ADVANCE MAN WRITES OF MEETING CELEBRITIES AS PART OF PERSONAL OUTREACH WORK

As part of his ministry, Kenny Stroup of Advance writes to celebrities and lets them know he and God care about them.

He has taken the responses he's received and the experiences he's had in meeting many of these celebrities and put them in four small books.

In "Outside Looking In Volumes 1 and 2" and "Golden Memories Volumes 1 and 2," Stroup writes about meeting and writing to entertainers like Sophia Loren, Tanya Tucker and Regis Philbin, and professional sports figures like Lou Holtz, Chris Zorich, Lou Brock, Anthony Miller and Magic Johnson. The books include the responses he's gotten from many of these stars and how God made it possible for him to meet them.

For example, Stroup wanted to go to a concert by Tanya Tucker, to whom he had written several letters, but he had no money.

"The day before the concert, God told me to write a letter and take it to the concert," Stroup said. "But I asked, How can I see her if I don't have any money?'"

Still, Stroup wrote the letter and later that day, his uncle repaid some money he had borrowed from Stoup, giving him the money for a ticket.

Then, as Stroup was headed for the concert, he saw Tucker's bus outside the arena. He told the security guard who he was and that he had a letter for Tucker.

"As I said my name, Tanya's head came out of the bus," Stroup said. "She said she knew who I was because she had gotten my letters."

She took the letter and posed for a picture with Stroup.

Such encounters have been taking place since Stroup began writing his letters in 1988.

At the time, his parents, music evangelists Kenneth and Melba Stroup, had moved his family to Dowagiac, Mich., which is about 20 miles from Notre Dame University.

He began by writing to athletes at Notre Dame. The first response Stroup got was from football player Chris Zorich.

"He had lost his mother and I felt I needed to reach out to him, to let him know someone cared about him," Stroup said. Zorich answered to thank Stroup for the encouragement.

"After I got that response, it gave me more drive to follow this," Stroup said. "It's become like a ministry for my life. I reach out to people to let them know someone cares about them."

In addition to writing to people, Stroup also said God has lead him to meet many celebrities.

"The Lord opens ways for me and helps me with what I'm doing," Stroup said.

Stroup felt called to the baseball season opener at Busch Stadium in St. Louis April 3. There he saw actor John Goodman at a concession stand and baseball great Lou Brock getting out of his car. He was able to talk to and have his picture made with both.

"I feel like God put me here to do this," Stroup said. "I wanted to be a professional athlete but I was too small. But God showed me a different path. He allowed me to meet and communicate with these celebrities."

Stroup is working on getting his books into stores, but for now they are only available from him. The books can be ordered by writing to Kenny Stroup, P.O. Box 101, Advance, Mo. 63730. Price for each book is $3 plus 90 cents postage and handling.