ANGEL APALA, a native from the village of Llica, in Bolivia, had gone to Uyuni to look for work. He was not disappointed for he got a job with the railroad there. However, while at Uyuni he heard something that set him on a more serious search. He listened, for the first time, to the gospel and he heard a little of faith’s great storehouse of truth, the Bible.
Angel was filled with a desire to see, and to possess, a copy of this greatest of all books. One day, when an opportunity came, he traveled 200 miles with his wife to the larger town of Oruro. Although they did not even know what a Bible looked like, they devoted two or three days to searching the shops for one. But shops in Oruro did not sell Bibles then; it would not have been good for trade.
Feeling not a little disappointed Angel and his wife were wending their way back to the train station, when they came across a peddler displaying his wares on the sidewalk. They stopped to gaze admiringly at his bright dyes and mirrors, needles and combs, etc., when Angel noticed a single, rather drab-looking book. It was among his collection, but obviously not “of” it.
He decided to ask the peddler whether it might not be a Bible, and to his delight and astonishment was told that it was. Furthermore, he discovered that the money he had reserved was just exactly the price of the Book, so he lost no time in making it his.
Back in Uyuni once more he delved into his treasure and spent much time in reading it to his wife. These dear souls were poor and had had little education; nevertheless they received much spiritual light and comfort from the precious Book.
One day while Angel and his wife were out, someone put a gospel tract over their door. Never did the good seed fall on more fertile soil for on discovering the tract they both immediately set out to find the address and source from which it had come. It so happened that some missionaries had only recently arrived in town and were holding gospel services in a small room. It was not long before Angel and his wife presented themselves at the door of the little gospel hall where they were most cordially received.
It was the happy privilege of the missionaries to point this seeking couple to the Saviour. Their earnest desire to know more of the truth from God’s Book, their timely acceptance of the gospel tract, and the help from the Lord’s servants were links in the chain that brought joy and peace into the lives of Angel and his wife.
The missionaries have given us our closing glimpse of these changed lives. They have returned to their native village of Llica, their sole object being to circulate among their own people the Word of God, “Which liveth and abideth forever.” Many are the miles Angel walks, and many are the dangers he faces that others might have brought to them the wonderful message of Love which he embraced, and which embraced him after his so diligent search.
ML-08/23/1970