The first ShareHim Lay Evangelism Festival was held at Southern Adventist University May 17-19. Sponsored jointly by ShareHim and the Evangelistic Resource Center at SAU, the spirited rally featured prominent guest speakers who highlighted the tremendous successes of the lay evangelists who have participated in international and homeland ShareHim campaigns.

The Arizona Conference was well-represented at the festival as lay evangelists and pastors shared their experiences holding ShareHim campaigns throughout the world and near home.

Merv Williams, a real estate broker from Mesa, and Trina Feliciano, an occupational therapist from Scottsdale, recently returned from Rwanda. This was their first attempt at preaching, and the results were infectious. Both told how their lives were changed as a result of their preaching experiences, and they never wanted to return to a "status quo" existence. They have begun a bold new program to take ShareHim into the prison system of Arizona.

Feliciano, an accomplished song-writer and recording artist, shared a song that was born from her Rwanda experience, "Because I Said Yes."

After a significant period of not attending church, Daryl and Mary Jo Oft were impressed to return to church to re-connect with God. They decided to stay for a potluck lunch one Sabbath at the Payson church and found themselves seated next to Duane McKey, Arizona Conference president.

McKey was impressed to invite the Ofts to participate in a ShareHim evangelistic tour to Africa. They were overwhelmed. The couple was impressed that this was a divine commission, and they decided to accept the invitation.

"We were stunned when he invited us to go to Africa to hold a ShareHim meeting," recounts Daryl. "After much prayer and personal introspection, we found ourselves in the heart of Africa, preaching to audiences eager to hear about Jesus. Their lives were changed — but most of all, our lives were forever changed!

"We've made five trips to Africa preaching and helping with the physical needs of our brothers and sisters whom we've come to love so dearly. Now we are installing water purification systems in the villages where we preach, bringing clean water to the people."

The Ofts, owners of health care businesses in Payson and Globe, Ariz., have found that their businesses did not languish during their absences — instead, they grew and flourished.

"We never want to return to where we were just a few months ago," Oft continues. "We're going back to Africa — our sixth trip — in just a few weeks. There's no greater thrill than preaching the gospel and offering a better life to the people."

In addition, several Arizona members were featured at the festival. Camelback youth pastor Benjamin Lundquist and his wife, Kimberly, have worked with ShareHim in Mexico, Guatemala, India and the Dominican Republic — and are scheduled to go to El Salvador.

Bob Lawson recently took 20 members from his Cottonwood and Valley Verde churches to Cuba where they held 12 separate meetings. Upon their return home, they have held three homeland campaigns.

Tim Feig and his family, members at Paradise Valley, recently went to India for their first campaign. Excited about the work there, they plan to return to India to continue ministering to the needs of the people there.

Luke and Susan Skelton have worked for the past two years giving leadership within the conference as Bible workers. They are scheduled to go on their first ShareHim mission to Tanzania later this year.

The Arizona Conference has been chosen to host the second annual ShareHim Lay Evangelism Festival in April 2008.