San Diego, CA. A large part of evangelization is just being friendly, open, and willing to go a little outside your comfort zone. Obviously, you need to know your Catholic faith and take the proper SPSE training. But ultimately it’s just about being yourself, aligning your will with God’s, being comforted with the knowledge that you’re helping God do the most important work there is on earth. Save souls. As St. Rose of Lima once said, “Know that the greatest service that man can offer to God is to help convert souls.”
Click here to read more stories from Reggie, our Regional Missionary in San Diego
The following report comes from our Regional Missionary Reggie in San Diego, CA:
This past Friday I took two new people street evangelizing for the first time with SPSE at Balboa Park. One was a guy named Garrett, who I met last week from the Catholic Answers Conference, and the other was my sister, Pia, who was visiting from the DC area. Pia, to put it lightly, was very hesitant to come. But I just knew she would not regret the experience and that she would love it.
We first set up and began with a prayer and then continued with praying the rosary. When Garrett arrived I began to brief him on what we do and right after a person showed up and asked if he could have a rosary. It was perfect timing because I got to demonstrate what I was trying to teach. Then I welcomed this gentleman and gave him a rosary. I asked if he knew how to pray it, which he didn’t. So I gave him a pamphlet on how to pray the Rosary & briefly explained it to him. I asked him if he was Christian, Catholic or something else, and he said he was Baptized Catholic but didn’t know or practice his faith. He also mentioned that his grandma was very Catholic. I then gave him a Crucified Jesus card that explains the Gospel on the back and reads it to him. We talked for a while and I got to share with him a little about my testimony and how to pray. In the end, I asked him if I could pray for him and he said yes. After we prayed, he had a big smile on his face and we gave him a hug.
My sister caught on to how and what I was doing and the next person to come up she welcomed them and shared the Love of Christ with them. She welcomed a few people & was even able to pray for this one lady who was struggling. Street evangelization is a lot simpler and easier than it seems. If you will make yourself available, God will use you to share his Good News. If you can be a prayer warrior and give your smile, then you can do SPSE. If you can welcome, listen to and befriend people, then you can do SPSE. Let your love for God be greater than your fear. It is such a hidden treasure, such a joy to share God’s Love, Hope and Salvation. We are commissioned to do this. My sister loved the experience of street evangelizing and wants to now get involved with an SPSE team where she lives.
Praised be Jesus Christ! Not only are we to welcome and evangelize souls on the street, but also to invite new evangelists and make them feel comfortable. Once Reggie showed his sister the ropes, she ran with it! Thank you, Reggie, for showing the rest of us how easy it is to invite and give tips to a potential new evangelist.
Awesome! Tell Pia we have an SPSE team in Silver Spring, MD, just minutes from Washington, D.C. Would love to have her join our team!