Michigan

James "Jimmy" Sweet and Mary Sue "Suzie" Crimaldi, brother and sister, are special people to the Urbandale Church family. Their mother Agnes Whitmore provides for their care; however, Melvin and Shirley Smith have become like a second set of parents to these delightful Down syndrome siblings, and they take Jimmy and Suzie to church each Sabbath.

One Sabbath following a baptism, both Jimmy and Suzie left church with tears in their eyes. The Holy Spirit seemed to be tugging on their hearts, inviting them to be baptized. They expressed their desire to also be baptized to the Smiths, so Melvin made arrangements for Terry Nelson, evangelist, to visit Jimmy and Suzie.

The evening of the scheduled visit, Terry drove to the Smith home only to find that no one was there. Then he remembered the visit was to be at Agnes' house where Jimmy and Suzie live. However, Terry didn't have an address or telephone number so he could locate their home.

Driving up and down the streets in the area, hoping to stumble upon some clue, Terry pondered, What shall I do? He pulled his car over to the shoulder of the road and began to pray. "Lord, you know how important this visit is to Jimmy and Suzie. The devil would like them to think we forgot them, or that their decision to follow Jesus is not as important as someone else's. Please don't let him have the victory. Please have the Smiths call my cell phone so I can find out how to find their house. Thank you, God. Amen."

Ring! Ring! Terry answered the cell phone, and it was Shirley asking where they were. "Praise the Lord!" Terry said to her. "You won't believe what just happened!" Terry got directions, and in a few minutes he was at the correct address. When he shared the story of how God had intervened to have Shirley telephone, everyone rejoiced.

When Jimmy was asked why he wanted to be baptized, he answered, "Because I want to give my heart to Jesus and be part of the Lord's army." Then he stood up and saluted.

Suzie is a bit shy, but her answer came easily as she sat in her stuffed chair. "I love Jesus, too, and want to be baptized!"

It was a joyful Sabbath when Jimmy and Suzie were baptized as special children of God. Their new life was the result of an older church couple who took the time to care for them. Their love drew Jimmy and Suzie into the circle of God's Church family in Urbandale.

Nancy Nelson, evangelism correspondent, as shared with Bruce Babienco, Lake Union Herald volunteer correspondent