Youth and Adult Mission Magazine by Adventist Mission - 3rd Quarter 2009

MISSION MAGAZINE

A D V E N T I S T YOUTH AND ADULT

QUARTER 3

2009

featuring:

WRESTLING WITH GOD pg 10|The Rebel pg 18

www.AdventistMission.org

SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION

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On the Cover: Quechua woman spins wool into yarn for colorful cloths.

MANAUS, BRAZIL 4 Lost and Found | July 4 6

Twice Abandoned, Twice Adopted | July 11

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Saved Three Times | July 18

10 Wrestling With God | August 8

BELÉM, BRAZIL 12 Dentist With a Mission | July 25 14 A Boat and a Dream | August 1

ECUADOR 16 Light in the Jungle | August 15 18 The Rebel | August 22 20 Unexpected Friendship | August 29 22 Just Let Me Die! | September 5 24 The Chain of Faith | September 12 26 Now I See | September 19

RESOURCES 28 Thirteenth Sabbath Program | September 26 31 Resources & Masthead

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This quarter we feature the South American Division, home to eight countries and numerous island nations.

More than 305 million people live in the South American Division, and 2.6 million Seventh-day Adventists share their faith here. That is a ratio of about one Adventist for every 117 people.

Special emphasis this quarter is on northern Brazil and Ecuador.

The Challenge Northern Brazil is home to about 20 million people, more than 350,000 of whom are Seventh-day Adventists. That’s one Adventist for every 58 people.

The region is defined by the Amazon River, which crosses almost the entire country of Brazil.

Missionaries Leo and Jessie Halliwell plied this great river, bringing medical care and the love of God to the people living there.

The church has grown rapidly in this region, but its young people have had to travel thousands of miles to prepare for God’s service because they had no school closer to their homes. Now a new college is being built near the

OPPORTUNITIES This quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help ¾ complete the first stage of Amazon Adventist College ¾ upgrade classrooms, dormitories, and dining facilities at Ecuador Adventist Superior Technical Institute ¾ network and upgrade Radio Nuevo Tiempo in Ecuador

mouth of the Amazon River to train the young people to serve the church in northern Brazil.

Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help complete the first phase of construction at Amazon Adventist College.

Ecuador lies on the equator in western South America. One out of every 175 people in Ecuador is a Seventh-day Adventist.

Radio Nuevo Tiempo reaches thousands for Christ in this country.

Currently more than 1,000 people are studying the Bible as a direct result of the four radio stations that make up Radio Nuevo Tiempo, and last year 150 people were baptized. But the stations need to be upgraded and networked to work more efficiently to reach people for Christ.

In the past, youth in Ecuador who wanted to serve God had had to travel to another country to study in an Adventist school. Recently the government has authorized a university-level school to function on the campus of the Adventist boarding secondary school. But the campus needs serious upgrades in order to meet government standards.

Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help network the radio stations and help upgrade the facilities at Ecuador Adventist Superior Technical Institute.

Yours for the kingdom,

Charlotte Ishkanian Editor, Mission

www.AdventistMission.org

Dear Sabbath School Leader,

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L OST AND FOUND July 4 | Ronaldo Mendes

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[Ask a young man to give this report.]

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y name is Ronaldo [roh-NAHLdoh]. I live in a town beside the Amazon River. I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. I quit school in the fifth grade and hung out on the streets playing soccer with my friends. They introduced me to sniffing things to get high. Then they introduced me to more potent drugs.

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Dangerous Choices I wanted to prove that I was strong, so when I went to parties with my friends I sometimes picked fights just to prove I was a tough guy. I thought I was cool when I fought, and the drugs made me fearless. But then I was arrested for fighting and using drugs.

One night during a fight I pulled a knife on a man. The man filed a complaint and I was arrested again. This time I was sentenced to several months in jail. All I thought about in jail was how to escape and get some drugs.

Finding God in Prison My mother brought me a Bible to read. I started reading it and found the stories interesting and touching.

I joined one of the prison’s religious programs, and before long I repented of my sins and asked God’s forgiveness. But my repentance and God’s forgiveness didn’t free me from feelings that welled up inside me when someone made me angry. One prisoner often harassed me, and I had often wanted to kill him. I prayed that God would take the anger from me, but it was a struggle. The evil thoughts circled in my mind, and rage filled my heart. I prayed that God would take the anger and rage away, and I turned to my Bible for comfort. Little by little I found peace.

Other prisoners noticed I was reading the Bible a lot, and some teased me, saying that I was trying to be good so I could get out of prison sooner. Praying helped me through these times.

Praying Through the Hard Times I learned that prayer was my only survival tool, and I prayed more and more. God changed my life. The other prisoners shunned me, and I was lonesome. Then I met another prisoner who was interested in studying the Bible. We shared our faith with each

FAST FACTS ¾ Brazil is the largest country in South America. Its landmass is roughly equal to the landmass of the rest of the countries combined. ¾ With a population of about 190 million, Brazil ranks as the fifth-most populous country in the world. Most of these people live in towns and cities along the lengthy seacoast. ¾ São Paulo is South America’s largest city with more than 11 million people in the city itself and millions more living in its nearby suburbs. ¾ Brazil is the only Portuguese-speaking country in South America. ¾ Most Brazilians descend from three main groups of people: the native peoples, Europeans, and Africans. This mix creates a lively and colorful blend of cultures and traditions.

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New Friends in Jesus I wrote a letter to the Seventh-day Adventist Church and gave it to my mother to deliver. I didn’t know where a church was, so she found one. The church was closed, so Mother delivered the letter to the woman who lived next door to the church. This woman was an Adventist.

She read my letter and arranged for two young men to visit me the next time the prison held religious services.

But on the appointed day the guards didn’t open my cell to let me attend the church meeting. I banged on my cell door until I got the guards’ attention.

Finally they let me out to meet the young men who had come to visit me. I was overjoyed to know more about this church I now felt a part of.

I had been in jail for 16 months—10 months longer than my sentence. I promised God that as soon as I was released, I would find His church and follow His will. Soon after I committed my life to God, I was released.

I found the Adventist church and met the woman who lived next door.

She invited me to the meeting that evening and fed me. I visited my family then returned for the evening Bible study at the church. I kept my promise to God, and after completing Bible studies I was baptized.

I love working for God and giving Bible studies. Every day I thank God for not giving up on me when I lost my way. He found me and led me to Jesus.

And thank you for your part in bringing me to Jesus, for your mission offerings help people such as me find God. à

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that this church upheld the Bible truths I had learned to love.

www.AdventistMission.org

other and listened to a Christian radio station for comfort.

One day as I was turning the dial of the radio, I happened upon Radio Novo Tempo (new life), the Adventist radio station. A pastor was speaking about prayer, so I stopped to listen. He encouraged the listeners to ask to know God’s will for their lives rather than seeking their own desires. His words impressed me, and I began listening to this station every day.

My friend wasn’t interested in this radio station, so we took turns listening to the radio. On days when I didn’t have the radio, I would study my Bible.

Someone gave me a DVD that contained music and some information about Adventists. I watched it many times and realized

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T WICE ABANDONED , T WICE ADOPTED July 11 | Rodrigo Correa

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odrigo [rohd-REE-goh] knew that his mom had adopted him shortly after he was born. Rodrigo loved his mom, but when he was 12 he became angry and lost interest in school. A doctor prescribed drugs and recommended counseling, but Rodrigo couldn’t control his anger and aggression.

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Lost and Angry Then his mother told him that she must go to the hospital. Rodrigo went to stay with some friends who promised to care for him. Two weeks later Rodrigo’s mother died. Once more Rodrigo felt abandoned.

Rodrigo’s guardians were teachers and had some experience working with troubled children. They tried hard to make Rodrigo feel loved and wanted. But Rodrigo’s anger continued to overflow.

Rodrigo joined a rock band, and his life spiraled downward because of his lifestyle. He obeyed the voices in his head and gave his life to the devil. He just didn’t care. However, his guardians wanted something better for him and sought professional help.

After examining Rodrigo, a psychiatrist

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suggested that Rodrigo’s guardians send him to an Adventist boarding school in western Ecuador.

Rodrigo’s New School The family told Rodrigo to pack his clothes. They drove across the mountains and stopped at a school. His guardians told him that this was his new school. As he looked around, he was sure he wouldn’t like it.

“You have to learn to control your emotions,” his new father told him.

“This school will help you. If you are expelled, your next stop will be a reform school.” They assured him of their love, wished him well, and drove away.

Rodrigo quickly learned that when he broke a rule, the dean would assign him to grounds work. Rodrigo hated working in the hot sun, but he did as he was told and learned from his punishment.

In time, Rodrigo became accustomed to the rules and got along better with the students and staff. Although he sometimes didn’t think the rules were fair, he obeyed. He didn’t want to go to a reform school. He understood that the school rules were meant for his success.

Although Rodrigo had attended

FAST FACTS ¾ The Amazon River flows west to east across the northern third of Brazil. It is the world largest river in terms of quantity of water carried. Hundreds of tributary rivers that cover almost half the country flow into the Amazon. ¾ The vast Amazon rain forest, the world’s largest, is home to tens of thousands of species of plants and animals, many of which have not yet been named by scientists. ¾ The Amazon River lies just south of the equator, making this region tropical year round. There is no summer or winter—just wet (or rainy season) and dry. During the rainy season it rains several times a day, and the river rises several feet.

Changed Boy When Rodrigo returned home at the end of the school year, he was a different boy. He didn’t party or listen to worldly music. The anger that had consumed him was gone, and in its place was a responsible young man who focused his life on God. “I was twice abandoned,” Rodrigo says, “once by my parents, and once when my mom died. But God gave me a new family who sent me to a school where I learned that I have a family— God’s family. I praise Him and thank Him for not giving up on me.”

The school Rodrigo attends has recently been expanded to include university-level courses. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help upgrade the school to meet government requirements. Your offering will help give other students like Rodrigo an opportunity to learn of God’s love. à

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A New Song in His Heart Rodrigo met Rubens, who offered to listen to Christian music with him.

Rubens shared his faith and offered to study the Bible with Rodrigo. Rodrigo yearned for the peace and love Rubens had. He wanted to learn about Jesus and follow Him. Then Rodrigo met Elio, who composed music. Elio invited Rodrigo to write words for his music. Rodrigo was

excited about this. But the devil wasn’t willing to let Rodrigo go so easily. Anger sometimes welled up inside Rodrigo, and sometimes he felt he couldn’t control his emotions. His friends encouraged Rodrigo to trust in Jesus and be baptized.

But his guardians learned of his interest and reminded him that he was a member of another church. Rodrigo struggled to make a decision.

Rodrigo attended church with Rubens and continued studying the Bible. When the school chaplain held a series of evangelistic meetings in a town near the school, he invited Rodrigo to sing at the meetings. During these meetings Rodrigo gave his life to Christ and asked to be baptized.

www.AdventistMission.org

church occasionally at home, the daily worship in the dormitory was new to him. He noticed that the worship services made him feel calm and peaceful. Even so, sometimes Rodrigo felt a fight going on in his mind. One voice told him, “You don’t belong here.

You could be getting famous with your rock band.” Another voice said, “You belong here worshipping God.”

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SAVED T HREE TIMES July 18 | Samuel Muniz

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amuel liked to live on the edge.

At first it was little things, such as writing graffiti on walls and riding on buses without paying the fare. But before long he met up with friends who influenced him in more negative ways.

He started smoking when he was 12, drinking at 14, and doing drugs at 15.

Samuel spent more time with his street friends than with his family, going home just to eat and sleep. He lied to his mother and said he was attending school when he often skipped classes.

His grades fell and he failed his classes.

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Dangerous Friendship Then Samuel met a girl named Bianca, and they started dating. Bianca didn’t tell him that she had another boyfriend. And when her boyfriend learned that Samuel was dating his girlfriend, he threatened to kill Samuel.

One day when Samuel was boarding a bus, a man attacked, slashing Samuel five times then running off before anyone could stop him. Samuel was rushed to the hospital. Samuel survived, but he seethed with anger about the attack.

Samuel’s uncle visited him in the hospital and pleaded with him to leave

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his wild life behind. He invited Samuel to attend the Adventist church with him. Samuel felt church was too tame for him.

When he was released from the hospital, Samuel found his cousin, a drug dealer. They met some friends in an abandoned building to drink and talk.

But Samuel decided not to drink. The boys talked and laughed long into the night. Then someone saw police outside the building and shouted “Cops!”

Everyone ran except Samuel. He was afraid of reinjuring his wounds, so he decided to walk out of the building. As he stepped outside the building, he saw the police arrest his cousin and friends, but they didn’t come after him. It was as if he were invisible to the police.

Saved Twice Samuel arrived home overwhelmed with a sense that his life had just taken a turn. He thought about what his uncle had said to him about God and his admonition to change his life. He remembered his uncle’s invitation to attend church. He remembered his mother’s advice to ask God to help him change his life.

New Life in Christ Just six weeks after Bianca’s boyfriend tried to kill him, Samuel asked to be baptized. His mother chose to be baptized with him.

Samuel continued to share Bible truths with his friends. When the church scheduled evangelistic meetings, Samuel helped visit people and invite them to the meetings. Before the meetings ended, four of Samuel’s friends asked to be baptized too. Eventually a fifth friend followed Jesus in baptism as well.

People noticed how much Samuel had changed. They saw his commitment to God and offered him a scholarship to study at the Adventist secondary school in Manaus [mah-NOWS], Brazil.

Samuel continues to lead others to Jesus and study the Bible with anyone who shows an interest. Since his baptism he has led 45 people to a personal relationship with Jesus.

Redeeming Wasted Years Samuel regrets the years he wasted drinking and doing drugs. He realizes

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that skipping school has put him behind, but he’s determined to finish high school and attend college. “I want to study theology,” he says.

Samuel looks forward to the opening of Amazon Adventist College and the opportunity to study there. He plans to work as a colporteur to earn his tuition, but he will still need a scholarship to help pay his expenses.

“I thank God for saving me from death, though I didn’t deserve it, and waking me up to my need for Jesus,” says Samuel. “I want to thank everyone who will give to the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter to help build Amazon Adventist College in Belém, Brazil. The school is already making a huge difference in young people’s lives.

It will help build up the work in the Amazon region of Brazil.” à

MISSION POST ¾ The Adventist Church’s North Brazil Union serves the people of the Amazon region. The two main cities in this region are Manaus and Belém. ¾ In Brazil one person out of every 121 people is a Seventh-day Adventist. In the North Brazil Union one person out of every 58 is Adventist. Part of the reason for this high percentage of Adventist membership is the strong work begun on the Amazon River by Leo and Jessie Halliwell on their mercy boat, the Luzeiro, which means “light bearer.” For years the missionary team gave medical care while they shared the gospel along the banks of the river. Today a small clinic they helped found in Manaus has grown to be a major medical center in northern Brazil.

www.AdventistMission.org

Samuel fell to his knees and prayed for the first time in years. “I don’t understand why You saved me twice this week,” he said, remembering the knife attack that almost had cost him his life and his escape from arrest. “But I don’t want this life anymore. I want to learn about You, God.” Samuel kept his promise to God and visited his uncle the next day. He asked his uncle to study the Bible with him three nights a week. Samuel became so excited about what he was learning about Jesus that he shared what he was learning with five of his friends and his mother.

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August 8 | Adriana de Melo

[Ask a young woman to present this first-person report.]

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hen I was 14 I discovered the Ten Commandments. The commandment forbidding idol worship and the Sabbath commandment surprised me. I lost interest in my family’s church.

My aunt is an Adventist. One day she felt impressed to share her faith with us.

But she didn’t feel able to give us Bible studies, so she invited a church member to come with her.

They came to our home to study the Bible every night for almost a month.

At first I wasn’t interested in the studies, but by the end of the month I was sure that I had found the true church. However, I was 15 and loved the parties my friends had. I knew that everything I loved would end if I joined the church. So I dragged my feet.

Secret Plan Mom told me that if I didn’t get baptized, she wouldn’t either. My sister worried that if Mom wasn’t baptized, she’d start smoking again. I didn’t want that, so I devised a plan to get my mother baptized and avoid making this

decision myself. I’d wait until Mother was baptized, then I’d run away. But God had other plans.

On the day of the baptism, I told my mom to go first so I could see her be baptized. She went into the water crying. But after the pastor baptized her, she came out of the water with her face aglow. I started crying and hugged her as she stepped into the room. I heard a voice in my heart saying, “Follow your mother. I chose your family to testify for me.” I didn’t run away; I ran to the baptismal pool.

The change in my family was amazing. We prayed for our neighbors and shared our faith with them. Then we invited them to evangelistic meetings—meetings that we presented ourselves. In time, 73 people were baptized. I realized it wasn’t us doing this, but God. Since our baptism my family has led some 4,000 people to Jesus.

Wrestling With God Then God called me to work in another city as a Bible worker. I didn’t

Finding God’s Blessings God has blessed me in this city, even though I miss my family. Sometimes I asked God what I was doing here, and He has shown me. Two friends and I have held 12 evangelistic meetings in the past three years, led more than 1,600 people to Christ, and established a new church. I know now that God has a work for me here.

Last year I was called to be chaplain of an Adventist high school. I fought with God over the call, but I felt God urging me to go. So without understanding the call, I accepted. And he has blessed me.

We have established small groups for the students—140 groups among the 850 students. The kids study the Bible and share their faith with one another—including the students who are not Adventists. We’ve also formed pairs of students who study the Bible together and take part in community projects outside the school. Students adopt needy families, help them with food and clothes, help them clean or

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repair their homes, and tell them of God’s love. The kids love it, and the families in need are blessed.

This past year more than 100 students, 56 relatives, and one teacher were baptized as a result of the school’s spiritual programs. I know now that God wanted me at this school to teach me and to stretch me. He’s given me so much more than I could have asked for.

Many of these students at my school want to continue their studies in an Adventist university. The new Amazon Adventist University in Belém, Brazil, will be our primary training post for tomorrow’s church leaders, and your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help make this university a reality today. à

MISSION POST ¾ While one person in 58 is a Seventh-day Adventist in northern Brazil, 57 out of 58 are not Seventhday Adventists. ¾ The goal of the church in South America is to minister to the unchurched through small groups.

Church members meet to study the Bible and pray in a small, safe environment. They invite their neighbors to join them and learn more about Jesus. ¾ Many churches have small group ministries for children and teens as well as for adults. These small groups meet during the week to study their Bible and pray together. Small group members invite their friends to join them, so more people can learn about Jesus.

www.AdventistMission.org

want to move. I felt that I was doing God’s work where I was. And working as a Bible worker would pay an eighth of what my current job paid. I was in school, so I turned the offer down.

Three months later when I finished school, I received the call again. I still didn’t want to go. I didn’t know anyone in the new city, and I had no family there. I loved doing God’s work at home where my family lived. But God kept saying, “Go.” I couldn’t understand why I needed to move away when I could work at home. I fought with God for three more months, even after my mother told me I should go. I finally gave in.

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D ENTIST WITH A MISSION July 25 | Dr. Milso Reinert

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r. Milso Reinert [MEEL-soh RAInert] is a man with a mission. He is a dentist in Belém, Brazil.

From the time he was a child he wanted to share God’s love, but he wondered how he could do so with a busy dental practice that left little time for other activities. Frustrated, he told God, “You’ve done everything for me.

What can I do for You?”

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The Little Street Vendor One day he saw a child pushing a cart and selling small items on the street. Dr. Reinert saw a picture of the Ten Commandments in the boy’s cart and asked the price. The boy told him the price. “Why is this so cheap?” the doctor asked.

“People think it’s written wrong,” the boy said. “But I tell them to read Exodus 20 for themselves, and they will know that the picture is really correct.”

Dr. Reinert realized that this child was sharing his faith through a picture. He bought one of the pictures and put it in his dental suite.

The next Sabbath an attorney called and asked to be seen immediately, for he

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was in great pain. Dr. Reinert explained that he doesn’t normally work on Sabbath, but he would see the man.

A Witnessing Revelation The attorney noticed the Ten Commandments on the wall and asked, “Are these the same as those in the Bible?” The doctor reached for his Bible and opened it to Exodus. He read the man the Ten Commandments, showing that they were the same. Suddenly he realized that he could share his faith while he treated patients.

During the next few days several patients noticed the Ten Commandments on his wall, and Dr. Reinert shared the Bible with them. He shared his faith in other ways as well.

He filled his office waiting room with Christian literature, even a Bible. His small television was fixed on Adventist programming, and literature racks were packed with evangelistic materials. His patients included priests, pastors, law enforcement officials, politicians, and even the mayor. Dr. Reinert realized that he could reach people who wouldn’t listen to someone on the streets.

Growing a New Ministry When he met with Enrique, Dr. Reinert told him that he was a Christian. Enrique said that he felt God had abandoned him. He was innocent of any crime, but God had let him be imprisoned anyway. The two men studied the Bible together for four hours, and Enrique gave his heart to God and accepted many Bible truths Dr. Reinert presented.

BELÉM, BRAZIL

The Police Officer and the Prisoner One day a police officer came to see the dentist. Dr. Reinert knew that the man was a spiritist, and he spoke to him about the mortality of the soul.

The police officer asked him, “How can you believe in God when there are so many suffering people in the world?”

The doctor explained that God does not punish people with tragedies, but that He can use every situation to glorify Himself if the person allows God to do so.

Then the officer told the doctor about his brother-in-law, Enrique, who was in prison. As Dr. Reinert listened, he realized that God was asking him to expand his ministry to the prison. He agreed. As he drove toward the prison, Dr. Reinert felt impressed to stop and buy a package of seeds. This is strange, he thought to himself as he paid for the seeds. He put four of the seeds into his pocket before he entered the prison just in case the guards wouldn’t allow the entire package inside.

As the doctor was preparing to leave, he asked Enrique how he spent his days in prison. “I’m a gardener,” Enrique said. Dr. Reinert took the seeds from his pocket and gave them to Enrique. “God told me to buy these seeds on my way here. Plant them, and as you care for them, watch how God cares for you.”

Dr. Reinert visited Enrique every couple weeks. He learned that Enrique was sharing his new faith with his cellmate. The two asked to be baptized together in a stream behind the prison.

Today these two men share their faith with others in the prison and preach on Sabbaths. So far six prisoners have been baptized because of this contact.

Dr. Reinert knows that God gives each of us a way to share our faith. It may be by giving Bible studies or by preaching or by some other means. If we are willing, God will reveal His plan for us. And we all can share God’s message as we give our mission offerings to help others know that God loves them. à

FAST FACTS ¾ Belém, Brazil, is located at the mouth of the Amazon River. It is a major port on the Atlantic Ocean. ¾ The church’s headquarters for northern Brazil is located in Belém, as well as the newly established Amazon Adventist College, northern Brazil’s only Adventist tertiary institution. This school will make it possible for hundreds of students from northern Brazil to study in a Christian environment in preparation for service to God.

www.AdventistMission.org

Some patients were eager to meet their appointments just so they could continue discussing the Bible with the doctor. He never advertised his business.

Instead he prayed that God would send people who needed to know His love.

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A BOAT AND A D REAM Backgr oun d©iS t ockph ot o.com/Hect or J os eph L uman g

August 1 | Aquino Bastos, Jr.

[Ask a young man to present this first-person report.]

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y name is Aquino [ah-KEE-noh].

I was born on the Amazon River.

Like most people living along the river, our family was poor in material goods.

But I remember my father telling us children stories about Leo and Jessie Halliwell, the pioneer missionaries who sailed the Amazon River, bringing medical care and hope to the people living along the river. Then one day I saw the Halliwell’s boat, the Luzeiro [loo-ZEH-roh], which means “light bearer.” These boats, for there were several over the years, had brought the Adventist faith to my family. The work done from these boats had changed my family’s lives. That day as I looked at that boat, a dream was born in my heart to become a pastor and share God’s love with others, just as the missionaries had done for us.

Dream Worth Working For As I grew, so did my desire to work for God. But dreams, no matter how closely held, must face reality. My parents had 14 eight children. They couldn’t afford to

send us to Adventist schools. And the nearest Adventist secondary school was three days’ journey by boat from our home. But I refused to let my dream die.

At last I had convinced my parents to let me go to the Adventist high school.

They said goodbye with tears, for they had no idea when they would see me again, and I traveled to the high school.

I worked my way through the school and graduated with a diploma that would allow me to teach lower primary school. A pastor had told me that this course should help me to earn the money I would need to continue my education.

But with the joy of graduation came the next challenge. The nearest college was 2,000 miles [3,200 kilometers] away from home, far to the south in Brazil. The school served thousands of Adventists from all over Brazil, and I couldn’t get a position in the college that year. And I didn’t have the money to go back home.

I prayed a lot during those difficult days because I knew that God had

MISSION POST ¾ One in 58 people living in the northern Brazil region is a Seventhday Adventist. The church in the North Brazil Union has more than 351,000 members. It operates a radio station, two modern hospitals, and 58 primary and secondary schools that educate 21,000 students. Yet the region has no university-level institution to train these young people for service to God. Students wishing to continue their studies beyond secondary school had to travel as much as 5,000 miles to study at another Adventist institution in Brazil. ¾ Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help open the Amazon Adventist College, which will serve Christian young people in northern Brazil.

Dreams Come True My story’s not unusual. Too many young people from northern Brazil who have wanted to study in order to serve God and the church have been unable to do so because there has been no Adventist college or university near enough to attend.

But that is about to change. The North Brazil Union, which directs the work in the Amazon region of Brazil, has begun building a college in Belém, a large city at the mouth of the Amazon River on the Atlantic Ocean. Amazon Adventist College opened its doors to teach theology to students this year, and in the coming years it will add other needed courses that will prepare students for a future of service to God. You can share in the success of the work in northern Brazil, for part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help complete construction on the first phase of this college.

My dream to serve God as a pastor started with a visit of the mission boat when I was a boy. Today I work to inspire Adventist young people to follow God’s dream for their lives, a dream of service to God and to humanity. God is faithful. Thank you for your support to see this dream through to completion. à

BELÉM, BRAZIL

tuition and fees. After four more years of struggle and study, and after many more years of living far from my family, I graduated from college as a minister of the Lord. At last my dream of becoming a pastor came true. My family felt pride in my accomplishments, but I felt only gratitude to God for what He was doing in my life.

www.AdventistMission.org

called me to prepare for the ministry.

I had to wait on Him and trust Him to work it out. Then I learned that the union needed volunteer teachers for Adventist schools. I knew that I qualified since I had taken the education diploma in high school, so I signed up to teach. I was accepted.

That first year I taught as a volunteer.

Later I was asked to stay on as a paid teacher, and I agreed. Believe me; I saved every coin I could so I would be able to pay my tuition when I could study again.

Finally, after teaching for three years, I had the money to go to college.

This time when I applied to study at the Adventist college, I was accepted. I sold Adventist literature to help pay my

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L IGHT IN THE JUNGLE August 15 | Juan Saant

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he teenager stepped off the bus and looked around. He had never seen such tall buildings and busy streets. He had no time to gaze at the scene, for he was on a mission. But where should he go? He prayed, “God, direct me to the people who keep Your Sabbath.” Then he started walking.

He passed busy shops and dodged cars in the streets. He stopped in front of a theater and watched as people entered.

He followed them inside, though he didn’t know what he would find. Someone welcomed him to the large hall filling with people. He sat down and waited.

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Juan’s Long Journey Juan lives in a small village in the jungle of southeastern Ecuador. His people knew little about God. Juan had attended high school in another town.

He’d received a New Testament and read it eagerly. He’d discovered truths about God that fed a hunger in his heart. Juan had asked God to teach him how to follow Jesus.

Juan had walked to another town to buy some supplies. There he’d found a tattered book and began reading it. The book had confirmed what Juan had been

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reading in his Bible. He’d yearned to find the church that keeps the Sabbath it spoke about.

Juan had to find these people! At age 19 he’d set out on a three-day hike through the jungle to the nearest town to find Sabbathkeepers. But no one knew of Sabbathkeepers there. “Go to Ambato” [ahm-BAH-toh], someone had said. So Juan had spent his few dollars on a bus ticket to Ambato. He’d arrived late in the afternoon and started walking in search of God’s people. Then he had found the theater.

Finding God’s People A man started to speak, and Juan listened with growing excitement as the man talked about the Sabbath and other truths Juan had found in his Bible. God had guided Juan’s footsteps from his jungle home to this theater so he could find the people who kept His commandments!

After the meeting Juan found a pastor and told him, “I want to be baptized!”

The surprised pastor asked to meet with Juan the next day. A lay member offered Juan a place to stay, and the pastor visited him the next morning. As the pastor quizzed Juan, he realized that

First Fruits of Faith The pastor taught several classes a day on health, marriage and family life,

FAST FACTS ¾ Ecuador lies along the Pacific coast of South America and on the equator, from which it gets its name. ¾ The national language of Ecuador is Spanish. About 80 percent of the people in Ecuador descend from the native peoples and people of mixed native and European ancestry.

A Growing Church Four years have passed, and today more than 135 people in Juan’s jungle home have given their lives to God and been baptized into the Adventist Church. Some of the new believers help Juan spread God’s message to those in other villages who are waiting to hear.

Today, simple chapels stand in several of these villages.

Juan thanks God for leading him to the Adventist Church and helping him share the gospel message with others.

Your mission offerings help support Juan as he works among the indigenous people of southeastern Ecuador. à

ECUADOR

A God to Share Juan was eager to return home to share his new faith. He told his villagers, “We have a God who loves us and wants to meet with us on His Sabbath. He has many things to teach us.”

At first few people listened to Juan’s message. But as Juan shared his faith over the next four months, little by little some people began to accept what he was telling them.

Juan needed help to teach the people, so he made the long journey to Ambato to invite the pastor to visit his village and help teach the people. The pastor agreed to go, and the two men flew to an airport in the rain forest. There they met some villagers who helped carry their equipment to the village. The trek took a day and a half in oppressive heat through mosquito-infested jungles and across several rivers.

and Bible truths such as the Sabbath.

Juan had already taught the people these truths, so by the end of the week 15 people were ready to be baptized.

Many men accepted the Bible teachings but couldn’t be baptized because they had two wives.

After the pastor returned to Ambato, Juan continued sharing God’s word in surrounding villages. Five months later the pastor returned to teach for another week and to baptize 18 more people, most of whom were men who had given up their second wives.

Another pastor visited Juan’s village and realized that nearly everyone attended Sabbath worship services. The villagers had built a simple church of thatch and wood that was filled with worshippers on Sabbath.

ADRA sponsored a six-month literacy program to teach the people to read so they could read the Bible for themselves. Members of the Ambato church came and conducted a large health ministry and Vacation Bible School program.

www.AdventistMission.org

the boy knew God’s Word and agreed to baptize him that Sabbath. Juan had never been inside an Adventist church until the day he was baptized.

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THE REBEL Backgr oun d©iS t ockph ot o.com/S imon Gur n ey

August 22 | Marcos Campoverde

[Ask a teen boy or young man to present this first-person report.]

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am Marcos from Ecuador. I grew up in a very conservative family and believed that Seventh-day Adventists are too worldly. We believed that the 144,000 is a literal number, and that we must follow strict health principles and dress codes to be saved.

My family is fervent in these beliefs, and so was I. When I was 15 I set out to “rescue” Seventh-day Adventists from their fallen ways. In one year I convinced 10 Seventh-day Adventists to join our movement. I was sure that I was doing God’s will.

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Deeper Study I wanted to study the Bible more deeply, but we had no seminary, so I studied on my own. However, as I dug into the Scriptures and the Spirit of Prophecy, I discovered some things that disturbed me.

Acts 2:21 says: “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (NIV). Surely more than 144,000 people have called on the name of the Lord, I reasoned. How can they all be saved?

John saw “a great multitude that no one

could count” (Revelation 7:9, NIV) Surely this was more than 144,000, I thought. Perplexed, I asked my pastor to explain this seeming contradiction. But his answers disappointed me.

I had other questions, but again, the answers disappointed me. “You are having Adventist thoughts,” one church leader said.

Turning Point People in my church began calling me an “apostate.” Some warned me that I would be lost forever if I didn’t change my ideas. I loved my church, but I knew that I had to follow whatever the Bible taught.

I had to know the truth. So I visited the local Seventh-day Adventist mission and asked the president the same questions I had asked my church leaders.

This man took the time to answer my questions. He was not defensive, but opened the Bible and read it. Then he kindly explained that Seventhday Adventists follow the Bible and believe that Ellen White was inspired.

Most important, he made sure that I

MISSION POST ¾ Just over 71,000 in Ecuador are Seventh-day Adventists. That’s one Adventist for every 190 people. ¾ In the past when Adventist young people wanted to receive an education for service to God and the church, they had to travel outside Ecuador to get it. Recently the government granted the church authority to extend its secondary school to include college-level classes. The new school is called Ecuador Adventist Technical Institute. Already the first classes of students are studying there in preparation for the ministry.

Rescuing the “Rescued” One Sabbath I preached in an Adventist church near the campus.

After church a man asked if I was the same Marcos who used to be a member of my former church. I nodded. “You led me out of the Adventist Church,” he said. “But now I’m back. This is the right place to be.”

I told this man that I had just discovered God’s precious truths for myself, and I agreed with him. His comments made me want to find the other people whom I had convinced to join my former church and tell them that I was wrong.

My family is still disappointed with my decision to become an Adventist, but we have a good relationship. I pray that God will lead them to love the truth of salvation by grace alone, even as I do.

Adventist youth in Ecuador need your help. The Adventist seminary is part of a new Adventist college that has been established on the campus of the Adventist secondary school in Ecuador. In order to be accredited by the government, many of the buildings on campus must be renovated to meet government standards. Part of your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter will help make the improvements necessary to continue operating this school. Thank you for giving us a chance to study for God’s service in Ecuador. à

ECUADOR

Joining the Enemy I returned home and prayed for guidance as I began reading. I thought long and hard about what I was reading.

Soon I knew what I had to do. If I would follow the teachings of the Bible only, I must join the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the church that I had always believed was the enemy.

My parents were deeply disappointed in my decision, but I had to follow God’s leading. The next Sabbath I attended a Seventh-day Adventist church. There I rejoiced in the freedom that following Jesus was giving me. In time I asked to be baptized. My mother came to my baptism, but while the congregation rejoiced, she cried.

I wanted to study more deeply the beliefs I had come to love, and the pastor suggested that I study at the new Adventist seminary in Ecuador. I began my studies there soon after.

www.AdventistMission.org

understood that salvation is through God’s grace and the sacrifice of Jesus, not through anything we do or don’t do. He gave me a book to read that explained the church’s beliefs and urged me to study it.

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U NEXPECTED FRIENDSHIP August 29 | Dolores Chavez and Maria Parra

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aria is a teenager living in Ecuador. Her mother worked long hours, leaving Maria alone a lot. Maria made friends with the wrong teens and began staying out late and partying.

Eventually she quit school. Sometimes she regretted the direction her life was going, but she didn’t know how to change its course.

One evening Maria came home from work and found her mother and aunt talking. Maria’s aunt is a Seventh-day Adventist, and she often talked to Maria about God. Maria braced herself, but instead her aunt asked a question. “Have you thought about returning to school?”

Maria nodded, and her aunt smiled.

“There’s an Adventist boarding school that lets students work to pay their tuition. I think you’d like it there.”

Maria’s mother urged the girl to go, and Maria agreed. That weekend Maria went to the school, and the next morning she reported for work as a janitor.

Conversation in the Baptistery “Hello!” a friendly older woman greeted Maria. “I’m Dolores. We’ll be working together. I’ll show you what to do, and we’ll have a good time!” Maria

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nodded. Maria couldn’t help liking this woman who worked so cheerfully. As the two worked, Dolores told Maria stories about her children and the school where Maria now lived.

On Friday Dolores took Maria to clean the church for Sabbath. When Maria saw the baptistery, she was curious. “What’s this? she asked.

“It’s the baptistery,” Dolores said. “It’s where the pastor baptizes people.

“I was baptized when I was a baby,” Maria said thoughtfully.

As they cleaned the church, Dolores explained that Adventists accept Jesus as their Savior then make a public commitment through baptism to follow Him all their lives.

Every day as Maria and Dolores worked together, Dolores talked a bit more about God’s love. Maria tried to ignore her friend’s talk about religion, but she became interested in spite of herself.

Maria began asking questions about the God her friend loved so much.

Dolores’ Confession One day when Maria was discouraged, Dolores told her how she had become discouraged decided that she wouldn’t

MISSION POST ¾ The Ecuador Adventist Technical Institute is providing young Adventists the opportunity to prepare for service to God while remaining within their homeland.

The institute shares classroom and dormitory facilities with the Adventist secondary school in Santo Domingo, Ecuador. ¾ However, in order to be accredited by the government, the church must upgrade the school buildings— in particular the dormitories, dining facilities, and classrooms—to meet government standards. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will renovate these buildings to serve this new school.

ECUADOR

A Change in Maria Maria was moved by Dolores’ story.

The two began studying the Bible together, but when Dolores encouraged Maria to surrender her heart to Christ, the girl resisted. She knew that she still craved tobacco and alcohol and would join her friends partying when she returned home over the school holiday.

But Dolores continued praying for her young friend.

Dolores told the chaplain about Maria, and he encouraged her to step out in faith and surrender her life to Jesus. God would give her a new heart and conquer the habits she couldn’t give up on her own. Maria prayed for strength to give her life to God. Maria knew that her mother had once been an Adventist. When she told her mother she was thinking of giving her heart to Christ, her mother wept— this time tears of joy. When Maria decided to be baptized, her whole family came to support her. They were amazed at the changes they saw in Maria.

Instead of a sullen and disrespectful teenager, they saw a kind and gentle girl. Soon Maria’s mother returned to church and took Maria’s sister with her.

Maria is still at the Adventist high school in Ecuador. “Coming here was the best decision I ever made,” she says.

“I thank God for sending me Dolores, an unexpected friend who introduced me to her Friend, Jesus.”

The high school where Maria studies is being expanded to include university-level classes to meet the growing needs of the church. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help upgrade facilities at the school to meet government standards. Thank you for helping young people such as Maria find Christ and train to serve Him in Ecuador.à

www.AdventistMission.org

attend church anymore. But on Sabbath morning her children refused to go to church without her. Dolores told the children to go to church without her, but the children refused. Dolores walked outside to the street and urged the children down the road toward the church. But whenever she stopped walking, they stopped too. She urged them on until they reached the church.

But they refused to go in without her. At last she went inside with them.

Dolores looked toward the front of the church and saw Jesus standing there with His arms outstretched to her.

She walked toward Jesus, her children following close behind. When she reached the front of the church, she could no longer see Jesus. She sat down and tearfully asked God’s forgiveness for her stubborn attitude.

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JUST LET ME DIE! September 5 | Gustavo Cevallos

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ustavo [goo-STAH-voh] had a difficult childhood. His father was an alcoholic, and his mother struggled to care for her six children. Gustavo hated to see his father drunk, but by the time the boy was in his teens, he had begun drinking as well.

When he was 16, Gustavo left home and found a job. But when he wasn’t working, alcohol and music were his escape from the pain of an unhappy life.

At some point he realized that he sang well. He began taking odd jobs singing in restaurants and bars. It didn’t pay much, but he enjoyed it.

Others noticed the boy’s talent and introduced him to people who let him sing. He became known locally, and soon people were asking him to sing at special events. Gustavo hoped that he could make something of himself and perhaps become rich. But even as he gained fame, he felt lost and alone.

He drank more, and he spent his time writing and singing songs that were filled with despair.

Just Let Me Die! In quiet moments he sometimes wondered how he could have everything

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he had dreamed of and still feel so empty. His life spiraled downward, and he began to wish he could die.

Then one day Gustavo found an open church and went inside. He knelt and prayed, “Jesus, I don’t want this life. I don’t want to be who I am. And I don’t want to live. Just let me die!” But God didn’t answer Gustavo’s prayer, didn’t let him die. Disappointed, Gustavo left the church.

Later that week for reasons he can’t explain, he decided to enroll in evening classes to complete his high school diploma. There he noticed a classmate, a young woman, who seemed different.

She seemed to have a calm and peaceful air about her. Gustavo watched her for some time, then he asked her what made her so peaceful. The young woman told him that he could have peace in his life too.

She introduced Gustavo to a friend named Sarita [sah-REE-tah]. Sarita had that same peace and calmness in her life. The two young people talked a lot together and became friends. One day Sarita invited Gustavo to her home for dinner. As they sat down at the table, Gustavo picked up his fork to begin

MISSION POST ¾ Ecuador lies on the equator, from which it derives its name. The tropical climate associated with the equator is found along the Pacific coast and along the eastern foothills of the mountains that dominate Ecuador’s geography. The higher elevations in the heart of the country enjoy a more moderate climate. ¾ Some 71,000 Seventh-day Adventists live in Ecuador. That is about one Adventist for every 190 people.

What More?

“The Lord has blessed me so much,” Gustavo says. “He rescued me from a dysfunctional childhood and snatched me from a musical career that nearly destroyed me. Now He is preparing me to serve Him as a minister. What more could I want?”

God had the answer to that question.

Gustavo had shared his faith with his parents and was delighted to learn that they had reunited the family. His father stopped drinking and began attending church. In time he was baptized, and today he works as a literature evangelist.

Gustavo’s mother also has accepted Jesus as her Savior. Soon she will be baptized, and his brothers and sisters are learning to follow Christ as well.

Many more Adventist young people in Ecuador are finding their joy in serving Christ, just as Gustavo and Sarita are doing. And now that the church has established its college to train them, many can prepare for fulltime Christian service without having to leave their homeland.

Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help build up the campus of the new Adventist college so that more students can study there.

Thank you for sharing so that others may serve. à

ECUADOR

A New Life Gustavo liked Sarita, and he wanted to change his life to become good enough for her. He didn’t yet realize that the only One who could really change him was Jesus. Sarita’s father spoke to Gustavo about God and offered to study the Bible with him. Gustavo accepted, and soon his new friend led him to accept Jesus as his Savior.

Gustavo gave up alcohol. And when he learned about the Sabbath, he gave up his musical career as well. In a few months he was baptized, and soon after, he and Sarita became engaged.

Gustavo realized why God had apparently not answered his prayer to die. God had something better for him. But Gustavo wondered what God wanted him to do with his life now that he was a Christian. The church members invited him to teach

a Sabbath School class. Gustavo discovered that he loved teaching the Bible, even though he knew so little.

Then he learned about the new Adventist seminary that was being established in Ecuador. With just $20 in his pocket, Gustavo and Sarita went to the school and Gustavo began studying for the ministry.

www.AdventistMission.org

eating when Sarita’s father invited the family to bow their heads to pray.

Gustavo had never prayed before a meal before, but it felt good.

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T HE C HAIN OF FAITH Backgr oun d©iS t ockph ot o.com/S imon Gur n ey

September 12 | Carlos Espinosa

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dward was unhappy. He and his wife fought often, and Edward feared that their marriage would end in divorce. But Edward wanted to work out their problems and give their marriage another chance. But how?

When Edward’s wife’s family learned that the family was having difficulties, they advised the couple to find a pastor and get counseling. Edward’s wife found an Adventist pastor to help them work through their problems.

Adding a Link One day Edward noticed that Carlos, the police chief, looked troubled.

“What’s wrong?” Edward asked.

Carlos looked at his friend. “I have almost everything I could want, but I’m not happy. My wife wants a divorce, and my older son is giving us so many problems.”

Linking a Family to Jesus “If you want a happy marriage,” the pastor said, “invite Jesus into your home. God invented marriage. He knows how to strengthen your marriage.

Invite Jesus into your life, experience His love, and raise your children to know Him.” The pastor urged the couple to read the Bible and pray every day—together.

As Edward and his wife began praying and reading the Bible together, they found strength in God’s promises. They began attending church and made new friends there. In time, the couple was baptized. Edward rejoiced to have his family united.

¾ The Spanish first landed on the coast of Ecuador in 1526. By 1534 they had conquered the Incas, who up till that time had dominated the land. Along with the Spanish language, the conquerors brought their Catholic faith.

MISSION POST

¾ Today some 96 percent of the people living in Ecuador follow the Catholic religion. Only about 2 percent claim to be Protestant Christians, and just over 71,000 are Seventh-day Adventists. That’s one Adventist for every 190 people. ¾ Pray that the Adventist believers in Ecuador will openly share their faith with others, so that God’s message can flood the land.

A New Life, a New Link Carlos and Marlene invited their son to attend church with the family. To their surprise, Juan agreed to go. Juan liked the young people at church and began spending more time with them.

Juan felt God’s Spirit in his life. One day he prayed, “God, please change me.

Make me a different person.” Juan found that living a Christian life wasn’t easy, and it was especially difficult to give up smoking. But he tried and he prayed.

Then, at a youth retreat to the beach, Juan heard God speak to him. “You’re mine,” God said. “Follow me.” Juan surrendered his heart to God. He found the pastor and asked him to baptize him.

Juan’s parents were amazed at the change in their son who now threw his energy into working for others. Soon he was directing the Pathfinder Club.

Juan finished high school and told his parents that he felt God calling him to be a pastor. He enrolled in the school of theology that was just being established in Ecuador. He is eager to finish his studies and work to forge new links between sinful humans and the Lord.

Our mission offerings help strengthen the chain of faith that binds one believer to another and all believers to God. Our offerings provide materials and programs to forge these new links with Christ. Thank you for strengthening the chain of faith around the world. à 25

ECUADOR

The Chain Grows Carlos and Marlene found the spiritual base on which to rebuild their marriage. They began attending church and eventually were baptized. They continued studying the Bible as a family at home. But still they had problems.

Juan, their eldest son, was a rebellious teenager who didn’t respect his parents.

He had joined a rock musical group that led him to drinking, smoking, and drugs.

One day Carlos found marijuana in his son’s room. I’m the chief of police, he thought. How can my own son break the law like this? Carlos tried to talk to Juan, but the boy wouldn’t listen. Carlos and Marlene talked to the pastor about their

son’s problems and their hopes that he would surrender his life to Christ.

“What can we do, Pastor?” they pleaded.

The pastor said that Juan’s problems with the family had started years earlier and would require time and mutual respect to heal.

www.AdventistMission.org

Edward listened to Carlos, and then he offered some advice, “When my wife and I were having problems a pastor urged us to make God first in our lives.

We did, and it works. Jesus has changed our lives and saved our family. God can do that for your family too. Come to our church and meet our pastor. It will make a difference in your family too.”

Carlos was willing to try anything to have a happy family again. He invited Edward to bring his pastor to visit in their home. The men came and talked with Carlos and his wife, Marlene. The couple agreed to study the Bible with Edward, and the friends began exploring God’s Word together.

Edward invited Carlos and Marlene to some evangelistic meetings being held in the city. After the first meeting Carlos said, “It seemed that the pastor was talking directly to me tonight. And when he invited those who wanted to accept Jesus to stand up, I couldn’t stay in my seat any longer. I walked forward, crying like a child.”

E C U A D O R

NOW I SEE September 19 | Edwin Baquero Aguirre

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[Ask a man to present this first-person report.]

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y name is Edwin, and I live in Quito, Ecuador. Once I thought I had everything—my own business, a wonderful wife, and three beautiful children who were making something of their lives. Then I lost it all.

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“You’re Going Blind” One day I noticed that things looked blurry. I went to the doctor thinking that I needed new glasses. But instead of a new prescription, he told me I was losing my sight. Stunned, I went to see another doctor and another. But they all told me the same thing: I was going blind.

I became depressed. I snapped at my wife and ignored my children or yelled at them. I was so angry and hurt that I couldn’t control my emotions. I knew I was hurting my family, and that made me feel even worse.

I had always taken care of my family; I was strong and self-sufficient. But as my eyesight grew weaker, I grew desperate.

One day after a particularly heated argument with my wife, I told her to leave me. She refused, but a few

days later my daughter came to me and tearfully told me that they were moving out. Everyone cried. I knew it was my fault; I was driving them away.

But I let them go because I wanted them to be at peace, even while my heart was in turmoil.

A Ray of Hope Suddenly they were gone. The silence mocked me. I reached over and turned on the radio, desperate to find something that would take my mind off my troubles. A kind and gentle voice penetrated the darkness of my life, and I stopped turning the dial. “God loves you; Jesus wants to be your Savior.

Come as you are. Jesus will accept you.”

The man’s words touched me, and tears filled my eyes. We had never been a religious family. I had always thought that I could take care of anything that came my way. But in the loneliness of that bleak evening, I clung to the hope the speaker’s words held.

At the end of the program, the speaker invited listeners to call a telephone

MISSION POST ¾ Radio is an important means of communication in Ecuador. It can travel to the most isolated regions of this mountainous land. The Adventist Church has several radio stations in Ecuador that are called Radio Nuevo Tiempo. ¾ Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help improve the broadcast capabilities of these radio stations and link them into a more effective network, so that programs can be produced at a central location for use throughout the country. ¾ Pray that God will bless these radio stations, which offer counseling to listeners, Bible studies, and other faithbuilding services.

Answered Prayer Then one day the telephone rang. I heard my wife’s voice on the other end.

I nearly cried with happiness. I told her how my life had changed, that I had become a Christian. She was genuinely happy for me.

She and the family now visit me regularly, and soon, I hope, we will be a close family again.

My physical eyesight continues to deteriorate, but God has healed my spirit. Even as I am going blind, God has shown me His wonderful light. I want to share that light with my dear family and with others who hear my story.

I thank God every day for Radio Nuevo Tiempo and the messages of hope that the station beams throughout Quito and Ecuador.

This quarter part of your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help strengthen the work of Radio Nuevo Tiempo and enable the station to bring the message of hope in Jesus to even more people, people who need the light of God’s love. à 27

ECUADOR

New Hope in Christ We explored the Bible together, and I discovered God’s incredible love for me. I realized that it had been there all my life, I just hadn’t seen it. I learned to pray and gave my problems to God. My eyesight grew worse, and I could no longer see to work or even read. I had plenty of time to think about my life. The Christian radio station—Radio Novo Tempo (“new life”) became my

companion. I knew that I needed God to change my life if I ever hoped to get my family back.

I asked my Adventist friends to take me to church, and there I found a welcoming family. I listen to the Bible on CD and continue to listen to Radio Nuevo Tiempo for hope and inspiration.

Hearing God’s word read and spoken continues to brighten even my darkest days. A few months ago I was baptized.

I had no idea where my family was.

I began praying for them and asked my new Adventist friends to pray for them as well. I wanted to share with them what God was doing in my life.

www.AdventistMission.org

number and ask for Bible studies. I called and spoke to another pastor. I told him my story, and he promised to send someone to my house to share God’s Word with me. Two men came. As they talked, I felt a light of hope in my darkened world. As they prayed for me, God’s peace flooded my heart. I felt calm for the first time in months.

THIRTEENTH SABBATH P ROGRAM O

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See below

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PROGRAM OFFERING C

“Christ for the World,” The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, No. 370

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“Stretching to Serve” Ask kindergarten and primary children to sing one or more of the songs they have learned this quarter as the offering is taken.

“Far and Near the Fields are Teeming,” The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, No. 358.

AY E R

Participants: Narrator and three reporters (or alternate with two presenters).

[Choose participants who will practice their parts and present them clearly. While participants do not have to memorize their parts, they should be familiar enough with the content that they can present the material with confidence.]

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Scripture: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” (Isaiah 52:7, NIV).

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Speaker 1: Two fields have been featured this quarter in the mission reports we’ve heard. The North Brazil Union covers much of the Amazon River basin. In this region of 20.7 million people 351,000 are Seventh-day Adventists, a ratio of one Adventist for every 58 people.

The work in the region began in 1927. Shortly thereafter, missionaries

Leo and Jessie Halliwell began their work, providing medical care and sharing God’s love with the people of the Amazon River region from their boat, the Luzeiro, which means “light bearer.” The fruits of their work still shine in this region.

But the young people living in this region have faced difficult times as they’ve sought to obtain university-level

Speaker 2: The other region featured this quarter is Ecuador, on the western coast of South America. With more than 71,000 members, Seventh-day Adventists represent one person in every 190. The challenge is great in this country. But two special projects will help spread the gospel in this country.

In the past Adventist young people who wanted a Christian education beyond high school had to travel outside the country. The cost and the difficulties involved made it impossible for some to study. But in 2006 the government of Ecuador authorized the church to expand its secondary school in Santo Domingo to include college-level courses in theology, health, and business.

Already students are studying collegelevel courses on the high school campus. However, the school facilities must be upgraded to meet government standards for a university. The work has

begun, but the church in Ecuador needs our help. Part of today’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help remodel the dormitories and dining facilities and improve classrooms and equipment to meet the government’s requirements.

Please help make this much-needed school a possibility for the young people of Ecuador.

Speaker 3: The second project in Ecuador will help expand the work of Radio Nuevo Tiempo, the Adventist radio stations in Ecuador. Currently there are four stations in major cities of the country, but they are not networked and require a lot of independent monitoring. By networking these stations, they all can improve their programming while reducing their production costs.

The impact of these radio stations will be known only in eternity. But the following testimony will help you understand how these radio stations change lives for Christ.

Speaker 4: Mariana was a Christian, but she began doubting that God loved her. The battle waged in her heart for some time, and Mariana became depressed. One day she bought some beer and planned to listen to music while she got drunk.

She turned on the radio to discover that it wasn’t tuned to her favorite music station. But before she could change the station, the speaker’s words caught her attention. He talked about how much God loves us. She forgot her beer and listened intently to the message. It seemed that the words were meant just for her. At the end the speaker invited listeners to call and talk

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education to serve the church. They had to compete for spaces in Adventist colleges thousands of miles from their homes, and many were disappointed when they couldn’t get the Christian education they craved.

At last, through much prayer and sacrifice, the Amazon Adventist University has opened near the city of Belém on the Amazon River. The university will offer courses in theology, education, business, and other fields to prepare young people for service to God. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help complete the first phase of this university campus, which has begun admitting students.

This university will be instrumental in speeding the work in the Amazon region in preparation for the return of Christ.

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with a counselor.

Mariana picked up the phone to call the station. God, she prayed, if You really love me, show me. A man answered the phone and listened as Mariana shared her doubts. He asked her to allow someone to visit her, and she agreed.

When she hung up the phone, she knew that God really loved her.

She saw the bottle of beer still standing on her cupboard and poured it down the sink. Then she went to bed with her heart singing, God loves me!

God loves me! The next day she told her husband, “Don’t touch the radio dial.

It’s set right where I want it.”

A few days later a woman visited her house and brought her the Bible studies she had requested. She and her husband studied them together, and soon Mariana visited the church. She was sure she belonged there, for this church taught God’s love in such a beautiful way. She invited her husband to join her, and today they are both active members of the Adventist church in Quito.

ADVENTIST MISSION South American Division

Speaker 3: The radio station Mariana had found was Radio Nuevo Tiempo. It changed her life as it is changing lives across Ecuador. About 1,000 people in Ecuador are studying the Bible as

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Three years ago, part of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering helped to build chapels in northern Argentina and eastern Brazil. The believers who worship in these chapels say a hearty "Thank You!" For pictures of more chapels, visit www.AdventistMission.org.

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a result of the ministry of these radio stations, and last year 150 people were baptized into the Adventist Church who traced their first contact with the church to Radio Nuevo Tiempo.

Part of today’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will strengthen the outreach of this radio station so that more people can find the peace and joy that Jesus brings.

Speaker 2: These three projects will make a tremendous impact on the fields where they are located. But to help make them a reality will require stretching. We must stretch our faith and stretch our giving to help the people of South America reach all those who need to know God’s love before Jesus can come.

Our offering today will make a big difference as it empowers the youth of northern Brazil and Ecuador. And the offering will expand the reach of Radio Nuevo Tiempo so that thousands will hear the gospel of Jesus and reach out to Christ.

What does Jesus want you to do today? I challenge you to stretch your faith and stretch out your hands a little farther to help those who work for Christ in South America.

[Offering]

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For more information on the culture and history of South America, and Ecuador and Brazil in particular, see the travel section of a local library. Visit a travel agency for brochures featuring photos of these countries.

Online Information. The Adventist Mission website contains additional material that can add flavor to your mission presentation. Find words and songs in Spanish and Portuguese, recipes from Ecuador and Brazil, puzzles, crafts, and other activities of interest to adults as well as children. Go to www.AdventistMission.com; click on “Resources” and on “Mission Quarterlies” in the drop-down menu. Click on “Children’s Activities.”

Adventist Mission DVD is a free video that features stories from the featured countries as well as the worldwide mission of the church. Ask your Sabbath School superintendent for it. Or go online at MissionDVD.org to download a segment from the DVD. Embassies and Tourism Offices sometimes can provide interesting information on their country. In North America, contact: The Embassy of Brazil, 3009 Whitehaven St., NW, Washington, DC 20008. Phone: (202) 238-2805; e-mail: consular@brasilemb.org; website: www.brasilemb.org. The website contains cultural and tourism information.

The Embassy of Ecuador, 2535 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009. Phone: (202) 234-7200; e-mail: embassy@ecuador.org.

An offering goal device will help focus attention on world missions and increase weekly mission giving. Ask your Sabbath School council to set a quarterly mission offering goal; then chart the weekly progress toward the quarter’s goal on the goal device.

Draw an outline of a school building or radio transmitter.

Divide it into sections, each representing one thirteenth of the Sabbath School’s offering goal for the quarter. Each week color in the section as the classes reach their goal.

Remind members that the ongoing work of the world church depends on the weekly Sabbath School mission offerings that support world mission in general. On the twelfth Sabbath, report on mission giving during the quarter. Then on Thirteenth Sabbath, encourage people to double or triple their mission giving.

Count the offering and record the amount at the end of Sabbath School. This immediate feedback will encourage members to continue their mission giving.

FUTURE THIRTEENTH SABBATH PROJECTS Next quarter the South Pacific Division will be featured.

Special projects include Fulton College and picture charts for children in the islands of the South Pacific.

First quarter 2010 will feature the East-Central Africa Division.

MISSION ADVENTIST

THIRD QUARTER 2009 SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION EDITORIAL Charlotte Ishkanian Deena Bartel-Wagner Hans Olson Emily Harding

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Editor Contributing Editor Managing Editor Graphic Designer

ADVENTIST MISSION

Gary Krause Ganoune Diop Rick Kajiura Nancy Kyte Marti Schneider Homer Trecartin

Director Study Centers Director Communication Director Marketing Director Programs Director Planning Director

COMMUNICATION STAFF Laurie Falvo Charlotte Ishkanian Hans Olson Daniel Weber Andrew King

Projects Manager Mission Editor Projects Manager Video Producer Video Producer

Website: www.AdventistMission.org Mission (ISSN 0190-4108) is produced and copyrighted © 2009 by the Office of Adventist Mission, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists®,12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904, U.S.A. Printed in U.S.A. Volume 98, Number 3 ADVENTIST® and SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST® are the registered trademarks of the General Conference of Seventhday Adventists®.

Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Permission is granted to reproduce material from this quarterly for use in local Sabbath Schools and children’s ministries programs. Permission to reproduce any portion of this material for sale, publication in another periodical, or other commercial use must be authorized in writing by the editor at the above address.

For subscription inquiries, e-mail Julie Haines at jhaines@rhpa.org or call 800-456-3991 or 1-301-393-3280. Annual subscription rates per edition: domestic, US$7.50; international, US$14.50.

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South American Division

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2

3

UNIONS

CHURCHES

MEMBERS

POPULATION*

Austral Union Conference 578 Bolivia Union Mission 278 Central Brazil Union Conference 908 Chile Union Mission 555 East Brazil Union Conference 971 Ecuador Union Mission 149 North Brazil Union Mission 1,608 North Peru Union Mission 936 Northeast Brazil Union Mission 1,237 South Brazil Union Conference 761 South Peru Union Mission 896 West Central Brazil Union Mission 461

120,875 205,950 193,897 123,168 157,870 76,846 313,022 364,541 290,492 158,400 329,392 95,003

48,809,000 9,815,000 43,055,000 16,598,000 37,813,000 13,473,000 20,753,000 13,753,000 44,830,000 28,507,000 14,150,000 14,379,000

Total *2008 figures

9338 2,416,291 305,935,000

PROJECTS 1

Help build the Amazon Adventist College in BelĂŠm, Brazil

2

Upgrade classrooms, dormitories and cafeteria facilities at Ecuador Adventist Technical Institute

3

Expand and upgrade Radio Nuevo Tiempo in Ecuador