tried to meet the challenge of personal distancing. Many of his presentations are made on the porch of the house in order to remain at a safe distance. Most of his interests for his contacts were initiated by working three or four county fairs, then visiting the 1,400 to 1,500 names obtained throughout the year.
Literature evangelist Tad Stauffer.
He recently followed up on an interest. When he knocked on the door, a woman answered, but did not open the door. Instead, she lowered the glass of the storm door and talked to him through the screen. She explained that she was self-isolated because her husband had the virus and was getting treatment. As Tad offered to come back later, he went to his car to get a Magabook entitled, Fighting Disease with Foods. He set it on the porch and offered to have a word of prayer for the woman and her husband. As he prayed, tears flowed down her face. When he was finished, she declared, “God sent you at just the right time.”
We have encouraged literature evangelists that now is a good time to reconnect by phone with the thousands of people who purchased books in the past. The intent of this phone call is one of spiritual encouragement and to offer to pray with families for their needs and protection. It is amazing how this opens hearts when their doors are closed to other visits.
Yvonne Pondexter, an LE in the Atlanta, Georgia, area, recently took up this method. She said, “I felt impressed that even though in my area I did not feel I could go door to door, I still needed to reach people for Jesus.” In search of finding various ways to reach her potential customers to view the books, Yvonne would send pictures or a mini video she created. She has also presented the books via Zoom conference calls. Most of all, she continued to fervently pray. She was amazed by how God opened hearts and impressed people with the need for the printed page. “In just a day and a half, more than $1,000 of truth-filled literature was ordered and relationships were redeveloped.”
Literature evangelist Yvonne Pondexter.
While people are unable to socialize in regular ways, the printed page stands out as a witnessing tool. Many of the books people purchased in the past are now coming off the shelf as they seek to understand the times in which we live.
The woman who mailed in a card just a few weeks ago asking for information about health books, watched closely as LE Patti Morris showed her the materials. She suddenly interrupted with a question, “Are these Seventh-day Adventist books?”
“Yes they are,” Patti replied.
“Well, about 20 years ago a person came to my home and I purchased a set of books called the Bible Reference Library by Ellen G. White.” She continued, “That woman was inspired. I loved the artwork, and the message was so beautiful. I found out those books were Seventh-day Adventist. It’s strange, but for the last few weeks I’ve been thinking that I need to find out more about Adventists, because maybe I need to become one. So I prayed, ‘Lord help me to find a Seventh-day Adventist.’”
Patti exclaimed, “Today is your divine appointment. I’m an Adventist.”
God is still in control. Doors open and close, but God has His timing for reaching open hearts. He is looking for people who want to be His messengers in these exciting last days.
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New Online Platform Provides Opportunities for Student Literature Evangelists in Mexico
by Laura Marrero | News Staff, Inter-American Division
A new online platform will provide hundreds of students enrolled at Adventist universities in Mexico an opportunity to earn money toward their education. The platform was launched last month thanks to a group of professionals at Adventist-owned Montemorelos University.
Every year, student literature evangelists (LEs), or colporteurs, work during summer vacation and on weekends during the school year, selling more than 60,000 Adventist books to nearly 1 million families throughout 500 cities in Mexico. Their profits go toward their tuition, university leaders said. Sales and earnings are processed through the Montemorelos University and GEMA Editores (Mexican Adventist editorial group), one of two publishing houses in the Inter-American Division (IAD).
The project began a little more than two years ago with the intention of reaching a social media demographic before untapped, said Carlos Gastelum, director of the university literature evangelist program, which is called Emprendum.
“God led us [with this project] for this situation,” said Gastelum. “He took us from our comfort zones to prepare us to target for this need online. Even though we did not visualize a pandemic situation like this, God in His providence led us to start this project and complete it to be used in these circumstances.”
 Carlos Gastelum, director of Emprendum at Montemorelos University, said there are more than 500 student LEs registered on the new platform. [Photo: Emprendum]
First of its kind
This is a first-of-its-kind platform for student LEs, conceived and created in the IAD, said Ervin González, publishing ministries director for the church in Inter-America. González has been part of the process from the beginning of this project of leading and working with the five regional union conferences and Adventist universities in Mexico, as well as GEMA.
“The sales of student colporteurs represent a big part of the publishing ministry throughout Mexico. It was important for the engineers and IT specialists at Montemorelos to provide this opportunity to tap into the virtual business, more so now,” said González. “The church in Mexico, in Inter-America, and the Adventist world church all see it as another step toward impacting those online, on social media, and connecting with many who need to find hope through Adventist books and literature.”
List of books offered through Emprendum's website. [Photo: Emprendum]
How it works
The new platform at emprendum.um.edu.mx includes information about the colporteur program, a virtual store, and a list of participating students with their personal link, as well as testimonials. Anyone visiting the page can purchase books by choosing to connect to any of the more than 500 students registered in the university, explained Gastelum. Once the purchase is made through the platform, the shipping process is sent from the campus Emprendum group.
Students enrolled at Adventist-owned Linda Vista University in Chiapas, and the Southeast Adventist Institute in Mérida, can also take part in the program through the platform.
It’s still an adjustment in many ways, said Sarai Prado, a second-year communication and media student at Montemorelos. She is part of the Emprendum group at Montemorelos, and was glad to be able to use it to sell books, since selling would be difficult during the pandemic. “When I found out I couldn’t do my usual colporteur work I started to think that I had to look for another way to finance my education,” said Prado. But now she’s happy that she can at least send a message, a link to her contacts. “Even though it may be a big challenge, we can adapt by using our creativity and means of communication. That’s the challenge,” Prado said. “We needed this tool to get to persons we could not reach in traditional ways.”
 Sarai Prado, a student LE and member of Emprendum, talks about the program on her Facebook page. [Photo: Facebook]
As in traditional colporteur work and in virtual colporteur work, university students are not alone, said Gastelum. Students are guided through the process by a team of leaders and teachers, with the support of parents, alumni, and friends of the institution who can support many students through the platform.
Gastelum reported that as of last week, more than 200 sales had been done through the new platform.
Plans ahead
The new platform software has been shared with several Adventist universities throughout the IAD, including Colombia Adventist University, which launched a customized version of the platform for their student colporteurs last week, González reported.
“We are looking forward to evaluating how students are doing with the platform, improving the process, and serving this summer and through the fall semester,” said González. “We look to make it available for our literature evangelists as well.”
This article was originally published on Inter-America Division’s website.
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