The Nases having served with another
literature ministry in Mexico, Editorial
Vida (Life Publishers), and also having learned practical publishing
and printing skills with Christian
Literature Crusade located in Philadelphia, set off for Mexico to
start from “scratch” a Christian “comic book” for evangelism.
A survey was made of those
ministries and denominations working to evangelize in order to determine
the need for this type of literature.
In the past, mostly tracts and Gospel portions had been used to
distribute among the unsaved. Most
literature had been adopted from English and in reality was not contextual
to the culture. This new form
of literature was met enthusiastically by those on the “front lines”
of evangelism and church planting.
The first series, Camino a la
Abundancia (The Way to the Abundant Life) was printed in 1988. This work was 100% writtenished by Hispanics
and was culturally appealing.
The first volume of this seven part series of a testimonial presentation
of a conversion realized a distribution of
600,000 magazines. And from
those first challenging beginnings till the present over 5,000,000
illustrated magazines have been printed and placed in the hands of
unbelievers. This figure coupled with the printing of books and tracts
have resulted in nearly 12,000,000 pieces of literature printed
distributed through-out Central and South America and the Spanish-speaking
peoples of the Caribbean. In
addition, distribution early on was realized
in Spain; not to the
Spaniard, but to the Gypsies.
Gypsies found Jesus in a simple, understandable, and culturally accepted
format.
In 1991, an advance into Cuba was initiated.
This on going effort has seen over 2,000,000 tracts,
Foto Novelas, books, New Testaments and Bibles shipped and distributed
through-out this island nation.
The literature has been used exclusively by the Christians in Cuba to
reach their fellow countrymen for Christ.
The single most popular piece of literature received by the Cuban Church
has been John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress.
This illustrated presentation of a classic Christian literary work has
been very effective in leading many to know Christ as Savior by
understanding the “spiritual warfare” involved in making that life
changing decision. Because of
the high literacy rate and educational level of the Cuban, this
allegorical presentation of man’s
search for God has received wide spread
acceptance. Harvest of Life is
grateful to have participated in editing of the language, refining of the
drawings and the dissemination of the book through-out the Nation.
The greatest challenge in Cuba has been explaining who Jesus Christ is and
what exactly His purpose was while on earth. Though accepted as a
historical figure, much distortion, legend and tradition exists because of
so many years under atheistic communist rule.
Consequently, when one tries to share Jesus with the average Cuban, the
“battle” is not necessarily an unwillingness on their part to listen, but
instead, a total ignorance of the
atoning work of Christ and His claim to deity.
“God incarnate (in the flesh) as the provision for the forgiveness of our
sins” is a term totally foreign to the average Cuban…and, in reality, for
most peoples in any socio-ethnic group.
In order to help “bridge this gap” of spiritual ignorance,
Harvest of Life accepted the
challenge of defining the Jesus of the
Bible by publishing, printing, and distributing 935,000 magazines entitled
“Quien Es Jesus?” (Who is Jesus?).
A Bible correspondence school was advertised on the back page and
thousands responded to the free courses offered, thus furthering their
knowledge and commitment to Christianity.
Under the leadership of Dan and Marilyn Nase and with the leading of the
Holy Spirit, the Ministry has been involved in disaster relief (earthquake
in Mexico City, 1986), church construction in the mountains of the State
of Hidalgo in Mexico, distribution of food and clothing to those in need,
an outreach to upper class Mexicans and ex-patriots through an
evangelistic work called the
Mexico City Breakfast Club and, of course now, prison ministry to
the Hispanic. All these
efforts have and are intended to present Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
It is our desire to present to the
Hispanic the opportunity of hearing the
Gospel and also seeing Christian charity in action through the lives
of those who claim Jesus as Lord.
We have been blessed to preach and show our "passion for the
Christ" to the inmates of various State Institutions,
private prison and Federal Facilities in North Florida. The Nases are grateful for the opportunity to
represent you in the Prisons of North Florida. Ministering to the
"least of these" in both Spanish and English. God has blessed the
effort for the last 7 years as they...
“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...”
MATTHEW 28: 19.
