Norman Nelson records one of his daily broadcasts heard throughout the Orient.
insect for miles around decided that it was convention time in the plaza. Around and around the bulb they flew — crawling in my hair, in my eyes, up my nose, on my ears, and down my shirt. There had been a time when I was so fearful of insects that with one fly in the air while I sang, I would inhale each quick breath with dread. Now, during every song, they would fly in and out of my mouth — some to be inhaled, never to be seen again, and others to be spat out with my con sonants. It was quite a choice. I never knew whether to swallow or spit. “As I sat on the platform, discouraged with all of this, I thought, ‘Vvhat if some fanatic out there would take a shot at us through the darkness? They would just dig a hole and say, ‘There lies another missionary. There isn’t much notoriety in this. What am I doing out here anyway?’ “ Then by His Holy Spirit, God began to move on the hearts of the people as Greg preached and I sang. Attitudes were changed. Decisions were made. During the week, more than 300 in that little town had ac knowledged their need of Christ. By the end of the week, 60 were ready for baptism. They stood on the final Sunday morning with radiant faces, giving witness before the people of the town of their faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. “ As I sat in that two-hour-long baptismal service, God seemed to thunder the words to my heart and mind, ‘THIS IS BIG BUSINESS.’ There is nothing more im portant than the transformation of a life. People are more important than position, popularity or wealth. What kind of a job — if it paid $1,000 a week — or any performance — could possibly compare with this? “Now when 1 face a businessman and he says, ‘And, by the way, what’s your line?’ I respond, ‘I am a mis sionary. And that’s the biggest business in the world!’ If he is not convinced when I am through with him, at least he is convinced that I am convinced!”
After the young businessman has explained his work, he turns to Norm and says, “ And, by the way, what’s your line?" “ I would put on my best smile,” Norm says, “ look him right in the eye, and reply, ‘I'm a missionary.’ Suddenly a startled expression would come across his face. I could almost hear the wheels turning in his mind as he said to himself, ‘Oh, no, a real live one right here beside me!’ Then an amazing transformation would take place. The stark expression of amazement would change to a far-off, visionary expression and, looking out into space, he would say in a pious tone, ‘My, that’s a wonderful calling!’ “He didn’t mean a word of it. It was a poor cover- up. All the time he was thinking, ‘This poor monk, living off in the hills, doesn’t know what life is all about.’ After many such encounters, a mounting in feriority complex began to build in my mind and I would say to myself, ‘This man is in big business, but I’m just a missionary.’ ” I am going to let Norm tell you how God took care of this problem: “ One of my missionary journeys took me to M’Lang, Cotabato, on the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. This is a pioneer town, much like the days of the old West here in the United States. The people are homesteaders who have come from every where in the Philippines. The roads are dust or mud (depending on the weather). “We met out in an open field where they had just completed a new bandstand. This was to be the site of the town plaza — some manana. Prior to the meet ings the sound truck went through the city, blaring the news that an American tenor would be giving a con cert in the plaza. The people love singing, and they came by the hundreds. “ One little light bulb hung over my head as I sang. This 100-watt illumination dwindled to 50 watts by the time the other lights in the town went on, and every
THE KING'S BUSINESS
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