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Homeless woman’s salvation shortly before her death underscores church’s evangelistic drive
Pastor Arturo Malacara often tells his congregation at South Euless Baptist Church, “We don’t know what will happen tomorrow, so we must share the gospel [today] in case it is the last opportunity.”
Little did he know that God would provide an opportunity for Arturo and his wife, Marifel, to put those words into practice themselves.
As part of their many community outreach initiatives, a group of South Euless members goes out each Sunday after their worship service to evangelize in different areas of their community. On this occasion, they went to a nearby park where many homeless people are known to congregate. Marifel, who was with the group, approached a homeless woman in her 60s. As they talked, the woman shared her story with Marifel.
The woman said she lost everything, including her car and her home, when her husband went to prison. Area shelters were full, she said, and her mother—living in a nursing home—had no way to take her in. The woman told Marifel she had no other option but to live on the streets, wandering in the park and rummaging through trash cans for food.
“We need to be a church that prays for God to move. We need to be faithful to saturate the church in prayer.”
Marifel recognized the woman’s needs, including her greatest one—Jesus. The pastor’s wife spoke to the woman about God’s love and shared with her the plan of salvation. In her hopelessness, the woman accepted Christ and was saved that day in the park.
“I saw her go from someone distressed and hopeless to someone who had hope,” Marifel said.
The two exchanged numbers with an intent to stay in touch and a church deacon, Glenn, who lives near the park, offered to follow up with the woman. Two days later, Glenn saw her in the park and she asked him for a tent so she could have some protection from the elements while she slept outside. A week later, Glenn contacted the woman to deliver the tent, but she never returned his calls. Three weeks later, Glenn received a call from the woman’s mother with the news that her daughter had been found dead due to pre-existing health conditions. Pastor Arturo, along with other church leaders, was able to minister to the deceased woman’s family.
“I was sad [about the woman’s death], but I thank God for meeting her at the park at the precise moment before she died,” Marifel said.
South Euless has proven to be a church with a special heart for evangelism. During the year and a half he has pastored the church, Arturo said he and his family have seen God move because of the love the church shares with the community. “God moves when we love people,” he said.
Arturo said the church intentionally reaches out to families of different nationalities, histories, and cultures—a calling the church has embraced. Consequently, it has brought diversity inside the walls of the church, which incorporates songs in six languages during its worship service: English, Spanish, French, Swahili, Filipino, and Russian. The church’s vision is to celebrate the cultures represented in the congregation and make everyone feel included, he said.
South Euless is always looking for different ways to connect with the community. It offers a drive-thru food distribution and also delivers food to families living in nearby apartments. At one of those apartment complexes, the church held an event that allowed members to share the gospel with parents and their children. South Euless also offers a movie night that is open to the whole community. Last year, the church went to a local school and adopted low-income families to bless and connect with.
“The church is experiencing, seeing, and tasting revival,” Arturo said. “They now come with joy, they don’t want to leave the church, they constantly invite other people to church, and they serve with joy and gladly give to special offerings like the [Lottie Moon Christmas Offering] we just collected.”
Prayer, Marifel added, has been the key to the revival the church is experiencing.
“Prayer is a big priority, especially on the part of the leaders,” she said. “We need to be a church that prays for God to move. We need to be faithful to saturate the church in prayer.”
