Colporteur ministry is an effective means of reaching others with the Gospel; this has been confirmed by thousands of stories of people in different parts of the world who, thanks to a book delivered by a colporteur, learned about Christ and His unspeakable love.

In Villarrica, Araucanía, Chile, during the summer of 2023, Florencia Provoste, a student of Nutrition and Dietetics at the Universidad Mayor Temuco, was living for the first time the missionary adventure of colporteuring. She, like many university students, dedicated her summer vacation to literature evangelism, a means that not only provides them with economic sustenance through the sale of books but also is the door to the proclamation of the Gospel in places that perhaps would not be reached otherwise.

A Colporteur Sowed, and a Colporteur Reaped

After having passed by several houses without being received in any of them, around 2 p.m., Florencia arrived at the house of Maria Fernandez, an elderly lady. It was in that place where Florencia understood that the work of colporteuring is a powerful way to evangelize when one decides to be used by God. "When Mrs. Maria saw me, she asked me to come into her house; she didn't ask me who I was or why I was visiting," says Florencia.

After introducing herself, Florencia showed Maria the books she was carrying, among them being The Great Controversy. At that moment, Maria's memories went back 50 years, when she had received the visit of a colporteur, from whom she bought some medical volumes and a copy of The Great Controversy, a book that, at some point after reading it, she lent it to someone, never to be returned.

That book was special for Maria; what she had read enlivened her desire to know more about Christ, His wonderful plan of salvation, and the great conflict that is lived in this world. Although she no longer had it with her, she always kept in her heart the desire to know more about God and accept Him in her life. It took half a century for this book to come back into her hands and for her to be certain that God was with her all this time.

Upon learning this part of Maria’s story, Florencia offered to study the Bible with her, and she immediately accepted. "This is the clear example of the work that a colporteur does—of the seed that [one] leaves in each visit and how this can bear fruit—in this case, 50 years later," says Florencia.

A Decision for Eternity

After studying the Bible through a course, Maria made the best decision of her life: to accept Christ as her Savior through baptism. "I never realized how much work a literature evangelist can do; how much work there is behind a literature drive; how one can do wonderful things in people's lives by being an instrument of Christ. It's wonderful," Florencia emphasizes, recalling Maria's decision, adding that "that decision undoubtedly changed her life, but it also changed mine. From that moment on, I felt that God had a purpose for my life and I had a mission to fulfill."

"We were fast approaching the end. The printing and circulation of the books and papers that contain the truth for this time are to be our work" (Ellen White, Colporteur Ministry, p. 5). The ways in which God works to keep the Gospel of Christ spreading are extraordinary and sometimes mysterious. This inspiring testimony demonstrates how every person can be a valuable instrument in the hands of Christ.

The original version of this story was posted on the [South American] Division [Spanish]-language news site.