Last year Keith Hannah, a member of the Cicero (Indiana) Church, had an incredible encounter with a hitchhiker. Early one morning, Keith prayed, "If there is anything I can do for someone else today, to lighten their burden, please put me in the right place at the right time."

Little did Keith know who God had in mind to place in his path. Traveling to Timber Ridge Camp, Keith saw a car sitting alongside the highway. Cautiously, he pulled beside the man and breathed a prayer for safety. This encounter caused Keith to step out of his comfort zone, but he was able to be God's instrument to help and encourage that day. (Read Keith's incredible, faith-building story at the Indiana Conference website, www.indianaadventist.org, in the January 2006 issue of Conference Connection.)

In talking with his new hitchhiker friend, Keith learned he had taken correspondence lessons from someone in Carmel and those lessons led to his decision to be baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Yet, the hitchhiker had never met the person who gave him lessons.

It turns out that person is Elwin Shull, a Cicero Church member and former teacher at Indiana Academy. The hitchhiker Keith encountered is not the only person who has benefited from Elwin's volunteer ministry. For the past seven or eight years, Elwin has burned the midnight oil or arrived very early in the morning to grade Bible lessons in his little office space at the Conference headquarters in Carmel.

When you visit with Elwin, it is easy to see Jesus is his personal Friend and how glad he is to serve his Master in this capacity! Elwin volunteers his time to grade approximately 200 lessons a month. Six others assist him on a part-time basis: George and Virginia Dunder, Irene Inman, Barbara Taylor, Tootie Teeter, and Don Schroeder.

The Bible lessons Elwin uses are Foot Prints, a set developed by John Morrison, former Indiana Conference ministerial director. The Bible students often write notes as they return their lessons to be graded, thanking Elwin and the others for their time and effort. One note said, "It really makes me feel like someone cares." Another wrote, "I enjoy these Bible studies very much and I thank you for the books you've sent to me. You have been most helpful and I don't know what I would do without the support and guidance I receive from the lessons in my walk with the Lord."

Many send names of friends who have asked for lessons. The first person Elwin learned was baptized as a result of the Bible studies says she took them because she wanted to raise her little girl to know Jesus. After completing the lessons, she attended a series of NET meetings and was baptized into the Frankfort Church.

At the present time, two lady ministers from Indianapolis are taking lessons. Please pray for Elwin and the others as they continue to bind the hearts of people to Jesus with their dedicated volunteer service. No doubt Elwin will meet many former students in Heaven—some he met here and others he only corresponded with.

Judith Yeoman is the Indiana Conference correspondent.