Harvest of Life’s Spanish Literature Ministry:
Originally Harvest of Life (HOL) was incorporated in Texas by its founder Rev. Murl Gwynn. It’s intended purpose at the time was to record the Bible in indigenous languages and dialects so missionaries could use the tape recordings in remote villages of Latin America and Africa for evangelism. Murl and his volunteers-built recording studios for a requesting missionary whenever asked. This effort continued through 1987, when Dan and Marilyn Nase came on board to develop Christian illustrated magazines in Spanish known as the Foto Novela.
The Nase’s 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. 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% written 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 being printed and distributed throughout 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 throughout 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.
One challenge in Cuba is explaining who Jesus Christ is and his purpose on earth. HOL published, printed, and distributed 935,000 magazines entitled “Quein Es Jesus?” (Who is Jesus) A Bible correspondence school was advertised on the back page and thousands responded to the referee courses offered, thus furthering their knowledge of Christianity.
Harvest of Life’s Prison Ministry:
Dan and Marilyn Nase met Dan Evans over 20 years ago through a Spanish acquaintance. Little did they know that many years later, the Lord would have them working together with HOL. Dan Evans knew the Lord had called him into prison ministry and began cultivating his heart and planting the seed of leading a ministry in the Florida prisons. He was leading Bible studies and worship services in prisons in the North Florida area. The Nases were volunteering in the prisons of North Florida leading Spanish Bible studies and services at that time, as well. They also were sending Spanish Bibles to Federal Detention Centers and ICE facilities throughout the United States.
Through the twists and turns of life, God led Dan and Sarah to their current church, Thomasville Road Baptist Church, and come to find out this is where Dan and Marilyn attended church. In August of 2015, Dan Nase approached Dan and Sarah about his vision for this ministry. The Nases were thinking and praying about how to continue this ministry and so they asked Dan & Sarah to prayerfully consider taking over HOL as directors as they would continue working with HOL in the prisons leading the Spanish ministry. We know that God’s ways are not our ways and His thoughts not our thoughts. Here Dan was feeling that tug and pull of God’s calling into prison ministry all these years and trying to figure out how all that was going to work and then God says, “I already have it worked out for you!” Trust and obey! HOL started as a ministry to evangelize and disciple those who speak Spanish through literature and now goes into the prisons of North Florida for the purpose of evangelizing and discipling all who are incarcerated, both Spanish and English-speaking.
Harvest of Life Now:
Since 2016, Dan Evans has been leading Harvest of Life and has recruited over 75 volunteers that are not all part of one church, but over 10 churches in the community! Harvest of Life conducts worship services in 17 different Florida institutions monthly and Harvest of Life teaches weekly in 2 different institutions. In 2023, the ministry expanded by adding a South and a West TEAM. In 2023, Eddie and Estella Gomez joined the HOL team to help with the Spanish correspondence letters received and assist the Nases with sending Spanish Bibles out weekly. God is so good! God is expanding our territory in many ways, and we are excited to see what the Lord has in store for this ministry, HIS ministry, for the future!
