Two years later, Heliodoro found a hearing ear in young Juan Bautista Estupiñán, just back from military service in Bogotá. Heliodoro was then 53 and Juan, 25. Juan later married Heliodoro’s niece. These two Christian men sowed seeds of Kingdom truth throughout villages and towns of northwestern Colombia.

Out of the Reach of Flying Stones

In the 1930’s the Society sent Heliodoro and Juan a battery-powered transcription machine to help them spread the good news more effectively. They walked to neighboring towns lugging that heavy machine as well as their literature supplies. Imagine the effect of playing subjects such as “Trinity Unveiled” and “End of the World” in the main squares of those Catholic towns. Is it any wonder that upon entering each town, they would search for an indoor spot to plant their machine before operating it? In this way the amplifier would not only be out of sight but also out of the reach of flying stones hurled by opposers.

Heliodoro died in 1962 at 91 years of age. And his preaching companion, Juan Bautista Estupiñán, died faithful in 1976.

[Pictures on page 73]

Heliodoro Hernández and Juan Bautista Estupiñán from the mid-1920’s sowed seeds of Kingdom truth