The experience of K. D. Gonçalves (November 2016) on an overnight flight with an agnostic brought memories of a similar encounter with a fellow passenger on another flight.
I was flying from Nairobi to New York, and as is my custom in every flight, I opened my Bible to spend some time in prayer. My companion asked who I was, and I told him that I was an Adventist pastor. By coincidence we were both Brazilians, and he was also a pastor of another denomination. He was going home on furlough with a stop in the United States. We spent most of the night discussing religion and sharing our faith.
When we arrived at our destination, and before saying goodbye, I told him: “Why should you have half of the truth when you can have the whole truth?” He told me later in a letter, which I treasure, that the phrase stuck with him. He went back to Brazil, searched for an Adventist pastor, and was later baptized. He could not be a pastor anymore, but told me that he was a faithful elder in one of our churches in the state of Santa Catarina.
In 1994, in the same state, while I was speaking at the celebration of the first baptism in Brazil, he approached me at the end of my message and said: “Do you remember me?” I was puzzled, but when he mentioned Nairobi to New York, it become clear. What a joyful experience!
As Gonçalves said: “We [must] speak the truth in love” and “pray.” “It’s not our role to change worldviews. Actually, we can’t do this! This is the work of the Holy Spirit.”
Leo Ranzolin, Sr.
Estero, Florida
I was so pleased to see the note of Ted Wilson’s promotion of the book Education in the December Review. Its dedication to all of us in earth’s “preparatory school,” to fit us for the “higher course” above, is on target. That preparation is far more vital than so many things that fill our lives and priorities, but so easily obscured while we are busy hither and thither. I gave a copy to a school principal in Norwich, New York, many years ago, to an appreciative review.
Richard Burns
Cleveland, Tennessee
In a depressed world I received such an uplift from Andrew McChesney’s October 2016 In Other Words column. I’m sure there are stories similar to “The Do-good Pilot” taking place all around the world. May we all be willing to share such stories with Adventist Review so we can keep one another uplifted in spirit. This could be an ongoing feature.
Lewis Gray
San Dimas, California
How wonderful to see “Living With History” in the November 2016 KidsView. It was my privilege to get acquainted with Abigail and Elijah and their parents, Travis and Cesilia Dean, as new site directors in April 2016. What a loving Christian family! The children were eager to learn and to help.
William Zelenak
Greensboro, North Carolina
Thanks so much for the article, “Healing the Hate” by Charles Mills (November 2016).
I enjoy all the articles in Adventist Review, but I particularly enjoy the articles that force us to consider taking practical steps to right wrongs and make our communities slightly brighter because of our Christian witness.
Jesus described His followers as “the light of the world” for a reason.
Monica Henderson
Hoboken, New Jersey
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