(NOT) LOOKING FOR LOVE
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he young man’s photo caught Luisa’s attention. He was handsome, yes, but that wasn’t what struck her most. It was a conviction: This is who I want for you, she felt God say. She glanced at the name beside the photo: “Victor.” Even though she had never met Victor, she believed what God was impressing on her heart.
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For Michael, Jessica was just a friend. They enjoyed getting to know each other as they served as student missionaries, but there was no special attraction between them. However, on a trip where they saw each other for who they truly were, Michael began to see Jessica as more than a friend. Andrew went through the spoken exercises again. Soonim was not impressed. Frustrated, she repeated the sentences, demonstrating correct Korean pronunciation. Admittedly, Andrew focused less on the exercises and more on how much he was starting to like Soonim. Missionaries don’t tend to go into the field looking for love; rather, they go to spread God’s love. But as they work to share the gospel, some missionaries have unexpectedly found their
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special someone who had as much a heart to serve the Lord as they. For Victor Hulbert, Communication and Media director of the Trans-European Division, love wasn’t on his mind when he left his home in England to volunteer with Adventist World Radio in Portugal. In fact, he let everyone know that wasn’t a priority. “When I was leaving England,” Victor says, “I told everyone that I was not interested in finding a girlfriend in Portugal. I told the same thing to my boss.” But then he met Luisa, one of the local young people who attended the Portuguese church Victor started going to. “I confess: I was immediately attracted to her,” he admits. “She was outgoing and vivacious, joyful, and the center of any party.” Luisa, on the other hand, was attracted to Victor even
