Seed Falls on Good Soil at Hammonton Church

Story by Carlos De La Cruz

When Jesus speaks about the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13, He compares the difference between where the seeds land and the difficulties each face. Only one of the seeds, however, sprang up quickly (verse 5). When it comes to the crop-bearing seeds, which landed on good soil, Jesus does not mention how long it took for them to yield their crops. Armando Pereyra’s story is a reminder of the seeds that landed on good soil and yielded crops.

Pereyra did not grow up in the Adventist church but was aware of the gospel. Having made difficult and even life-risking decisions in his youth, the planted seed lay dormant until the right time to flourish. Through a series of Bible studies from an Adventist friend and a discussion with a church pastor, Pereyra recognized the Adventist message as a distinct and biblical one. Pereyra eventually settled in Hammonton, where he began looking for the nearest Adventist church. The fruition of this seed finally bore fruit last summer when he surrendered his life to Jesus.

Today Pereyra is a deacon at New Jersey Conference's Hammonton Spanish church and has shared several testimonies encouraging both members and visitors to not lose hope in the Lord.

In the parable, Jesus was not focusing on the time but rather the location of the seed.

Pereyra’s heart was fertile for the seed he received; it just took a matter of time before he showed evidence of his receptivity.