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What if the Lord moved you to take your testimony to the beach? And to build sandcastles for Him?
That’s the unlikely mission of Randy Hofman. He’s been creating stunning Christian sand sculptures along the Ocean City, Maryland, boardwalk for two decades.
He’s got a regular spot on the public beach at Second Street. Hie sculptures run as big as 20 feet across and always have biblical themes such as Christ on the Cross, The Last Supper, Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and David and Goliath.
Yes, the wind and rain destroy his masterpieces on a regular basis. A few years ago, a teenage girl urged her boyfriend to jump on one of Hofman’s creations. He did and spectators were furious with the couple.
“The police arrested them for disturbing the peace,” Hofman said. “It’s good they did. A crowd saw what happened and went crazy.”
An ordained minister since 1985, Hofman views the sand sculptures as his ministry. “The messages show people that God is reaching out to us,” Hofman says. “They have to be short and simple so people can easily read and understand them … like a billboard.”
He hands out a small, 32-page Bible booklet to anyone who wants one — and averages 50,000 takers each summer. He says he has distributed about 800,000 booklets.
Most observers treat Hofman’s sculptures with respect, if not awe. Some stop at the site to pray. If invited, Hofman may join them.
One woman wrote to him that her son had been killed in a car accident but had one of Hofman’s Bible booklets with him when he died. “That brought her peace,” Hofman said.
In 1989, a stranger offered to pay Hofman’s expenses if he’d go to Argentina, South America, and build his sand sculptures.
“I accepted and spent several weeks on the beach at Mar del Plata,” Hofman recalls. “I enjoyed it so much that I went back later at my own expense.”
posted April 22, 2011 at 9:22 am
I would do anything God asked me to do, & I am trying to do it each & every day now I am happy becouse he is with us
posted April 22, 2011 at 9:30 am
I was there many years ago. I was stunned at how creative this man is. Such beauty. Has to touch one’s heart <3
posted April 22, 2011 at 10:43 am
To God be all the Glory!!! This is beautiful!!!! May God continue to bless his works and increase his territory.
posted April 22, 2011 at 5:34 pm
I’ve seen the sand sculptures before but knowing “the story” makes it all more important to me, if that is possible. Blessings,
posted April 23, 2011 at 12:41 pm
WOW! That is incredible, amazing, I’ve done small paintings and clay works in the Soul Survivor 24/7 prayer shed but this is on an even bigged scale. That is… it takes my breathe away at just how good they are. He’s blessed. Keep going in Jesus Christ’s name, you’re making a difference and reaching out to people even when you don’t it, you are doing it, never give up hope, never quit, you ARE making a big difference in people lives, amen!
posted April 26, 2011 at 7:35 pm
Randy Hofman is truley a messenger of God’s message to the masses. It always amazes me when I go to Ocean City, MD with my family the marvelous messsages and deail which he puts into each and sculpture. He truley touches lives … do disturbed to read that someone would destroy Randy’s message. I pray for those two individuals that they have found Christ in their lives. Thank you for posting this article!
posted April 27, 2011 at 9:37 pm
It’s amazing the way that God uses people like Randy to reach out to everyone, especially those who are in most need of Him. If only we could be more open to the ways in which God speaks to us. We would all be better off and the world wouldn’t be in the mess that it is in.
May you continue to bring people to God Randy through the gift He has given you and may you be blessed in all your needs.
posted November 19, 2012 at 9:52 pm
I was saved after hearing the Gospel presented by Randy Hofman back in September of 1986 at Ocean City. God bless him.