Dear brother in Christ, Tom,
I’d like to thank you very much for the video and audio
cassettes, which I received yesterday.
And I’d like to share with you the following:
Nearly a month ago, a relative of mine asked me if I
could lend her 30 dollars. By the way, this is a
one-month salary in many state offices; and working as
a teacher (of Italian) in a university I was getting
30 dollars per month. In the beginning I was reluctant
to give her that money because I knew I would never
get it back. But the Holy Spirit reminded me that I
shouldn’t give only to those from whom I expect to get
back. It is like Luke 14:13, 14: “But when you give a
banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the
blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot
repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of
the righteous.”
So, I gave her the sum she wanted with an open heart.
And yesterday, when I got the parcel from you and saw
that the total value of the gift is 30 dollars, the
Holy Spirit reminded me of that story.
I thank you again. And I thank our Lord, who kept the
parcel safe on its long way from the USA to Armenia.
May God be glorified through the God’s Saving Grace
Ministries.
God bless you.
Your sister in Christ,
Anna
Mr. Papania, I want to
thank you for sharing your personal testimony, and your
commitment you have in serving the Lord Jesus Christ.
My dad is a truck driver and he received one of your
tapes at a truck stop. he listened to the tape and gave
it to me to listen to... he told me that I would really
receive a blessing from your tape. He was right! your
testimony truly is a blessing. I then gave the tape to
other family members to listen to, and they also enjoyed
hearing your testimony. I always
thought it would be nice to hear you speak in person,
and to meet you, but, I thought that the odds of that
happening would be very slim. Well, the Lord has
perfect timing!... I was at a Christian bookstore and I
noticed on their information board that you was giving
your testimony at a church in the area close to where I
live. Was I ever surprised! My dad and I went to
hear you speak, and we were able to meet you, talk to
you and purchased your video. I want to thank the
lord for giving us the opportunity to hear you, and to
meet you. Again, we enjoyed your testimony and I
appreciate you being committed to serving the lord the
way that you do. May God continue to bless you and your
family! Thank you! David Poe
from Indiana
Tom Papania
God's Saving Grace Ministries Box 756
Powder Springs, GA 30127 
Tom Papania is a trademark of God's
Saving Grace Ministries
Dear Tom,
My name is Catherine. I wanted to say thank you to you for
sharing your story. Though I have never met you nor have I
ever heard you speak live, I did hear your audio tape.
Because of your tape, my life is forever changed.
At the age of 18, I was stealing multi-million dollar
equipment for some of your old pals. I didn't know what I
was doing, but then again - I did. Where else can you go at
the age of 18 and make a grand a
week? All I knew was that I didn't want to go to college and
I couldn't spend my money fast enough. Drugs and alcohol
seemed to be my only true friends as they seemed to be the
only reliable things in my life at the time.
Five years and half a million later, I was told to disappear
or that I would get a bullet in my head for having dated the
boss' son-in-law. Yes, I am a woman. I didn't know he was
married, much less did I
know to the boss' daughter.
Well, I disappeared alright. I became a truck driver moving
goods out to the coast. I really didn't know you could still
make a few grand a week legally. The problem was that I was
miserable.
I
met someone along the way, and now have a beautiful little
boy. He is now five. His father is no longer with us, he hit
us one too many times. Danny and I barely escaped with our
clothes on our backs. He
never came after us and I never went after him. I think he
went back to Arizona. But this isn't why I am writing to
you.
After he left, I continued to drive a trailer from New York
to Boston everyday. I worked about 70 hours per week and
still took home about $2,000/week. I figured with no
child support in the future, I should try to make the best
of it and make sure my son will never have to want for
everything. I couldn't have been more deluded.
I
was sitting on a dock somewhere in Jersey having another one
of those miserable days as a truck driver when this man
approached me. He asked me how my day was going and I told
him, "Fine, as soon as I can get the heck out of here! I
can't stand waiting!" He
then reached into his pocket and took out a tape and told me
to take care. I put it in my pocket and figured it for some
Jehovah's Witness literature. About an hour later I was
loaded and heading home. I got on to the turnpike and popped
in the tape. I heard your voice come on.
The next couple of hours were spent on the side of the New
Jersey turnpike crying my eyes out. Your testimony changed
me forever.
That night I went to my parents' home and asked if I could
move back in with them. I told them I wanted to go to
college and fulfill those dreams of working at West Point
Military Academy as a doctor in the hospital there. I told
them that I wanted to sell everything, pay off all of my
debt, and go to school full-time. Never before had my
parents embraced me as they did that day.
I
gave my boss three weeks notice to find a new driver and he
found someone within two days. I cannot express the joy that
has come into my life. I always thought that material things
and the best that money can buy were just barely good enough
for my son and I. I was so wrong. Waking up and spending
time at breakfast is by far worth more to me than just about
anything I ever bought. I never fully
understood that what he really needed was his mommy there
for him instead of with his nanny.
Danny and I are best friends now, like it should be. I have
been going to school for two solid years now. I am so happy.
And broke. I finally exhausted all of my savings and even
used up my annuity from the
Teamsters. I took a job waitressing about a month and a half
ago. It is quite humbling, but it pays for the gasoline. I
still shop for only the best, that is, the best that I can
find at Wal-Mart. But I am not complaining nor am I looking
for a handout. I merely wanted to say thank you for
spreading your word, far enough to reach the likes of
me. A kid at 18 with academic scholarships galore, but
wanted to take the easy way out and make the big money by
just driving.
I
guess it just goes back to the old saying, you can't argue
with a drunk and you can't argue with a teenager. I am
32, now, quite happy and living my life like I should have
so many years ago. This is why I am writing to you. I am not
sure what it was about your
tape, your story? your voice? Both?
In any case, thanks, and even though I lost your tape when
the Jeep was sold I can only hope that it fell into the
hands of another who needed to be saved.
Love,
Catherine
