ONE GIANT STEP FOR ERNIE

    Ernie P. lives in Judsonia, Arkansas.  I have known Ernie for many years.  We have gone to church together and have we worked for the same company.  Ernie is a very quiet man.  Last Monday I was going to El Paso to change my Arkansas license plates over to Texas plates, order more Bibles, and order more reading glasses.  Ernie sent me a text message asking me to give him a call when I had time.  So I called him during my 2-hour wait in line from Mexico to the U.S.  Ernie told me that he had a surprise for me.  He had done something that even he couldn't believe that he had done.  Shy and quiet Ernie had gone around asking people for financial help so that he could order more reading glasses for the people in Juarez.  Even I couldn't believe that he had done that.  NOT Ernie!!!

Ernie even went to one of the Dollar stores in Searcy, Arkansas and had the whole thing set up to where I would only have to pick up the glasses at one of their stores in El Paso.  Surely, NOT Ernie!!!

Eyeglasses are a luxury to many people here in Juarez.   I wear glasses and when I go to places where I've never been before people look at me strange, and the kids always stare at me.  I look around and I am the only one with eyeglasses. 

There are no words to express the joy that one feels when a person walks away with a pair of reading glasses and with the ability to study the scriptures again.  My heart is really moved when a child, who is failing is school due to poor eyesight, is suddenly able to see clearly again. That always brings me to tears.

Ernie and I visited on the phone while I waited in line and we came up with some ideas.  I am in need of reading glasses, however, I only need specific strengths, not just a large box with samples of every strength.  The Dollar stores have them at a bulk rate, but we can't order just the specific strenght that I need.   So I suggested to Ernie that he order them from the company that I get them from, which lets you order whatever strenght you need.  They are usually under a dollar per pair, even with shipping costs.  But there is a catch...the order must be a minimum of $200.  I told Ernie this and he told me that it was exactly the amount of money he had collected, $200.  Imagine that!!!  I told Ernie that I could put in the order but he wanted to do that himself.  No, NOT Ernie!!!

Ernie went ahead and put in the order.  He took care of everything, and later he let me know when to expect the reading glasses in the mail.  It was a real blessing. 

But this story is not about glasses.  It's about stepping out of our comfort zone.  I preached a sermon last friday night about the Parable Of The Talents in Matthew chapter 25.  Three servants received 5, 2, and 1 talent each.  The first two went out and doubled their talents. The servant who got the one talent was paralyzed by fear, so he just buried his talent.  The Master gave out talents according to each man's ability.  The Master KNEW that this man could handle the one talent, yet he was fearfu, so he did... NOTHING.  In the end he is cast into outer darkness for being lazy and unfaithful.  Fear is one of Satan's favorite weapons.

God has given each one of us talents.  We need to learn how to tap into our talents by stepping out in faith. We can't afford to bury them and go through life as if we have nothing to do for God's Kingdom.  I appreciate Ernie for stepping out of his comfort zone.  Knowing Ernie it had to be very dificult...at first.  He found out that he could do something that he never knew that he could do.  It may seem like a small thing to others, but to Ernie it was a huge step.  And he was very blessed.  And many will be blessed by him.  Thanks, Ernie.



I have included some pictures from a church that I visited last December.  There were about 70 to 80 happy people as they received a pair of reading glasses.  I usually stay so busy during these times that I don't have time for pictures. Some of the eyeglasses shown still have the strenght label on them, and some still have the white part of the tag right over the nose area.  Tomorrow I will go to El Paso and pick up Ernie's gift.





Daniel Torres                                                                        for tax receipts send contribution to:
11985 Pellicano                                                                     Covenant Fellowship
Ste. G, Box 169                                                                     P.O. Box 8126
El Paso, Texas  79936                                                            Searcy, AR. 72145