One windy night in Miami the satellite dish on top of the church was moving so much the view was hardly visible. Three men spent the evening on the roof holding the dish still and the signal came through perfectly! It was a high day when Finley's Spanish Interpreter, Jaime Castrejon (pictured left), came to witness 50 Miami area baptisms at the Hialeah Spanish Church. Suddenly, the imaginary crowd he had been preaching to each night was a joyful throng! Pastor Orlando Lopez reports that 120 of the 400 attending each night were visitors.
Ray Selvig (center with certificate) remembers going to church with Barbara Aufderhar (left of Ray), her brother Gary, and her folks. Bob and Ruth Salter, when he was just a boy. Their care and concern for him has remained in his memory. When his wife was suddenly disabled from an accident, Barbara reached out to her cousin, Ray, through the mail and over the phone. She encouraged him to take the Voice of Prophecy Bible Lessons, and he eagerly completed two courses. Barbara phoned the pastor, Phil White, and Ray was invited to church. When NET '95 started, Ray attended and was so eager that he managed to get all the future nights' scripts. He read them all in two days, continued coming and would comment, "He's saying exactly what is on his script!" When Ray decided to be baptized he said, "I really have no family. I want Glenn and Barbara Aufderhar and the Salter family to be there." Many of the extended family arranged their schedules to share in his joy. In his last letter to the VOP, Ray shared that he never could have made it through many difficulties without the loving support of his cousin, Barbara. He praises God that she sent the first VOP Bible lesson to him. "It's more than the courses," he wrote. "It's what they are-the key to open the door to Christ."
"Let's go back, PLEASE!" Francisco and Jason Olivera begged their mom to keep bringing them to the meetings because they enjoyed Marge Gray's Good News Kid's Lessons. The whole family came out each night because of these two boys-they loved the printed activities at the end of each lesson. Bob Folkenburg, Jr., pastor of the Orlando Central church in Florida, reports that all four in the family decided to be baptized. Associate pastor David Stunkard ran the program for kids ages 10-15.
Their church hadn't had a baptism in five years! The little congregation of less than 30 members had just about given up hope of growing their church. NET '95 was a test of whether to continue the work in Thomasville, North Carolina, or sell the church and join with several nearby congregations. On opening night 107 non-members showed up at the small conference room rented for four nights at a local motel. The members were so excited, there wasn't even room for everyone! While Finley preached, an elder went to his print shop and printed directions for the crowd to move the next night to the church fellowship hall, which could accommodate the crowd. The following evening 90 interests showed up at the new location. Decisions for baptism have been made and a baptistry installed in the church! Tom Hall, lay businessman from Greensboro, North Carolina, conducted a Breathe Free Plan for those planning baptism. "Surely God has answered the prayers of this church!" exclaimed C.L White, interim pastor (pictured).
Marjorie Read was an exhausted pastor's wife at the conclusion of the crusade. Not only had the family attended nightly but she also was the crusade treasurer. In her heart she wondered if all the energy expended and the money spent on NET '95 was really worth it. When she found this note on her husband's desk the day after the campaign ended, her eyes filled with tears. "It brought it to a very personal level," she acknowledged. "It made everything worthwhile."
