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HAND IN HAND WITH GOD
FA L L 2 0 1 3
INSPIRING STORIES FROM OUR MISSION TEAM MEMBERS
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RESOURCES THAT MAKE
A DIFFERENCE!
Each of these items is a real blessing! That’s because your purchases from our selection of books, CDs and DVDs directly support our outreach efforts around the world. Plus these carefully selected resources will touch your heart too! NEW
eREbLEoAoSEk!
Our Wonderful Jesus by J.L. Tucker
Now exclusively available as an ebook, this is a classic favorite from QHM founder Pastor J.L. Tucker. Each chapter leads to a deeper appreciation for what God has done for us. Buy today on Amazon.com and at store.qhministries.org! $0.99
The Quotable Christian Compiled by Helen Hosier
Be inspired by favorite quotes from great Christians including A.W. Tozer, Oswald Chambers, Hannah Whitall Smith, C.S. Lewis and many more. $1.49, plus shipping.
The 3 Angels’ Messages DVD
This unique DVD guides you through an in-depth study of key biblical truths and also explores the early history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It makes Bible prophecy easy to understand and is a great witnessing tool. $7.99, plus shipping.
One Child Marilyn Cotton and family
A perfect album for the holiday season, One Child is a collection of Christmas songs that will warm your heart. This CD features a 21-voice reunion of three generations of the Cotton family. $7.99, plus shipping.
Prayer Made Easy by Mark Water
Learn how to pray more effectively with this easy-tounderstand pocket reference book. Includes seven-page pullout chart of prayers of the Bible. $1.49, plus shipping.
Confessions Jennifer LaMountain
Classic meets contemporary in these brilliant arrangements of hymns and new selections. Hear the richness of a huge orchestra, the swell of brass and the warm, friendly vocal renditions. $7.99, plus shipping.
ORDER TODAY! OFFERS LIMITED TO STOCK ON HAND. TO ORDER, JUST CALL (800) 900-9021 OR VISIT STORE.QHMINISTRIES.ORG
Devotional
RISKING FOR THE GOSPEL
by Bill Tucker
Have you ever taken a risk, a real risk in your life? The apostle Paul took risks. Here’s how he described the results: “Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more! I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. “I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. “I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.” 2 Corinthians 11:24-27 NLT.
to take such risks for Christ? The reality for many of us is that we shy away from discomfort or taking risks. Our ultimate goal has become avoiding loss, pain and anxiety at all costs. In fact, that is a standard of success in the world. How does that line up with becoming an all-in, committed follower of Christ? Whenever you are willing to stand up and be counted on the side of Jesus Christ, you will risk criticism, discomfort, pain and persecution. In my evangelism endeavors at Quiet Hour Ministries there have been a few really risky times, where it’s all in God’s hands. I think of Thiruvannamalai, India, where there were those who wanted to silence our outreach. We were forced to leave the area before completing our evangelistic series. Two couples from our group were even detained by authorities, witnessing mob violence they won’t soon forget. Yet this pales in comparison to what the early Christians went through for the gospel. Again I ask you, what are you willing to risk for the gospel of Christ?
Founder J. L. Tucker, 1895-1989
Executive Editor Bill Tucker
Editor Steve Hamstra
Layout Harding Design
Quiet Hour Ministries President/Speaker Bill Tucker
CEO Randal H. Bates
Echoes is the official publication of The Quiet Hour, Inc., doing business as Quiet Hour Ministries, PO Box 3000, Redlands, California 92373-1500, USA. Subscriptions are $5 per year to United States addresses. International rates vary. For subscription service please call us at 800-900-9021, visit www. qhministries.org, or write to us at the above address. Quiet Hour Ministries is a not-for-profit supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Donations to Quiet Hour Ministries are tax-deductible in the United States. Those in Canada may send their tax-deductible gifts to PO Box 22085, St. Thomas, ON, N5R 6A1, Canada. UNIFORM DISCLOSURE STATEMENT The Quiet Hour is a 501(c) (3) organization, gifts to which are deductible as charitable contributions for Federal income tax purposes. Florida: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALL ING TOLL FREE WITHIN THE STATE, 1-800-435-7352. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. The Quiet Hour’s registration number is CH19265. Maryland: A copy of The Quiet Hour’s current financial statement is available on request to The Quiet Hour, Box 3000, Redlands CA 923731500 - Telephone # 909-793-2588. For the cost of copies and postage, registration documents, and other information are available from the Maryland Secretary of State. Mississippi: The official registration and financial information of The Quiet Hour may be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office by calling 1-888-236-6167. Registration by the Secretary of State does not imply endorsement. Virginia: A financial statement is available from the State Division of Consumer Affairs in the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services upon request. West Virginia: West Virginia residents may obtain a summary of the registration and financial documents from the Secretary of State, State Capitol, Charleston, West Virginia 24305. Registration does not imply endorsement. The Quiet Hour Canada
Bill Tucker is president and speaker of Quiet Hour Ministries.
is a registered charity in Canada. Reg. # 89764 8002 RR0002 Where legally possible offerings will go to these projects; otherwise special arrangements will be made with Quiet Hour
Put your own name in that passage. I ask you, are you willing (800) 900-9021 | www.twitter.com/qhministries
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Ministries for distribution of funds based on the laws of Canada where these funds are collected.
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MAILBAG Prossy from Kampala, Uganda Thank you for the Word of God which touches my heart, especially when my hope is faint. At times I think I am meant to constantly dwell in the dark, always a failure. But the Word of God I have received today from you encourages me for a better tomorrow. Esther from Loma Linda, CA I just want to express my gratitude and admiration to the Quiet Hour. May the Lord continue to bless and sustain your beautiful ministry.
Ruth from Pomona, CA God is so good. He helps me in all my ways. Regards to all and may the Lord bless us more as we work in His field today. Steven from Akron, OH I requested prayer several months ago to be healed from cancer. Praise God today I am healed and cancer free! Thank you for your prayers. Marianna from CA So glad for all missions that Quiet Hour does. Praise God!
Letters may be edited for purposes of clarity and space considerations.
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Through My Eyes
FULL SERVICE
By Karl Haffner
REMEMBER THE OLD-FASHIONED, FULL SERVICE gas stations? Rain or snow, night or day, a uniformed attendant would not only fill the tank (with gas that set you back 25.9 cents a gallon!), but wash the windows and check the oil and tire pressure (and give you some free air if you needed it)! These days you can still get your gas pumped in New Jersey and Oregon—but only because it’s state law. And usually by a shabbily-dressed cranky kid with a face so sour he could suck buttons off a sofa. The only thing he’ll be checking while the gas pumps is his phone for tweets. Yep, full service anything seems to have gone the way of 8-track tapes. Yet in this brave new world of “You-expect-me-todo-what?” shines a ministry that harkens back to an era when full service was in vogue. I’m speaking about Quiet Hour Ministries. Thank God for supporting ministries that are singleminded in their focus—evangelism or medical missions or building churches or supplying Bibles or providing media resources to build up the body of Christ. We need all of them to help fulfill Christ’s commission to reach the world with His
gospel. But Quiet Hour Ministries does all of the above and more! I love the full service mission of the Quiet Hour: Partnering with God in leading people to share His saving grace. And when God is your partner, be prepared to get stretched—around the world! That’s precisely what’s happening. Quiet Hour Ministries is serving the world, full on. From Ecuador to the Philippines to Honduras and beyond, thousands of people have been baptized through our evangelistic campaigns. Thousands more received free medical care through the QHM clinics. Hundreds of Bibles have been distributed in local languages. QHM volunteers keep building chapels, churches and orphanages to provide space for God to work. From providing planes to bicycles to
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motorcycles we are spreading the good news of Jesus to the most remote parts of the world. It’s an ambitious undertaking. To do “full service” anything will always cost more. Ask the fine folk at Reighard’s gas station in Altoona, Pennsylvania. They have been filling tanks and spirits since 1909 when Ford Model T’s owned the road. At this old-fashioned filling station, live pump jockeys greet you with a smile, wash your windows, check the oil and fill your tires. But the five-star service isn’t free. According to Janice Martin, general manager of Martin Oil Co. which owns the station, “Labor cost works out to nine cents a gallon. The margins are not there on gas, but the volume is so great, we get through it.” Similarly, it costs more to offer the wide scope of global ministries provided by QHM. But through God’s faithful blessings and your partnership we will press forward until Jesus comes. By God’s grace, like the apostle Paul, together we will “…become all things to all people so that by all possible means [we] might save some. [We] do all this for the sake of the gospel, that [we] may share in its blessings.” 1 Corinthians 9:22-23, NIV. Karl Haffner is senior pastor of the Kettering Seventh-day Adventist Church in Kettering, Ohio. He’s also been the featured speaker for a number of QHM Ambassadors of Hope events.
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AN UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE
by Steve Hamstra
THOUGHTS FROM ECUADOR AND MY FIRST QHM MISSION TRIP Where to begin? Remembering all the people, experiences, sights and sounds from the Anconcito, Ecuador mission trip is almost overwhelming. Our team came together from all across the United States. Over the next 10 days we’d tackle the full spectrum of projects a Quiet Hour Ministries mission can have— evangelistic meetings at 10 sites, children’s programs, a dental clinic and church construction. As our shared mission story unfolded, it became clear that this was a special group of people. There were three sets of grandparents who’d taken their grandkids on this trip. I can imagine what a special, joyful experience it must have been to work together for the Lord across generations. One grandfather described it as a “passing the torch” moment. I cannot think of a better passion to ECHOES
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share with young people. Then there was the group of Pathfinders from Georgia, who blessed our team and the local people through their wholehearted involvement in every facet of the mission trip. Two of them, Nicholas and Micah, were each leading an evangelistic series and were only 12 years old! Whether they came in a group or on their own, I could see God at work in our 39-member mission team. If God was at work in our mission team, He was really at work among the local people! At my meeting site, a rented community center in a neighborhood called Siete de
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Septiembre, a local church member named Bolivar simply amazed me. He was instrumental in organizing the meetings. Not only that, he was studying the Bible with a family in the area and was bringing them to the meetings as well! Bolivar’s Christian kindness and dedication were a powerful testimony. And at the conclusion of our meetings, the entire family he was studying with asked to be baptized! Then there was the Enriques Gallo Seventh-day Adventist Church, another evangelistic
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Ecuador Evangelism Testimony meeting site. For a church building, a local Adventist family had simply built a concrete slab patio in front of their house. They enclosed it with bamboo walls and put a tin roof over the top. However meager their circumstance, I challenge you to find a church more loving and welcoming than this one. They would raise their arms in praise to God as guests would arrive for the meetings. And then with a huge smile those arms would be wrapped around said guests and into the meeting they’d go. You could feel the Spirit of God in that place and in those precious people, using them and their house church to make an eternal impact. They even opened their house church for our dental clinic one day. As with any QHM mission trip, there were amazing stories of God on the move and lives changed forever. One day I went to work with the dental crew. We showed up at that day’s clinic site and there were no patients waiting (usually there are). The neighborhood was quiet and we wondered if we’d even have much to do. Our translator offered to head out knocking on doors inviting people to come. Dr. Ronnie Hold, the dentist on our team (and also the Georgia Pathfinder group leader), suggested we set up the clinic, have a prayer and go from there. So that’s what we did. No sooner had we said “Amen” than the first group of people arrived to be seen. And the dental chair was never empty all day. In fact we had more people come than could be seen that day! At the Enriques Gallo site, where team member Michkie Simon was preaching, two young
ladies were coming to the meetings who had never studied the Bible before. They were very interested in our messages and would come up to Michkie after the meetings with many questions. By the end of our meetings, both asked to be baptized! There was also a story that really challenged us—that of 11-year-old Lisette. Her neighbor had invited her to our children’s programs and she was coming every night. Lisette loved the programs, the crafts, the other kids—and most importantly, she fell in love with Jesus. One night she said she wanted to be baptized. Her parents were separated. And Lisette’s mother, who lived in another town, strictly forbade her from getting baptized. Yet Lisette’s father, with whom she lived, seemed okay with the baptism. Then suddenly it all changed. Lisette’s mother came to town to make sure she didn’t get baptized. And her father quickly agreed, angrily threatening her even with her life if she chose to go ahead with it. We never saw Lisette at our meetings again. Many, many prayers went up for her from our team. We do know that she’s at home and okay. But her hope of getting baptized has been delayed. God knows the future for Lisette and prayers continue that she will follow Him always. And also that her family too will come to accept Jesus. Perhaps we won’t know until heaven how this story ends. Our final Sabbath in Ecuador saw all of the meeting sites come together for a large final meeting. This was followed by a special baptismal service where 22 people from the various evangelistic meeting sites would make their public commitment to Christ.
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Lisette, an 11-year-old who attended our children’s programs, wanted to be baptized but was forbidden to by her family.
However, we were delighted to see that number rise to 24 as, during the baptism, two more people who’d been weighing decisions stepped forward to give their lives fully to Christ. One of them was a man who’d been studying and thinking about baptism for years. In fact, his family had been praying that he’d surrender to Christ for more than 15 years! I can only imagine what an incredibly special moment it was for them as they saw him step forward and get baptized. In total, 43 people were baptized during this mission trip. And another 200 people requested Bible studies. Our mission trip truly was a life-changing experience—for me, for our team members and for the local people. I pray the Holy Spirit will multiply this experience, using it to build an even greater impact at home and around the world. Steve Hamstra is executive director for marketing at Quiet Hour Ministries.
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PASSIONATE ABOUT
SERVING GOD
A TE AM MEMBER’S EXP ERIE N CE ON OU R BR A ZIL M IS S ION T RIP
by Harley Ribeiro
I HAD HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR this mission trip. My previous mission trip was amazing. And now I was joining a trip organized by Quiet Hour Ministries, whom I’d heard good things about.
sermon. During the day, we’d be working on building a new church. My girlfriend, Zoany and I were preaching together at one of the sites. I was pretty nervous, having never preached before. And I wasn’t a big fan of public speaking in general. But with a lot of prayer, God really calmed my nerves and allowed me to be used by Him. The people at our site were some of the friendliest and most sincere people that I’ve ever met. They did everything they possibly could to make you feel like you were a part of their church family. It didn’t take long for our group to grow close either. After a day we were pretty much our own little family, talking and laughing as if we’d known each other all our lives. We knew it’d be hard to say goodbye and head home. Our team leader’s son had started a construction company in Brazil that makes high-quality bricks out of trash. It was really cool to visit the site where trash was broken down and to see the bricks being made. We even got to make some ourselves! I had an awesome experience seeing firsthand how unwanted rubble was transformed into well-
My expectations were far exceeded. João Pessoa, Brazil, is a city filled with beauty and culture. Its friendly people provided a warm, welcoming home for our mission team. Getting there was a bit of an adventure. Our team was all scheduled to meet up in Miami, then fly together and arrive in Brazil the next day. But because of some flight complications, five of us arrived a day later.
When we finally arrived and were introduced to the rest of the team, I quickly saw that we were surrounded by good-hearted, friendly people who were passionate about serving God. There were five sites around town where evangelistic meetings were being held. The evangelistic meetings included lots of singing, a children’s story, health message and of course a ECHOES
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Author Harley Ribeiro (center) making bricks at the church construction site.
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Brazil Evangelism Testimony had a bigger plan for him on this trip. He had been a smoker for most of his life and chewed tobacco for several years as well. A tragic series of events led him to lose almost everything he had. And it was in that moment of his life that he decided to go church. He accepted Jesus as his Savior and was baptized soon after. He quit smoking and chewing tobacco and has never used either since.
Team member Kenny Linthwaite preaching at a street-side meeting site. Some 16 people were baptized at the end of our meetings!
He gave his powerful testimony during the health talks and told the people about tobacco. That really touched many people’s lives. It was amazing. During our morning worships almost every person gave their inspiring testimony about how they were led to God, or how God provided for them to be a part of the mission team. I’ve never been in such a God-filled environment. As the trip grew to a close, we had to say our goodbyes to the pastors of the local churches and the other friends we’d made. It was sad, but we’re excited to see them all again someday. Before flying home, we went to Manaus, which is the capital of the Amazon region in Brazil. We hopped on a boat and got a tour of the Amazon River. We got to see where the two rivers meet to make up the Amazon and also several villages along the river. It was such an amazing adventure! Overall the Brazil mission trip was one of the greatest experiences of my life. The friends we all made, the lives that were impacted and the good times we shared as a group are absolutely priceless. I can’t wait for my next mission trip!
structured, sturdy places where our brothers and sisters can worship together. The brick-making site was in the middle of one of the poorest parts of João Pessoa. So we brought bags and bags of clothes, stuffed animals and school supplies to distribute to the people there. One particular house we visited had six small children living in it. Their mom had passed away and their dad had to work, sometimes for days at a time, to provide for them. Despite their terrible situation, these children showed a level of happiness and gratitude I’d never seen before. And all we had for them was just a few small things most of us take for granted every day. In fact, everyone in that village had the same overjoyed look in their eyes. That was easily one of the most humbling moments of my life. One of our team members, Kenny, who had come as a construction worker, soon found that God (800) 900-9021 | www.twitter.com/qhministries
Harley Ribeiro was part of our evangelism mission team to João Pessoa, Brazil in June 2013.
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TOGETHER FOR HIS GLORY
by John Youngberg
A REPORT FROM OUR PERU MISSION TRIP the oxygen had left the room, or sleeping with the windows open! Due to tropical storms in Miami, the rest of our mission team arrived a day late and with soaked luggage. But the next day we enjoyed a wonderful Sabbath morning at the house church that has served as the Pomacanchi Adventist Church for the last year. We were meeting in the patio of the house, with a tarp overhead for shade. The service was in Spanish with translation into English and Quechua, a local language. We sang in Quechua and enjoyed it very much. The church members were so kind and caring, we felt very much at home. The next day our team did a health expo. We set up tents in the plaza, which was packed with spectators for “flag day.” So our health expo was very well attended. Sunday evening marked the beginning of our evangelistic series. That first night the attendance was low. But each of the following nights the attendance
THIS PROJECT WASN’T COMING together as planned. We had a small team. The construction site was too small for a standard church. We could staff four evangelistic teams and had one builder (me). But God is not limited by such challenges. David Hernandez, a civil engineer, his wife, and I arrived in Peru a week before the rest of the team. We were met at the Cuzco airport by the mission director of evangelism. Soon we were starting to feel nauseous from the 11,000 foot altitude. At the time I didn’t know that we still had a bus ride that would climb another 2,000 feet to Pomacanchi, our mission-trip site! At the compound where we stayed, nighttime temperatures dropped below freezing. So we were faced with the choice of sleeping with the windows closed and waking up two hours later feeling like all
The baptismal service during our final Sabbath in Pomacanchi.
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Mission team member Dr. Raul Vila seeing patients at the free clinic our team offered.
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Peru Mission Repor t
Our entire Pomacanchi, Peru mission team.
Local people gathering at one of the evangelistic meeting sites.
climbed until the last meeting had lots of people. Those who came to our meetings shared with the speakers that local religious leaders were threatening anyone coming to the meetings, saying they’d cut them off from the free medicines and economic assistance given to older people. Children attending our meetings were threatened with being removed from the local religious school. Wouldn’t it be great if we could build a school in that town and have a small clinic to serve the people who truly want to follow the Lord? It would also be a wonderful witness in the community. On our last Sabbath in Pomacanchi, we brought the four evangelistic meeting sites together at the new church building. By that time we had the floor done, half the trusses up, and the back wall of the church chest high. The local members had hung a large tarp as a temporary roof. During Sabbath school we filled the baptismal tank. And let me tell you, that water was very cold! Three people were being baptized that day. They bravely stepped into the cold water and publicly bore witness of their newfound faith. Another 40 people are preparing for baptism! There were so many people attending the service that we set our concrete forms on blocks to create benches. We even had people standing four rows deep outside! Pomacanchi is an up-and-coming mining district. What’s sad is there are no other Adventist churches in that area. So the church our team helped build is strategically located where it will be an effective witness of biblical truth. That afternoon the mission president took me to visit five villages where there is currently no church but where property is available in the main square of the village. Wouldn’t it be great if we could build (800) 900-9021 | www.twitter.com/qhministries
those churches during a mission trip? I hope that becomes a reality! We also visited a church surrounded by snow covered peaks, where a Quiet Hour Ministries supporter had sponsored a gospel worker to grow that congregation. To our great surprise we were greeted by a church congregation all dressed in their native finest. After a short program expressing their appreciation for the help they’d received—which had doubled their church membership—they asked us to cut the ribbon for a new 150-watt television station which reached their town of 3,000 people! They’d taken a satellite dish provided by the mission up to the mountainside where there are radio antennas for police and public works. Then they made their own antenna tower from rebar and carried it up there as well. And they negotiated with the town mayor to provide the electricity for free! Lastly, they shared how everyone had pitched in to raise the money for the transmitter. Installation had just been finished that week! What an awesome example of what God can do through all of us—mission team members, ministry supporters and local people—working together for His glory. They say that all is well that ends well. Whatever difficulties we had with this project, God did bless abundantly. Not only were we blessing others as we served, but the people that we worked with were such a blessing to us. Their stamina, spirit and commitment to serving the Lord were amazing! We went to help them but returned encouraged by them! John Youngberg was the team leader on our June 2013 mission trip to Pomacanchi, Peru.
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PROJECT UPDATES EVERY DAY THERE IS SOMETHING GOING ON AROUND THE world that’s part of Quiet Hour Ministries’ outreach. Whether it’s church construction, gospel workers giving Bible studies or evangelism teams proclaiming Jesus, there are always projects that are furthering the Lord’s work. And these projects only happen through your generous support. In an effort to keep you up to date on what’s going on in our worldwide outreach, here’s what’s happened in the various areas of our ministry over the last few months: WORLDWIDE EVANGELISM – Evangelistic meetings were held in Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Honduras, Angola, India, Moldova and Botswana. So far this year, more than 15,000 people have been baptized! CHAPELS – Part of the ministry of our mission teams in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador was helping to build new churches. In Brazil, the team even made bricks for the churches too. GOSPEL WORKERS – Bible studies and other outreach by gospel workers were taking place in Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador. At this writing there are currently gospel workers preparing people for our evangelistic meetings in Peru in November. BIBLES – Hundreds of local language Bibles were provided to people baptized through our evangelistic meetings in Brazil, Ecuador and Costa Rica.
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CHILDREN’S OUTREACH – For all of our evangelistic meetings in Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica and Honduras there were special children’s programs. In some places, the kids far outnumbered the adults at our meetings! MUSLIM OUTREACH – Because of your gifts, we were able to continue our support of a Muslim outreach center in Atlanta, Georgia, that’s reaching immigrants from North Africa. MEDICAL CLINICS – Medical, dental and eye clinics were included on our Ecuador, Honduras, Peru and Costa Rica mission trips. Thousands of people received much-needed care at these free clinics.
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PROJECT NEEDS #
2013 GOAL
PROJECT
06019
Worldwide Evangelism N
$267,000
06003
Worldwide chapels
173,250
06009
Gospel Workers
06002
ew goal! So many new openings for outreach!
STILL NEEDED
RAISED
218,996
18% 48,004
75% 129,472 43,778
69,300
107% 74,275
THANK YOU
Bibles
34,650
283% 98,101
THANK YOU
06052
Children’s Outreach
46,140
06012
Muslim Outreach
60,000
06061
Medical Clinics
17,325
68% 29,425 12% 7,470 20% 3,535
16,715 52,530 13,790
YOUR GIFTS CAN BE MADE VIA THE ENCLOSED RESPONSE CARD, BY CALLING (800) 900-9021 OR ONLINE AT WWW.QHMINISTRIES.ORG/GIVENOW (800) 900-9021 | www.twitter.com/qhministries
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REFLECTIONS ON MY FIRST MISSION TRIP
BEYOND MY
EXPECTATIONS
by Melina Combs
ALL OF A SUDDEN, HE FAINTS. THEY USHER everyone out of the room as this man slumps into a chair. The man had several teeth removed in our dental clinic and lost a lot of blood. I had the jitters. Also I felt sad for the many people here who didn’t even have adequate health care. This was all part of our mission trip to Alajulea, Costa Rica. I had been watching mission videos ever since I could remember. After watching them, I would beg God for our whole family to go on a mission trip. I eventually gave up on it as the years passed. Suddenly, my forgotten dream became a reality. We were going to Costa Rica! So we had a yard sale, a tea ECHOES
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and silent auction and also sent out fundraiser letters. It was so exciting! I just knew that the mission trip would be smooth and perfect. It would be a flawless mission experience—”the holy Christians reaching out to the heathens.” Finally the 10 days we prayed, sweated and worked for, were here. Even though it was different from home, the beauty of Costa Rica was obvious. However, when we arrived at
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our lodging I was disappointed, to put it mildly. The facilities left much to be desired. I guess I’m kind of a spoiled American. Seeing my dad dance around when members of the animal kingdom decided to invade our beds was also something I’m not used to. We had traveled 1,244 miles to serve the people—couldn’t we have things a little bit better? “Back in America, we could do an equally holy job too,” I thought, “so why did we have to go to another country to do it?” Well, I wasn’t going back now. So I prepared myself to stay for the adventure. Our efforts were really appreciated by the local people. We had gone out of our way to help in
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Costa Rica Evangelism Repor t
their country. The people realized that and went out of their way for us. If we needed something, they were there. When we went to the cafeteria, our group of 40 people would be asked to go first! Even though it was a sacrifice, the people were sometimes more willing to help us then we were to help them. The whole-hearted giving by the local people encouraged us when we were pushed to our limits. Because we really were pushed there. We woke up by 6 a.m., had breakfast and worship. Then we grabbed our sack lunches and went to the clinics or the construction site. We came back to eat dinner and went to our churches, where we’d preach, present health talks and lead Vacation Bible School (VBS). When we returned each night our group met together and shared the amazing things that had happened that day. The clinics our team held were truly amazing! The community was obviously excited for the care we offered. The people waited hours. One lady came all the way from Panama to be seen in the dental clinic. The eye clinic only had reading
glasses, but the people were so happy that they wore them all the time. Their trust, patience and appreciation pressed us on in service. Over the course of the trip, we were able to see hundreds of people. It was also cool to see my family affected by serving in the mission clinic. One of the greatest things for me was to go to another country and do something new: lead VBS. The first few days it was hard. Yet it soon came to the point where I couldn’t wait to do it each day. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t nervous. But God taught me to see as exciting what at first only made me nervous. I had some great local helpers—one adult, the rest teenagers. The teenagers in Costa Rica were so helpful to me that I felt completely welcome. And one of the best things about leading the VBS was seeing the kids bring their non-Adventist friends! As I walked into my VBS room on the last day, I nearly collapsed. There were twice as many kids there. I struggled to keep my nervous expression under control. I forgot God and suddenly was under immense pressure.
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I proceeded to give what I thought was the most boring VBS story of the week. Things kept failing. But then God told me they weren’t failing. It was how He wanted it to go. I blindly went through it and then it was time for the program. The kids wanted me to see this program, so even though I wanted to take a break, I followed. I was shocked to realize the “program” was for me! They also gave me a gift. Here I thought I was failing. But when I relied on God, it worked out beyond my expectations. It was definitely not a perfect journey. But sometimes it takes challenges to focus on God. We can and should do mission work here in the U.S. However, going out of the country stretches you to take new risks. As our family rode down the street away from our meeting site for the last time, I realized I didn’t save the supposed “heathens.” No, the experiences I had with them brought me closer to God. And I definitely want to go on a mission trip again! Melina Combs was part of our evangelism mission trip to Costa Rica in June 2013.
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BLESSED BEYOND MEASURE
WYOMING ADVENTISTS SHARE GOD’S LOVE IN HONDURAS
by Marirose Force
IT ALL STARTED AT A MEETING OF Wyoming pastors as they brainstormed ideas to keep our youth involved in church growth and aware of God’s leading in their lives. Wyoming has only 650,000 people in the entire state. That’s close to the population of Memphis, Tennessee or El Paso, Texas. Only 950 Seventh-day Adventists call Wyoming home. This means our youth are scattered throughout the state and sometimes struggle with their part in helping spread God’s love. God’s leading brought us first to Quiet Hour Ministries’ evangelism mission trip program and then to the Valley of the Angels in Honduras. As our group of 18 landed in Tegucigalpa, applause broke out. We had learned earlier in the flight that this airstrip is considered by some to be in the top 10 most dangerous. As we landed, I looked out my window and could see the end of the runway and then a steep cliff. Our trip had barely begun and already we were being kept safe by God’s strong hand. Once we reached Valley of the Angels, we connected with the rest of our group. Dr. Chuck Franklin, from Newcastle, Wyoming, had organized a team of 10 to help us with the medical clinics. We also met our QHM team leader, Pastor Darold Retzer. Everyone in our group would prove to be a vital part of our mission.
We quickly fell into a routine of service. Each day the construction team from our group would go to the Adventist Hospital in town to help renovate a few hospital rooms. These rooms will be used for patients who want to make lifestyle changes. The construction teams were supervised by a man named Charlie, a longer-term missionary from New Mexico who was overseeing the construction work. He did an amazing job of helping our students learn carpentry skills. Others from our group would go with Dr. Franklin and his team to work with the clinics. They helped register patients, record symptoms, count medications, give out eye glasses and take the height and weight of the children. The Logan children—Abby, Gideon and Afton—contacted Delta Dental and got 85 pounds of donated toothpaste along with floss and toothbrushes that we hauled down to Honduras. This donation was handed out at the clinics and Vacation Bible School meetings to the children. The medical team would do the actual diagnosis, treatment and prescriptions. The final segment of our group would prepare their sermons for the coming evening. Four teams of two each comprised our “preachers.” Pastor Jason Logan, also from Newcastle, helped our young people prepare their nightly sermons.
Mission team member Dr. Chuck Franklin (right) working in the clinic.
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Our evangelism mission team to Valle de Angeles, Honduras.
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Honduras Mission Testimony Alisha Mechalke, from Casper, Wyoming, thought at first that she wasn’t making any difference in the lives of the people as she preached. She became quite discouraged. With the encouragement of her teammates, tips from Pastor Jason and the power of prayer, she began to really connect with her congregation. By the end of the meetings, she felt she had reached the hearts of her listeners. This was the experience of many of our youth who preached. The preaching was made possible through a group of dedicated interpreters who were committed to help these young people. I’m not sure what we would have done without them! Through QHM, we also provided children’s outreach supplies and felts for each church. Aimee Pooley, from Sheridan, Wyoming, coordinated this effort. One great story was when our medical team headed out to the clinic and found our way blocked by a taxi strike. We soon found ourselves trapped in a sea of small 3-wheeled taxis. Our interpreter tried to reason with them but they said if they let us through, they would have to let everyone through. Our group began to wonder if God wanted us to minister to taxi drivers that day. Everyone sent up prayers for guidance and help. The police arrived. Then the head of the taxi driver union arrived. Again our interpreter talked with them. All at once, God provided a miracle. Like the Red Sea, God parted that sea of taxis and our bus drove through. We gratefully waved and yelled “thank you” to all the drivers. Then the wave of taxis
Team member Alisha Mechalke (right) preaching at her evangelistic meeting site.
fell back into place behind us and no one else was allowed through. On our way home one night, we noticed Antonio had the radio on and it was obviously a sports broadcast. We asked what it was. Antonio told us it was the soccer game between the Honduran and United States national teams. I asked him if he liked to play soccer. He told me he did. I then asked him if he was any good. He replied that he was not supposed to boast and gave us a big grin. He went on to say that at 17 he was asked to play on the Junior National Team for Honduras and later for the National Team. The same team that had been playing the U.S.! The reason he wasn’t playing? He had turned down both offers because of his commitment to his Savior and the Sabbath. The car fell silent as we all contemplated what he had given up. We were all blessed beyond measure during this mission trip. God sustained us through illness, sleep deprivation (think roosters crowing at 3 a.m.) and adjusting to a different country. He gave us strength to help others and through those experiences our faith grew. He provided miracle after miracle in the preparation and delivery of this trip. As we told our stories just a few weeks ago at Wyoming camp meeting, many responded that they would like to be involved in next year’s adventure. We pray we have begun a yearly tradition that will continue until the Lord’s return.
The taxi strike through which God “parted the waters” for our team.
Marirose Force was part of our mission team to Honduras in June 2013.
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IN MEMORY OF...
Quiet Hour Ministries gratefully acknowledges the many gifts given in memory of loved ones to help share God’s saving grace with the world. If you wish to honor a loved one through a memorial gift, please indicate so with your donation and provide the individual’s name. We will be happy to include your gift in a future Echoes magazine. Should you wish to make an anonymous memorial gift, simply note that as well and we will respect your request.
Abbott, Walter Maurice by J. Rita Vital
Cano, Mary by Phoebe Heinz
Frederick, Merle J. by his wife, Ardith
Arceo, Vicente S. by Dorothy Thiers Brown
Carroll, Sandra Pauline by her husband, David
Frederickson, Ray Paul by his sister & brother-in-law, Lorraine & Wallace Fuller
Bates, Harlan by Don & Maxine Rogers Bechthold, Raymond by his sister-in-law, Ferne Davick Bechthold, Mrs. Raymond by her sister, Ferne V. Davick Benge, Marlene by J. Rita Vital Billington, John A. by Philip & Shirley Downing Ralph M. Sherman Ted Utt Arthur & Betty Westphal Billington, John & Edy by Tom & Jeanne Larsen Dorothy Morikone
Carter, James E. by his wife, Lorraine Chambers, April by J. Rita Vital
Gaede, Ida & Menno by their daughter, Mary Jane Nevis
Chambers, Roy & Edith by their daughter, Gwen Hoyt
Gal, Anna by her husband, Troyan
Chance, Janice Marie by Wallace & Geri Dunks
Goodwin, Norman by his wife, JoAnn
Charles, Alice E. by Kenneth & Dolores Dennis
Greer, Raymond & Ruth by Joseph P. Stoia
Christopaul, Dave C. by Joseph & Ruth Louis
Gusso, Wayne C. by his wife, Lillian
Costerisan, Floyd L. by Ruth Sackett Daniels, Susie F. by her daughter, Alyce D. Jones
Bishop, Charles E. by his wife, Brenda
Decker, Donald R. by his sister, Marion Decker Jorden
Bollinger, Wilma by her husband, Delbert
Drury, Lee D. by Herb & Lela Franzman
Bovee, Donald L. by Wallace & Geri Dunks
Durichek, Michael & Freda L. by their daughter & son-in-law, Mavis & Leonard Shockey
Bowser, Edith P. by her granddaughter, Marilyn Springer Brown, Jeffrey James by Jim & Judy Culpepper Norma Jean Dean J. Rita Vital Brown, Kenneth S. by his wife, Marion Browning, Lois by Jean Hildebrand Calvert, Jean B. Meyers by her daughter, Marilyn Springer
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Hall, Lea Daniels by Alyce D. Jones Hamel, Helen M. by Jean Hildebrand Hartbauer, Roy Eldon by Wallace & Geri Dunks Heitzmann, Alvina by her sister, Olga Lang Rodin Herbel, Dwayne by Glen & Louretta Palmer Hoffer, Robert C. by his wife, Jane
Edgmon, Deward T. by his wife, Jean Edwards, Shirley Mae by Lewis & Maye Sommerville, Sr.
Horsley, Margaret Youngberg by J. Rita Vital Hoyt, Dick by his mother, Gwen Hoyt
Finley, James W. by J. Rita Vital Foutch, Jewell & Ruth by their daughter & son-in-law, Gayle & Frank Tyroff
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Hoyt, Irma by her mother-in-law, Gwen Hoyt Hoyt, Warren by his wife, Gwen
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Memorial Gifts Hurley, Gerald by Al Wiggins Hutchinson, Edwin R. by his wife, Marion Hutchinson Brown
Indermuehle, John Lawrence by Wallace & Geri Dunks Isaac, Paul by his wife, Marian
Loved Ones by Joyce L. Nash
McKamie, Joan M. by her husband, Charles Melashenko, Joseph by his son & daughter-in-law, Joedy & Judy Melashenko his son & daughter-in-law, Lonnie & Jeannie Melashenko Myron & Delphia Baybarz Jack & Charlotte Craighton Jim & Judy Culpepper
Nicola, Kathleen (Kay) Plyllis by Lewis & Maye Sommerville, Sr.
Shields, Ruby
Norton, Willard (Bill) F. by his wife, Dorislee
Sieberman, Kathryn L.
by her sister, Wanda Radford
Poppo, Julia by her son, George Poppo
by her daughter, Melody Wheeler
Merritt, Eugene by Wallace & Geri Dunks
Radford, Albert & Mary by their daughter, Wanda Radford
Johnson, Herman by Harold & Lorraine Clark
Meyers, Marcia Ann by her sister, Marilyn Springer
Radford, Dollie by her sister, Wanda Radford
Jones, Owen P. by his wife, Alyce
Meyers, William H. by his daughter, Marilyn Springer
Radford, Pearl by her sister, Wanda Radford
Joseph, Mary June by her husband, Shirwin & son
Mickelsen, Helen by her husband, Lloyd
Renschler, Herb by his wife, Mary Jane Nevis
Miller, Leona by her sister, Olga Lang Rodin
Rich, Leon L. by his wife, Vivienne
Moore, Edmund Wilbur by his wife, Shirley
Rogers, Dallas & Pearl by Don & Maxine Rogers
Morikone, Arnold by David Morikone
Roshak, Orest by J. Rita Vital
Morikone, Jimmy by David Morikone
Rott, Pauline by her daughter, Leta M. Knipper
Morikone, Roy & Eileen by David Morikone Morris, Rodman by Jim & Judy Culpepper
Ruddle, Francis W. by Laurel J. Lewis Ruth L. Rosich Olive White
Mueller, Konrad & Erna by Annemarie Johnson
Ruppert, Bertha by her son, Harold H. Ruppert
Mulske, William (Bill) by his wife, Frances
Rushold, Harry & Irma by their daughter & son-in-law, Udene & Marlin Allen
Latta, Edna by her daughter, Gerri Barfelz Lawton, Russell & Olive by their daughter & son-in-law, Vivian & Mitch Hazekamp Ledington, Ruth by Lloree & Bob Elsworth Vivienne Rich Valerie Robinson Liebelt, Ardy by his sister, Ferne V. Davick Liebelt, Arthur & Marcella by his sister, Ferne Davick
Nanney, Claire Frances by her husband, Gene Nelson, Milan & Carol by Marilyn Springer
Liebelt, Mr. and Mrs. M. J. by their daughter, Ferne V. Davick
Nesbit, Tom & Florence by their daughter, Nancy Davidian
Loomer, Donald & Edna by Al Wiggins
Nevis, Lucinda by her mother, Mary Jane Nevis
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Gayle & Frank Tyroff Smart, Iva
Jenicke, Eldon by his wife, Irene
LaBianca, M. Olav by Wallace & Geri Dunks
by her sister & brother-in-law,
Poppo, Connie by her brother, George Poppo
Melashenko, Joseph & Anne by Charles & Nita Vining
Klam, Norman Wayne by Herb & Lela Franzman
by Frances Mulske Simpkins, Ann E. Foutch
Osborne, Virginia Maxine by her husband, Ellsworth
Janke, Lewis Arthur by his wife, Helena
Keller, Grace by Audrey Bentz
by her sister, Wanda Radford
Smith, Emily
Smith, Forest by Ruth Sackett
Salsa, Clarice Agatha by Wallace & Geri Dunks Schultz, Judy by her cousin, Lillian Gusso Schump, Florence Daniels by her sister, Alyce D. Jones Seymour, David by Paul & Norma Niemi
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Stevens, Barbara Etta by Bonnie Wolfe
Tucker, LaVerne E. by Marilyn Springer
Van Pelt, Leah M. by her niece, Marilyn Springer Venden, Morris L. by Wallace & Geri Dunks Marilyn Springer Vollmer, Delores by her cousin, Mary Jane Nevis
Willis, Ruth B. by Lois L. Scroggins Witzel, Fred L. by Ruth Sackett
York, Suzette by Mike & Lillian Uniat
IN HONOR OF . . .
Thankfulness: Johnson, Cleo & Shirley for our 55th Anniversary Saulsbury, Dave, Judy,& Matthew for their family missionary activities by Al Wiggins
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UN EX P EC TED
A TEAM MEMBER TESTIMONY FROM OUR COLOMBIA MISSION TRIP
by Bonnie Feese
COLOMBIA, MY HEART RACED JUST A BIT AT the thought of it. The only things I’d ever heard about Colombia involved drug cartels and violence. But if Quiet Hour Ministries was planning to send a team there, it must not be too dangerous. Unexpected is the word that defines my experience. The local church had coordinated with local public schools to host our meetings, which were being billed as family and health talks with biblical messages following.
This format presented a challenge. But what started as a challenge changed to a blessing as it added fresh new life to beautiful Bible topics. For example, I enjoyed sharing the gospel as the footprints of God left for His children. That was after a family talk about the legacy or “footprints” parents pass down to their children. Or after a family talk about marriage, sharing a spiritual message of the second coming and Christ choosing us for His bride despite our repeated failures. The Lord also blessed my communicating, as I was presenting Spanish without a translator for much of the time. And that was with no microphone to about 20-25 people each night. The people really engaged with me though. They would read verses off the screen for me and supply pronunciations when I stumbled on difficult words. During the fourth meeting the power was out at our building. So we started the meeting by candlelight. I was glad my computer had a long battery life. But I wanted to use the projector for the Bible message because it was one of the most personalized of all. About 30 seconds from the
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“THEREFORE
GONATIONS. AND MAKE
”
DISCIPLES OF ALL Matthew 28:19.
AMBASSADORS
OF HOPE
2013
As a special thank you for your yearly commitment of $1,200 or more, you’re warmly invited to join us for our Ambassadors of Hope weekends. Come and enjoy uplifting messages and music, frontline mission reports, comfortable accommodations and delicious vegetarian meals. Plus you’ll meet our leadership and other mission-minded friends! LAST WEEKEND FOR 2013! REGISTER TODAY!
October 18-19, 2013 Skamania Lodge Stevenson, Washington
2014 AOH dates and locations coming soon! Check out www.qhministries.org/aoh and our next Echoes for the latest information! For more information or to register, call (800) 900-9021 or visit www.qhministries.org/aoh. (800) 900-9021 | www.twitter.com/qhministries
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end of the health talk, the lights flickered on and I was able to present the Bible message as usual. God always provides exactly what is needed at the right moment! During this trip, the largest blessing I received was definitely from the local church members. As I mentioned previously, I had associated Colombia with negative things like drugs and violence.
But I found the Colombian people to be some of the friendliest and most welcoming people in the world. And I’ve traveled to more than 30 countries! I’m so blessed to have been part of this experience.
Bonnie Feese was part of our June 2013 mission trip to Duitama, Colombia.
HERE’S WHAT OTHER COLOMBIA MISSION TEAM MEMBERS HAD TO SAY! DANIEL WATTS Our group worked well together as a team. We were like a family. While I was expecting to preach a harvest evangelistic series of sermons, it turned out to be more of a sowing series then a reaping one. Despite this, I believe the Lord worked and it was especially great to see a person who had attended my meetings come to the local Adventist church on Sabbath! I had a great translator who worked well with me and the people. And it was so good to see people come forward at the end of the meetings to receive a Bible and Steps to Christ. The Lord blessed and I praise Him for that. This trip motivated me to be more active in ministry, to care more about other people and be less focused on myself. Also to see a different perspective on life, that there’s greater things than making money or worldly success. I want to serve the Lord more fully and live my life for His glory. This is the legacy I take away from this trip. I relied heavily on the Lord for His Holy Spirit and help and it was Him who made this a success. Glory be to God! Hopefully we will see much fruit in the Lord’s kingdom.
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AUDREY HEINLEIN Mission trips are always an adventure. This trip had many moments that tested our faith in God. However, through it all we grew closer to God and in our walk of faith. We had three sites for the evening meetings. I was assigned to the children’s program at the Simon Bolivar School site. We met outside with the children (except for one night when the power went out). My group continued to increase, reaching a high of 23 children of a variety of ages. The Lord gave us the amount of children He knew we could handle and with the accommodations available. I could not have conducted these meetings without my interpreter, Junior Vargas. He was the biggest help with translation and working with the children. Also, a special thanks to the local colporteurs for all they did at the meetings. As the trip came to an end we all realized God had used our group to sow seeds of the gospel in the community. We had planted the seed of God’s love among the local people and opened a door for greatly expanded outreach. This experience was very touching. It really taught like never before the meaning of what Jesus said in Matthew 18:1-5. We must humble ourselves like little children to reach greatness in the kingdom of heaven. I cannot encourage you enough to go on a mission trip and see what God will do in your life!
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WHAT DO YOU DO IN TURBULENT FINANCIAL TIMES? You’re invited to a special presentation—Personal Finance in Turbulent Times— by investment advisors Henk Fischer and Jim Wilson. For nearly 15 years, Henk and Jim have been helping people find the best financial solutions both before and after retirement. They’ll be discussing: What you should really be worrying about (it’s very important and not what you think)
What’s really going on in the U.S. and global economy—and what you need to do in response
Henk Fischer
Jim Wilson
RSVP TODAY FOR THIS FREE EVENT! 6:30 pm, Thursday, November 14 Quiet Hour Ministries, 630 Brookside Ave, Redlands, CA 92373
Light food will be served
How to recognize mental traps that could unwittingly cause you to make costly investment mistakes
The four proven investment rules you must follow today to help you reach your goals
Investment for seniors Answers to your retirement finance questions
SPACE IS LIMITED, SO CONTACT JACKIE, VIVECA OR TONYA TODAY TO RESERVE YOUR PLACE! Check the box on your response card Call (800) 900-9021 Email plannedgiving@qhministries.org
Notes and an audio recording of this presentation will be available. Just call us to request your free copies!
COME AND TELL
PEOPLE ABOUT JESUS!
There are exciting opportunities for you in the mission field! Join us on a Quiet Hour Ministries evangelism mission trip and experience the excitement of firsthand soul winning.
Upcoming mission trips: 2013
BELIZE October 16-28 PERU November 20-December 1
2014 MALAYSIA March 14-22 PHILIPPINES April 2-14 COLOMBIA April 10-20 THAILAND June 10-23 GHANA June 18-30 TONGA June 25-July 7
TRIP FULL!
All kinds of people are needed in the mission field.
We’re looking for: SPEAKERS
MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS CHILDREN’S LEADERS COOKS BUILDERS ANYONE EXCITED ABOUT SHARING JESUS
To learn more or sign up, visit www.qhministries.org or call our evangelism department at (800) 900-9021.