One day, as I was walking down the street, I saw Flor, a woman I recognized from the neighborhood. As a former police officer, I knew Flor’s struggles well—she had been willing to sell anything to feed her addictions to drugs and alcohol. We had lived just a block apart for years, and while we often exchanged brief greetings, we had never really talked.
But that day, something inside me urged me to do more than just say hello. I stopped and asked her, “How are you? How’s your life?” Her response was heartbreaking. “Everything is bad,” she said, her voice heavy with despair.
I looked at her closely and asked, “Do you have anything to eat?” That simple question was too much for her to bear. She lowered her head and began to cry. I was on my way to the store, so I decided to buy her some food. On my way back, I stopped by her house and left a bag of rice, beans, and a couple of pieces of chicken. It was a small gesture, but I hoped it would make a difference.
The next day, as I was walking by the bank, I ran into my pastor. He had a bag of food with him—rice, beans, oil, flour, and other essentials. “I have a little food here,” he said. “Do you know someone who needs it?”
“Yes,” I replied without hesitation. “I have a neighbor who has nothing to eat.”
“Take this and give it to her,” he said, handing me the bag.
“Come with me,” I invited. “You’ll see where she lives.”
So, together, we walked to Flor’s house. When we handed her the food, she was so grateful. As we talked, I felt prompted to ask her if she would like to study the Bible. To my surprise, she said yes.
The next day, I returned to her house with a few other church members. Flor’s home was in such poor condition that we couldn’t meet inside, so we sat in her small front yard. We began to sing and study the Bible together, and Flor really enjoyed it. There was one song in particular that she loved—its words asked for a new heart, and I could see how much they resonated with her.
As the weeks went by, I noticed a change in Flor. She stopped cursing and insulting people, and the anger that had once consumed her seemed to fade away. Her heart was softening.
Then, the rainy season started, and we could no longer meet outside without getting drenched. Flor missed our weekly gatherings, so she started coming to our church on Sabbath. No one invited her—she just came on her own.
Two months later, the pastor asked her if she would like to give her heart to Jesus and be baptized. I’ll never forget her response. She was so touched. “Yes,” she said. “No one has ever asked me if I wanted to be baptized.”
Not long after, Flor was baptized. As she rose from the water, it was clear to everyone that she had been transformed. Her joy was contagious, and as she walked home, people in the town who had known her for years stopped to congratulate her. She hadn’t received that much love in years, and it brought her so much happiness.
Several months have passed since her baptism, and Flor remains a faithful member of our church. She often says, “I give God thanks for my new life. I’m grateful for everything the church members do for me.”
Looking back, I can see that it was the Holy Spirit who guided me to say more than just “hello” to Flor that day. God is truly great, and there is nothing so difficult that He cannot do.

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