Franklin, Tennessee
At a Wal-Mart in Franklin, Tennessee, we distributed 82 Bibles. Of these, 10 requested further fellowship from area Bibles for America representatives. Our volunteers testified that they were flooded with great joy with the honor of being used by the Lord.

Murfreesboro, Tennessee
One hundred thirty-three people received Recovery Versions today at a Wal-Mart in Murfreesboro. A young lady had just received a Bible and a brief introduction to using its various features. She began to leave our display table but turned back again and said, “This is an answer to prayer.” She told us that she had lost her father last February and her mother in March, so this Bible will be a great comfort to her. She prayed with us and left with tears of joy in her eyes.

Shelbyville, Tennessee
Last Wednesday, we took a “day off” from Bible distribution, so we went to Wal-Mart to buy a few things. As we were about to get into our car, three men approached us and asked for directions to Shelbyville. A volunteer from the area gave them directions and we offered them Spanish Bibles. We invited them to come with us to the Bibles for America motor home. There were three gentlemen, a wife of the oldest one, and some small children. One of the men was a pastor of a small non-denominational Spanish-speaking congregation in Shelbyville. When we asked if he would like to have a Spanish Bible for each one in the congregation, he seemed so shocked that we would make such an offer. We gave him a pack of brochures and asked him to have each person fill out a request card. We then asked if we could meet with them on Saturday in Shelbyville. He was so happy that we had asked.

Today, after distributing Bibles at two Wal-Mart stores, we headed down to Shelbyville. We first went to the pastor’s house and met his family while we waited for him to return home. We spoke with his 15-year-old daughter and younger son about the Lord. When the father came home, we followed him to the church’s meeting place, which they rented from another group for that night, about a mile away. We were all introduced to this group and they were told to fill out a request card if they wanted a Bible. Thirty-six received a Spanish Bible that night. Then the pastor asked us whether we each would like to share something from the Recovery Version, which we did. One volunteer shared from John 12:24 and 20:17 with the footnotes showing that they and we are all brothers of Jesus and with one another because we have the same life of the Father imparted into us all. This was warmly received, even with applause.

After we all shared, we explained that we needed to leave because of the long drive back to Nashville. As we were getting in the motor home, the pastor’s daughter came out to see one of our volunteers and give her a hug. She said that she wished she could just go with us and that she would miss us. We exchanged phone numbers and addresses with her and she said she would come and visit us if she could.

As we returned to Nashville, we all agreed that this time was the peak of the whole week. Encounters like this make all the labor worthwhile.