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Billy and Laurie Drum serve with TMS Global in Spain, working with marginalized people and discipling followers of Jesus. Here they remind us that one person can make a difference in the lives of many, and they challenge each of us to embrace the call God has placed on our lives.

It was 6:25 pm. Billy, our friend, and I waited outside the cathedral gates. Mass would start at 6:30 pm, and we didn’t want to interrupt the service. Suddenly, a woman sprinted by us and threw open the gate. She hurried into the building, and we followed her through the enormous doors.

The cathedral was beautiful. Tourists were milling about, and there on a pew was the woman who had rushed by us. She was sitting alone, praying.

The priest entered the room and spoke to another man. “You don’t have to tell them to leave. There is only one person for mass, so there is no reason to have it.”

No reason to have it.

Spain has thousands of amazing churches and cathedrals, but very few people come to worship anymore. Catholicism has been steadily declining over the past decade, and Protestant churches are not growing.

When Billy and I first began serving cross culturally, we worked in Mexico. There we met Aaron Berman, a pastor in Mexico and one of the most humble men I have ever known.

Aaron was invited to come to a missions conference at a church in Texas and talk about his vision and work in Mexico. He was assigned a breakout session, and a room full of chairs were set up for the attendees.

When Aaron was supposed to start his workshop, there was only one woman in the room. Aaron prayed, “God, I came all the way to Tyler, Texas to share about You and Your vision for Mexico. I spent money I don’t have to come here. What am I doing? What do you want me to do with this one woman?”

God responded, “Speak.”

So he did. Aaron shared his heart and his vision with the woman. In the end, the woman was responsible for organizing teams of people who came to Mexico and worked alongside Aaron and his family. These teams helped to plant several churches and build a church camp for Mexican pastors and churches. Aaron spoke to one woman, and God used her to start a movement.

It’s easy to get discouraged when it feels like no one cares, when no one shows up to Bible study, or when it feels like no one is listening. It’s easy to feel dejected when church attendance drops. But Aaron works his way into our memories, and we can hear his voice saying, “You only need one.”

Sometimes we all need that reminder. One person can make a tremendous impact. Keep up the good work. He will use it all for good.