Eleanor, PA
Posted by Madison Eisaman on
Sowing and planting has been a part of every aspect of Eleanor Ruch’s life 🌱
First, her grandfather founded a commercial greenhouse company – a firmly-rooted family business that has, so far, lasted five generations.
Second, she and her husband spent years planting churches.
And third, Eleanor’s personal lifetime mission has included sowing the Gospel in fertile hearts whenever possible.
“I’m a seed-sower,” she said. “My job is to get it out there.”
The 88-year-old native of Hatfield, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pa., said it’s important for us to know our unique individual giftings and to use them to serve the Lord.
“I’ve grown in the understanding that comparing ourselves to others doesn’t work. It’s not God’s way. God has uniquely equipped each one of us.”
For Eleanor, that gifting seems to be a natural ability to casually connect with someone and begin a conversation. Usually, she gets to know their name and listens carefully to them to determine whether they have an openness to spiritual things. She doesn’t push. But if there is interest and the conversation is natural, she’s ready to encourage them and to hand them something to connect with them further: a card with her name and contact information, a pocket-size Gospel of John, or a Gospel tract.
“When I see people, I just long to have them come to know the Lord,” she said. “I think of how Jesus was moved with compassion when He saw the multitudes. And I ask myself how can we be compassionate in reaching our neighbors?”
Eleanor helped to found “Hearts that Care” – a ministry vehicle that focuses on “touching people with the Lord Jesus”, she said. That outreach has included sending out two mailings with personal messages and an enclosed cartoon tract, “Then What”, to 1,000 apartment addresses.
Additionally, Christmas cards with enclosed Gospel tracts have been given to hundreds of residents in nearby nursing homes and personal care facilities.
One of her favorite kinds of tracts to hand out are the motion tracts. MWTB's “Follow the Son”, she said, is a good option for families with kids.
Over her years of witnessing for the Lord Jesus, Eleanor said she has mostly encountered these categories of people:
• People who simply have never heard and don’t know the Gospel. For these individuals, short, attention-grabbing tracts – especially the motion tracts – work well.
• People with backgrounds in other religions or who are lapsed church attenders. For these individuals, she often gives a Gospel of John.
• People who are religious, but who may not have a saving knowledge of Christ. For these individuals, she likes to give the mini-tract “Religion Says Do, Jesus Says Done”.
Eleanor encourages: “God promises that in all our ways we can trust Him to direct our paths. When He brings people into your life, show genuine interest in them. Get to know their names. Be personable (loneliness is rampant in today’s world).”
And, as the Lord leads, keep sowing seed.
"We don't know the outcome,” she said. “Our privilege, joy and responsibility is to obey and to reflect the Lord Jesus. Results rest with Him."
To read more testimonies, visit https://mwtb.org/blogs/letters