Many times, people “write off” a friend or acquaintance they assume would never be interested in spiritual things. But through Adventist World Radio’s cell phone evangelism and online Bible study series in dozens of languages, people from all walks of life are coming to the truth—even those many considered to be “unreachable,” because with God, all things are possible!
Two years ago, Pastor Borjan,1 an Adventist World Radio evangelist, was contacted by a man called “The Ox,” a commander in a well-organized anti-government drug cartel in an undisclosed country.
The Ox told him, “I’ve been listening to the AWR audio messages and I have many questions. Would you be willing to meet with me? I’ll personally guarantee your safety.” Pastor Borjan was astonished, but he agreed, and after a difficult border crossing into that country, he met with The Ox. The commander began to speak with a quiet voice of authority:
“I have never been a religious person and have lived an active life of crime. For most of my adult life, I have been unable to sleep much at night. All I do is replay in my mind the things I’ve done. I am not a good man.”
For the next two hours, this powerful man confessed to crime after crime. He continued:
“Despite all this, when I began to receive the audio messages, I knew for the first time in my life that God is real, because as I listened to the messages, I had a strange sense of peace and of God’s presence. I now sleep much better at night, but I would like you to pray for me. I simply can’t believe that God can forgive me.”
Pastor Borjan said, “Yes, you have done some terrible things, but God’s grace is greater than all our sins combined. He is able and willing to forgive you if you ask Him. He died for you even before you were born— before you committed your first crime.”
They spoke into the early hours of the morning as the general asked questions and received answers from God’s Word.
A few weeks passed, and Pastor Borjan received another strange call. The caller said, “Do you remember the man who said he didn’t know if God could forgive him? Well, he now believes that God has forgiven him and he wants to be baptized!”
AWR was overjoyed at this news, and one year ago, Pastor Borjan had the privilege of baptizing The Ox along with three other generals and fifteen soldiers. They exchanged their guns for a new life in Jesus.
THE STORY CONTINUES
We hadn’t heard from The Ox in nearly a year, and all Pastor Borjan and the AWR team could do was pray for him. Then Pastor Borjan received a phone call from a soft-spoken woman whose voice he didn’t recognize. She said, “Pastor, I’m the daughter of the man you know as The Ox. Do you remember him?”
Did he ever! Immediately, Pastor Borjan replied that he did, and this woman continued:
“I’m calling to thank you for changing my father’s life. Knowing Jesus made all the difference. He found so much peace during this past year. Unfortunately, my dad died of a heart attack a few weeks ago, but before he passed away, he shared with me his AWR solar radio with all the presentations. I am now listening to the messages that changed his heart, and I called you because I want to say thank you for giving Jesus to my daddy, because he passed this wonderful truth to me. He wanted me to experience what he had found.”
It was a few moments before Pastor Borjan could speak again. There was a knot in his throat—not just for sadness at the death of this man, but a quiet rejoicing that salvation had reached him just in the nick of time. This once-hardened criminal had not only found Jesus, but a desire had grown in his heart for the salvation of his own daughter, and that desire—that prayer of his heart—had been answered.
1 Name changed for safety.
This article was authored and supplied by AWR Staff.
To watch videos and download audio programs like the ones that touched the hearts of The Ox and his daughter, visit www. awr.org/bible.
