By Betty Dahlhausen

Have Tract, Will Travel

GFA’s Medical Missions statement says: GFA uses medicine and dentistry to bring spiritually needy people in contact with the Gospel. Our priority is evangelism first, medicine second. In my limited experience, nowhere has this philosophy been more fully lived out than in my three GFA trips to Mexico. On my most recent trip to Mexico in November, God gave me the wonderful opportunity to share the Gospel with hundreds of people.

About seven years ago, I wrote my personal testimony in tract form, which my home church later published. It’s nothing fancy or exciting, just my story. I’ve given it to many hundreds of people, and for the most part, I get a “thank you” in return. Generally, the person says, “You wrote this? Then I’ll read it.” Shocking, but true! I’d never had that response when I’d given out other tracts in the past. What accounts for such a difference in response? I believe that people really appreciate a personal story.

After my second GFA trip to Mexico in 2023, I wondered if the Mexicans would also respond favorably to my story, so I had my tract translated into Spanish, loaded hundreds into my suitcase, and headed on my way!

On the first morning, I went for a run outside the hotel. A small group of people was sitting on a bench nearby. I wanted to give them tracts, but chickened out and headed toward the elevator. As I waited for the doors to open, the Lord reminded me of a message my pastor had preached just two weeks earlier. He said, “Your flesh will NEVER get any better! You will always be fighting the flesh for your whole life, especially when you want to give out a tract.” By God’s grace, I turned around, went back to the group, and gave each of them a tract.

This year, 29 Bible institute students, young people ranging in age from approximately 18 to 30, were an integral part of our clinic ministry in Mexico. In fact, we couldn’t have held clinics without them, nor would we have wanted to. They were everywhere doing everything! The way our clinics are set up, there’s a lot of waiting time for patients before they see a provider. First, the whole group gathers to hear a gospel message preached by our translator. After registering, each person is provided a chair, and one of the Bible institute students sits down and shares the Gospel one-on-one: EVERY man, EVERY woman, EVERY child. It’s beautiful to see and hear. I call it “Gospel Chatter”—everywhere you look, Bibles are open, and the Word of Life is presented clearly and thoroughly.

So, before and after the initial gospel presentation, while people wait to register and be seen, they’re a captive audience. By God’s grace, I was able to walk up to EACH person and give him or her my tract. I memorized a few Spanish phrases, introduced myself, explained that it was my story, and offered it to each. Every person said, “Gracias!”

When I gave Daniel my tract, he asked me a few questions in broken English, and I replied in broken Spanish. Later he called me over and asked me some more questions. I started to share the Gospel with him, but I quickly realized that I was in over my head with my rudimentary grasp of Spanish. I called for one of our translators, and he was able to fully share Christ with Daniel. Then Daniel prayed to receive Christ.

It was such a thrill to realize that my story had a small part in his life. Because so many people received my tract, team members were able to take lots of pictures of people reading it. How special it was to see these photos and realize that they read in their mother tongue not only my story, but more importantly God’s story! This experience has strengthened my resolve to be more faithful in sharing the Gospel, and I hope to translate my story into other languages.

I heartily recommend that you write your own testimony tract. You don’t have to be a writer—just tell your story. Get someone to help you!

“If you cannot preach like Peter; if you cannot pray like Paul, you can tell the love of Jesus, and say, ‘He died for all.’”