Bible studies happen by inviting people to your church, by reaching out with literature evangelism, and by community involvement. But sometimes God brings us together with people in ways that surprise us and show His leading and directing in our lives.
Antonio Huerta, vice president of Ministries for the Central California Conference, prayed with his wife one night in January 2024 and asked God for something unusual. He asked God to give them something exciting to do. “I kind of giggled, and he said, ‘I guess we're bored,’ and so we ended our prayer,” said Leticia Huerta, Antonio’s wife.
The next day, Sunday, they were relaxing. It was cold outside, so they decided to take a drive. They drove through downtown Fresno, looking to see if there was any festival happening that might be interesting. There was nothing happening, so they stopped to decide what to do.
“Looking to the side of the road I saw a girl sitting on a bench. She was trying to cover herself,” said Leticia. The woman was sitting next to the train station reading a book and trying to escape the cold. Leticia told Antonio, “You know what, Antonio, a voice is telling me that girl doesn't belong there.” Most of us see homeless people in need almost daily, but something stood out to her about this woman.
They stopped and approached the woman. They talked to her and learned that she needed warm clothes and food, so they bought food for her at a nearby store. But then she asked if they’d be willing to help all eight of them. “They're all my friends,” she explained, “and they're out there asking people to help out.” It turned out that the group had recently arrived from Venezuela to escape the ongoing conflict in the country. They were dropped off in Fresno and were still trying to find food and warmth.
“We all have a lot of stuff — shirts, blankets, luggage. We loaded the trunk of our car and headed back to the train station,” said Antonio. “And there they were, seven young men and this one young lady. We brought the food out, gave it to them, and as we handed it over to them they said, ‘Thank you, thank you!’ And then they said, ‘The nights are very cold. Can you help us out?’”
The Huertas contacted some of their friends from the nearby churches and explained the situation. This led to Maria, a member of the Fresno Hispanic Church, reaching out to Antonio and volunteering to host all eight of them at her house. She said, “Pastor, I know what you’re looking for. I can help those people out. Send them over to my house.”
Six months later, Maria is still hosting them at her home. But not only has this group been blessed with the gift of lodging, food, and clothing, they have been blessed in other incredible ways as well. They have been assisted with their immigration paperwork, with getting much-needed medical treatment, and with finding employment.
“Also, my wife and I committed ourselves to giving Bible studies to this group twice a week,” said Antonio. “And three months ago, six of them gave their lives to Jesus Christ through baptism! Not only that, but I'm happy to report that they have become witnesses for God. They're inviting friends and coworkers to this Bible study group. Sometimes we get more than 20 young people studying the Bible. Four of their friends have already expressed their desire to get baptized.”
Jose expressed his gratitude for the help the church family has given to his group. “I’m very happy to be part of this family, and we praise God because He led us. I am happy and I praise God!”
Another member of the group added, “We’re happy to be part of this family and we praise God because we study the Bible with Pastor Huerta. We know He is the way, the truth, and the life.”
Antonio said his prayer is that God will guide us to win souls in our communities. “May God empower each one of us to share God's love, to share God's compassion, and to win many souls for His kingdom. We praise the Lord for that. When you ask God for something exciting to happen, believe me He'll give it to you!”
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