I didn't know what to expect. I asked the pastors if they anticipated that the stadium be half full or if they expected it to be close to full. They told me, "Oh, you don't understand. We've told the Christians not to sit in the stadium. We believe that it will be filled with non Christians."

"Well," I said, "I'll have to go on your faith." I didn't have the faith to believe that the stadium would be filled with atheists. But when we arrived, I discovered that it was filled with non-Christians. The stadium was packed with unbelievers and Christians stood around the side listening. Everyone present listened attentively to my message. I said that if anyone wanted to know Christ they should lift their hands and that I would pray for them.

No one lifted a hand. I didn't know what to do. I prayed silently. I sensed that God was leading me to continue pressing with the invitation for people to come to Christ. I then looked up and said, "If anyone here would like repent of their sins and trust Jesus, then I'm going to ask you to come and join me at the front of the platform in prayer." I looked up and no one came.

My heart broke. Then, suddenly a poor peasant woman came all by herself. She was holding a bouquet above her head as she came to the front of the platform. She handed me the flowers, then fell on her knees crying out for God to save her. In that moment, tens, twenties, and hundreds of people began to come. They came and came until thousands had responded to the invitation. More than 2500 people came to the platform and prayed to receive Christ that day.

The story doesn't end there. When I returned to the United States I wrote in our monthly newsletter about the courage of the poor peasant woman. My wife has a prayer group that has met for many years. They had prayed for the meetings in Moldova. One of the ladies in the prayer group called me and asked, "Can I come to your office? I must show you something."

I agreed, and she came and showed me her prayer diary. She had recorded every day how God had led her to pray. I was overwhelmed when I saw what she had written. She had prayed for two months prior to the evangelistic meetings for a poor peasant woman in Moldova to have the courage to do what ever God was telling her to do.

One woman prayed and it affected thousands in Moldova. That lady in her private closet of prayer has touched thousands of lives in a far away nation. I'm convinced that the true heroes of heaven aren't the platform people. They're not the ones who are well known to mankind, but they're the ones very well known to God. They're the real history makers and world shakers. You can also be a history maker through your prayers. Perhaps that's why Luke says that Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. Keep praying. The heroes of heaven are made up of godly, praying people.