Youth Rush canvasser discovers that God was writing a redemption story decades in advance.
More than 35 years ago, in Pontiac, Michigan, two young boys were enjoying a beautiful summer day relaxing next to a swimming pool. As a joke, one of the boys pushed the other—Raymond—into the water and ran off laughing. But Raymond didn’t know how to swim.
Decades later, Raymond’s unexpected plunge abruptly resurfaced when Danny Waller knocked on a door in Pontiac, carrying an armful of spiritual books, including The Great Controversy and Desire of Ages. The gentleman that answered the door listened attentively as Danny showed him a vegetarian cookbook and Habits that Heal, which highlights longevity habits from around the world, including those practiced by residents of Loma Linda, California.
Hearing this, the man mentioned that he grew up Seventh-day Adventist, and used to attend the local church in Pontiac. Danny’s own father grew up attending the Pontiac church, and he felt impressed to ask if the man knew his father, Raymond.
The man lit up. “Matter of fact,” he said, “I pushed your dad into [a] pool and he almost drowned!”
Danny was astonished. He had heard this story from his father many times; Raymond would have drowned if his friend hadn’t come back and resuscitated him. Danny shared his father’s contact information with the man, who was eager to reconnect with his childhood friend.
Danny was a participant in Youth Rush, a summer ministry sponsored by the Michigan conference, where young people can share their faith and earn money to pay for school, whether they’re attending a university or Adventist academy. Students spend 10 weeks going door to door sharing spiritual books on a donation basis in communities all around Michigan.
During the 2025 Youth Rush program, 54 students worked in Waterford and Warren, Michigan, as well as Indiana. Together, they distributed just over 30,000 books to the community, including 3,391 of The Great Controversy. The students also generated just over $400,000 in donations, which helped to pay for their education.
But while the monetary benefits are fantastic, perhaps the biggest blessing of such a program is for a young person to see God work firsthand. In Danny’s case, God used his father’s childhood story to demonstrate that everything works together for good—his father’s near-miss experience was revealed to be a blessing over 35 years later.
Canvassers are privileged to realize that when they work for God, God works for them too, arranging events in their lives so that they can share Jesus with all they meet. Danny’s experience is just one example of many of the divine appointments canvassers experience when working during the summer.
Sierra Sutton was dropped off in industrial businesses, which she describes as “kind of scary.” There was only one office open, and when she entered, the woman sitting behind the desk asked, “Can you come back in 10 minutes?”
Usually, Sierra did not backtrack, but she felt impressed that she needed to go back, and so after 10 minutes she went back to the lonely office where the woman was waiting for her.
Sierra began to show her the books, and the woman purchased Super Stories, an uplifting children’s book. As she was about to leave, Sierra asked if she could pray for the woman, and if there was something specific she could pray for.
“Yes,” the woman said, “I am really, really afraid of death.” She explained that several people close to her had recently died, and she felt that even while she did good things, she was going to hell. “I don’t think I’m good enough to go to heaven,” she said.
Sierra showed the woman Ecclesiastes 9:5, which explains what happens after death. The woman took notes and Sierra felt impressed to show the woman The Great Controversy and The Answer Book, which is a book that answers common questions about the Bible in a simple question-and-answer format. “She was ecstatic,” Sierra said. “She told me, ‘I don’t need to fear death anymore because of what you came and told me.’” Sierra offered the woman Bible studies, and the woman excitedly signed up.
Youth Rush has been a spiritual journey for many participants, including Joshua Lee, who canvassed in Indiana. “Canvassing with Youth Rush this past summer has been a blessing to me,” he says, “It forced me to draw closer to God in a deeper way and has impacted my spiritual growth, even up till now.”
Experiences like these remind Youth Rush students that their efforts will be impactful throughout eternity. Every interaction is an opportunity for God to work in remarkable ways. As Sierra said when reflecting on her encounter: “People are suffering…people want to hear about God.”
To experience stories like these yourself, consider joining Michigan Youth Rush. Youth Rush is a 10-week summer canvassing program run by the Michigan Conference. This summer, the program will run from May 31 to August 8. To learn more and apply, visit: miyouthrush.org.
Judy Ringstaff, is a member of the Lansing Seventh-day Adventist Church.
