One small town's first family of faith

Jun. 17—CAMILLA — One might expect a man of God whose chosen profession involves God's work to cite divine intervention as an explanation for his calling.

Jimmy Hayes will go you one better. He'll tell you a compelling story of a poor man — a man who didn't even have access to a typewriter to write copy for a life-changing advertisement nor paper on which to type the copy — answering God's call on faith and, some 34 years and $37 million later, having established a seminary — and a legacy — that continues to bring tens of thousands to the faith he holds dearly.

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