The Alamo in the city of San Antonio, Texas, is a good place to hand out books even if they are of a religious nature. There are usually lots of people from all over the country and tourists from around the world like to visit the historic site. For the most part, the people are receptive and polite. It may help that San Antonio is known as a Bible belt. Also, the many Hispanic people from the area seem especially eager to get a good book. When we experimented, 10 boxes (460) books were distributed in just a few hours.
Victoria, British Columbia, proved more challenging. My wife and I rented a booth at the Victoria Fall Fair in order to meet the 50,000 visitors who attended the 3-day event. We had colorful posters and photos that highlighted some of the stories in our book. And we had a stimulating quiz regarding the mystery of the flying serpent and dragon. The book was offered by donation to the North Island Food Bank.
Hundreds of people strolled by without interacting at all and many of those who did stop, were suspicious. They would page through the book to see what the catch was. We freely explained the variety of stories with competing viewpoints and said that there would be something to enjoy. Most would not take the book even if offered for free. We met many who were involved with strange spirituality and the occult. After 3 full days and lots of work and preparation, we distributed about 100 books.
We’ve been getting a little braver – and experimented on the waterfront – moving closer and closer to the crowds. Recently we decided to step out with bigger faith and expectations. We prayed and even fasted for a meal or two and asked the Lord to prepare the way and show us what He could do if we were willing. We took 8 boxes (360 books) and went to the street – close to the vendors and performers.
Soon after starting, a young musician asked if he could have a book and said that he had seen the book on his friend’s table the previous evening – amazing! The book we gave to him had a wrinkle so he asked if he could have a “good” book and he wanted it signed. He said that he cherished his books. He wanted to trade us one of his music CD’s but had none with him, so he gave us his website where we could listen to some samples.
Several “gay” couples came by and were very interested and even excited about the book. I thought I would let them find the “New Woman” story on their own and also the “Abducted” chapter.
Another man had lots of questions and had tried the witching rod successfully. We talked about many of the subjects in the book and I finally asked him if he was a Christian. He affirmed so I talked more freely and told him about Robin’s experience with talking to the dowsing rod and how it responded in his mind. I explained that Robin read my book – prayed to know the truth, and tried witching again. The rod refused to perform.
I was still in conversation when another gentleman asked to have his book signed. He said that his friend, who worked for the city, had told him that the employees regularly used dowsing rods to find water lines etc. I replied that I knew a man who was in charge of Portland’s water construction department and that he had affirmed that there was no modern instrument as effective as the witching rod. And another friend said that he and other electrical linemen used it constantly.
Lyle wanted a book and wished to give us one of his own that had been 17 years in the writing. He was, like many others, a “spiritual” person but his spirituality was very different from ours. His book looks very interesting but he has been deceived and I wonder if he will be offended that my book explains the deception and undoes 17 years of work. God can handle all of the intricate details.
A friendly street lady wanted a book and took two additional copies to put in the general reading area of the building where she sometimes stayed. She assured us that the books would be read.
We started quite late in the afternoon, the first day, and after a couple of hours we were tired and started to gather our remaining books. I noticed a group of people coming down the street – so suggested that we wait for them. As the people passed by, one woman remained somewhat apprehensively. She seemed interested but asked if our book would put her in the hospital.
The title “Dead Birds Don’t Sing But Witching Rods Talk” caught her attention but also frightened her. She fearfully explained that she had experienced 3 demonic attacks and had wound up in the hospital because of them. She was trying to think positively about the good and avoid anything dark or negative.
I told her that this book would explain who was behind the attacks and was designed to give solutions and answers. I said that I knew exactly what she was talking about and shared my personal experience with something similar and told her that the story was in the book. But in my case, calling out to Jesus brought such instant relief and peace – that I had not even had to get help or turn the light on. I assured her that this book could be the book that would change her life forever.
One woman talked to Linda extensively and positively - at first. She had been watching for some time and finally came over to ask about the book and why it was being given away. She was an author herself and was very curious and took a book to examine. She asked direct and personal questions so Linda told her that in addition to the coastal and variety stories, there were other chapters that were of life and death importance.
Linda showed her the back cover that explains the types of subjects, including spiritual topics and the introduction to the book that spells it out even more thoroughly. The woman then asked specifically what church we belonged to and Linda told her. She then snorted in disgust and said that she did not want the book. She returned to her partner who was leaning against their motorcycle. But she continued to watch for some time as others took books, interacted and asked for autographs.
Some people are prejudiced for various reasons and others do not want to think about the important and disturbing questions of life. We do not want people to feel tricked and we do not want our book wasted. I guarantee readers that they will find something to enjoy but that there are also some things that "I" want to say in the book. Also, I tell them that I hope they will take a look at the website.
Like the previous individual, another man aggressively asked about the religious portions of the book and what my education level was. He also wanted to know if the book was peer reviewed. I told him that it was not that kind of book but that many of the stories had been part of a newspaper column and that the sources were peer reviewed. I said that the spiritual portions looked at alternate viewpoints and even recommended reading material and sources that strongly disagreed with me. I told him that the book contained a variety of subjects but that if he could not handle any religious discussion whatsoever – than the book was probably not for him.
I said further, that out of 5000 copies distributed, only a handful of people had been offended and that most of them were religious, church-type people. I speculated that perhaps the mixture of stories seemed inappropriate to them and even sac-religious. That was enough to make him decide that maybe he did want to try a book after all.
Two old ladies were very excited and wanted autographs. They weren’t bothered by the religious overtones. In most cases, people are agreeable when they understand that we all have our beliefs and biases and they seem pleased to know that this book addresses more than one view and gives room for discussion.
The ladies had just purchased a book called "The Curve of Time". It is a collection of coastal stories with spiritualistic overtones. I said that my book was similar, while thinking, that the spiritual parts would examine the same stories and evidence through a different lens. How interesting. They asked for a “good” copy because the copy we gave them was slightly bent.
There was a teacher who wanted several books for her school and wanted to read the book to her students. Linda told about the first chapter “Dead Birds Don’t Sing” and the boy who shot a little chickadee. That boy, she explained, became her husband and a bird lover.
The teacher was not put off by religious/spiritual stories and she loved the actual illustrations done by grade 5/6 students. The book has been read in classes by several different teachers, so maybe it is reaching all age groups as I had hoped it would.
There was a boy with a disability – about 10 years old. He was in a wheel chair and kept making eye contact. He and his mom were excited and wanted a book signed. We seem often to have one young boy about that age who is excited and wants to talk and even recommends the book to others passing by. Strange - it makes us wonder about angel interaction....
Linda sent a young man to talk to me after he immediately found a reference to the bible saying that the Lord is God. He had bible knowledge and had had a bad experience with a witching rod. I told him about the connection to Egypt and the verse in Hosea 4:12 that mentions the witching rod. He immediately looked up the verse on his I-phone and the particular version gave a helpful rendition (fortunately) and spoke of talking to the diviner's rod as prostitution.
He said the cross should not be worshipped or worn as jewelry and I agreed. He said it was pagan and I agreed again. Then he said that his research pointed to a torture stake. I said that the Romans used both. He did not know why the Israelites were directed to look to a serpent on a pole (my book explains). We had a good conversation but he still seemed troubled. Something was bothering him. I hope the book helps him by the power of God's Holy Spirit.
A group of teenagers went by with backpacks, phones and music devices… Linda held up a book and one girl screamed, “I love that book!” and grabbed it. Then all of the 6-10 kids wanted a book and others who saw the commotion, also wanted a book that seemed to have such obvious appeal. Like the musician, who had seen the book at his friend’s house, this girl had come across the book somewhere and it had caught her attention.
Victoria is a big city. Of the few books that had previously been distributed in that city – we were privileged to meet two people who were excited about it. Our angels must have smiled as they witnessed the surprise on our faces.
Then there was the 5th-dimension man. He was just down the street from us and he watched us from the moment we arrived, until we left the second day. The first day he kept shaking his head at us. Each time we returned to the car to get more books, he would comment. He said, “I know what you’re doing.” When we offered him a book, he said, “I don’t need one – I know what’s in it.”
The second day he was sitting in the same place, watching again. He seemed friendly enough but as we went to get more books he remarked that he was only half man. The strange thing is that he didn’t seem crazy. I knew that he did not have a book but felt that he probably did not want one.
Finally he came over to where we were. I poked at him – “So you finally did come over, I joked.” Again he said, “I know what you’re doing. You are trying to educate people.” Then he continued, “The Sasquatch is not real. The gods are just playing with us.” I hadn’t said anything about a Sasquatch but my book does and the Sasquatch stories introduce the subject of Spiritualism and Satan’s deceptions.
He said, “I’ve read your book.” “Telepathically.” He explained that he lived in the 5th dimension and began to talk terminology I did not understand. Out of the corner of my eye I could see that Linda was still meeting people so I asked if he often came down to the waterfront. He replied that he was spying.
I should have asked him to read to me the last chapter - telepathically. Had he been able to do that, he would have recited to me the short chapter “The Greatest Story Ever Told” which tells of Jesus’ great power to save. It might have done him good. If Satan really was revealing things to him, it is unlikely that he would have included that story – the greatest story ever told – the story of our salvation.
He said that we were not doing things the right way to be effective. We had to pick the right time to do what we were doing and we had to understand the yin and the yang. He said that we would be there all day but I told him that we would only be there until the last 2 boxes were gone. The last 2 boxes were gone in a very short time. It was exciting.
The next day we found 2 spare books in our car and I told Linda that I was curious to see if the 5th dimension man would be in his usual spot. I had some questions for him. He had been there when we arrived the first day and never moved for 3 hours. He had been there when we arrived the second day and was still there when we finished after 2 hours, but we did not see him again.
I took the last 2 books down to where the vendors and performers hung out. I found an old Native lady who was selling Native sweaters that she was knitting. She was very friendly and informative. She was an old lady from the Ahousat band and she had taught at University because she knew the old customs and language. She also knew the various anthropologists and researchers.
I showed her some of the artwork associated with beliefs and stories shared around the world and I explained the flying serpent and dragon and where it came from. I showed the cross and Swastika that some of the North American Indian people had and we talked about the mystery. She got very excited and wanted a book. I was careful to explain that the Indian people had much to teach us and that they understood much truth even though the mix of world teachings has affected us all. We also talked about the flood stories and she commented that her people were unique in that they did not seem to have a flood heritage.
The last book went to a quiet-spoken, young activist who was playing a Sitar while his scruffy dog waited nearby. He had the carrying case open for contributions and I gave him a contribution before engaging him in conversation. He had taught himself to play and he had hiked up Vancouver Island without using the paved highway. It had something to do with a protest against oil and pollution.
He lived a different life and appeared to be on a Spiritual quest. He was a perfect candidate for my book and I showed him the topics covered by the book and assured him that he would enjoy it. He was excited about getting deeper into some of the concepts and insisted that I sign his copy. He went to find a pen… God help him to find the truth that sets men free.
Every book was gone. It was unbelievable – all 8 boxes and 360 books were given out in a little less than 5 hours total – and it wasn’t hard and we met so many interesting people – and some of them were searching. We felt that we had divine appointments – and in Victoria. And if I write another book - about the first book - this will be one of the chapters – but only one of the chapters, because over 5000 books have now been circulated. God is good. * (As of this date, April 2023, over 7000 books have been distributed.)