FROM THE VAN TO THE PULPIT

From the Van to the Pulpit By Brenda Kiš (from an interview with Paul Dinh*)

Do you feel too old, too young, too sick, too busy, too whatever to be used by God? Learn from Paul Dinh how God can use you no matter what your situation. Christmas Eve 1998 marked a turning point for me. At that time, I was a minibus driver for people traveling between two cities in my (closed) country. I had seats for 12 people, no more, but on this night a group of 23 believers wanted to attend a meeting and asked me to take them. “I can’t do that,” I told them. “If I get caught, I’ll have to pay a fine for the extra people, besides having my van confiscated.” “Oh, don’t worry,” they said. “We’ll be responsible for paying the fine.” Hesitantly, I agreed and the group squeezed into my minibus. It wasn’t easy!

As we started our journey, the group began singing hymns – loudly. This was illegal. Besides carrying twice the number of people I was supposed to, now they were making noise that was sure to attract attention! My stomach knotted up as I drove. But something amazing happened. At each of the six police-staffed intersections, I noticed the police turning away from the van as if they didn’t see or hear anything. This was not normal!

When we arrived at our destination, the people invited me to go into the meetings with them. I declined, adamant that I was not going in. I was interested in money, not religion. However, they told me I was their special guest and insisted that I enter. Ten minutes later, I followed them into the building like a cow being led by a rope. And that’s when the miracle happened! As the preacher spoke about salvation through Jesus and told His story of dying on the cross, my heart was stirred. At the appeal, I stood with two young persons and committed myself to Him on the spot.

Unbeknownst to me, my wife had accepted the Lord two months before, but she had never said anything about it to me. At that time I was so opposed to Christianity that I would have beaten her. Now we were united in our belief! The Sunday church she attended sent me to study for the pastorate. But a few years later, God took me a step further. I came in contact

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with the Seventh-day Adventist Church and was converted to the message of the everlasting Gospel. Oh, how I loved this newfound truth! I didn’t know then that I was carrying in my body a cancerous tumor, slowly leaching away my life. While giving Bible studies one day, I suddenly felt a pain in my abdomen. I was rushed to the hospital where the doctor immediately performed surgery on my large intestine. As I followed the chemo treatments afterwards, it became too much for me. I decided to stop treatment, go home, and pray for God’s healing. And God chose to heal me at that time.

I am now 73 years old. I was supposed to die, but I’m still alive, a living letter for God! For nearly twenty years I’ve been sharing the Seventh-day Adventist message as an ASAP church planter, now leading eight groups. If the Lord could use Moses when he was 80 years old, I believe he can still use me. And He can use you as well!

“The people of the world are worshiping false gods. They are to be turned from their false worship, not by hearing denunciation of their idols, but by beholding something better. God’s goodness is to be made known” (Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 299).