Adventist Mission South American Division Bible-Carrying City Folk City Bible-Carrying Coming, Hisheart Filledwithjoy

YOUTH & ADULT Mission 2019 • QUARTER 2 • SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION

AdventistMission.org Contents

On the Cover: Grecielly Moraes Nascimento , 20, had an unusual boss in Aracaju, Brazil. He led her to the Adventist Church and then asked her to be his wife. Story, Page 26.

= stories of special interest to teens Your Offerings at Work

Three years ago, part of the Thirteenth Sabbath South American Division

Offering funded a floating church (pictured with volunteers wearing green shirts, left, and baptismal ission

M © 2019 General Conference of candidates in gray robes) on the Amazon River in Seventh-day Adventists® • All rights reserved Brazil. Read a mission story about the boat church 12501 Old Columbia Pike, dventist

A Silver Spring, MD 20904-6601 on page 28. 1-800-648-5824 • AdventistMission.org 2 Dear Sabbath School Leader, Andrew McChesney Editor

This quarter we feature the South goal of this community American Division, which oversees the center is to plant a new church in Cusco. Seventh-day Adventist Church’s work To prepare for this quarter, I in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, interviewed people who live in the four Ecuador, Falkland Islands, Paraguay, Peru cities that will receive the Thirteenth and Uruguay, with adjacent islands in the Sabbath funds, as well as people blessed Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. by the division’s previous Thirteenth The region is home to 340 million people, Sabbath Offering three years ago. You including 2.48 million Adventists. That’s a can find their stories on the pages of this ratio of one Adventist for 137 people. publication and the Children’s Mission This quarter’s four Thirteenth Sabbath magazine. After hearing their stories, I’m projects are “centers of influence,” places sure that you will join be in declaring that used by Seventh-day Adventist church Jesus indeed is coming soon! members to connect with the local community. Three of the centers of Special Features influence in Brazil and Peru are on the If you want to make your Sabbath premises of new Adventist churches. The School class come alive in a special fourth center of influence is a community way, visit our Facebook page at the link: center offering English-language classes, facebook.com/missionquarterlies. Every music lessons, and other activities to week, we post additional materials to go children and teens in Cusco, Peru. The with each mission story. This quarterly contains just a sample of the latest mission stories from the South American Division. For more stories, visit bit.ly/sad-archive, which will take you to Opportunities all the division stories. At this link, you The Thirteenth Sabbath Offering can also search by country and theme. this quarter will help: You also can download the PDF version  Plant a church and health-focused of the Children’s Mission magazine at community center in Aruana, Brazil bit.ly/childrenmission, and Mission  Acquire property for a church and Spotlight videos at bit.ly/missionspotlight. community center in Salvador, Brazil A printable mission bank image can be downloaded at bit.ly/bank-coloring-page.  Open a youth-focused community center with English-language school in If you have found especially effective Cusco, Peru ways to share mission stories, please let me know at [email protected].  Establish a church and medical center in Pucallpa, Peru Thank you for encouraging others to be mission minded! AdventistMission.org 3 4 Adventist Mission South American Division Bible-Carrying City Folk City Bible-Carrying coming, hisheart filledwithjoy. to thepreacherspeakabout Jesus’soon in theschool’s gymnasium.Ashelistened radio programorganizednightly meetings ofthe when theevangelicalproducers wanted toknowmore. the world’s lastdays.Hewasscared. attentively toareligiousprogramabout school, andAlejandrolistened an education. children toworkonthefarmthanget thought itwasmoreimportantfortheir grade atthattimeinthe1980s.Villagers in hisvillage,Ccacaccollo,beganfirst started schoollate,butall18-year-olds A His wishwasfulfilledashort timelater A classmatebroughtaradioto Some peoplemightthinkthathe Other villagers alsoenjoyedthe the ageof18. lejandro enteredthefirstgradeat Adventists. They askedthepastorfor the wholestory.” the end-timemessage.These peopleknow another andsaid,“We onlyknewhalfof what theylearned.They turned toone afternoon. Themenwere thrilledwith the Biblewithchurchmembersin were invitedtolunchandthenstudied and thedivineworshipservice.They Sabbath School. church, andthepeopleweregoingto them in. It wasaSeventh-dayAdventist large supplyofBibles,theleadersfollowed building mightbeabookstorewith entering abuilding.Thinkingthatthe stream ofpeople,eachcarryingaBible, streets onemorningwhentheynoticeda walking downoneofCusco’s cobblestoned for Bibles.Butnosuccess. nearest city, Cusco,andscouredthecity they madethe60-minutebustripto resolved topresenteachwithaBible.So, spiritual interestofthevillagersand from farmwork. services whenevertheycouldgetaway his friendsattendedtheSundayworship opened achurchforthem.Alejandroand meetings, andtheprogramorganizers PERU Alejandro Qquerar, 52 The men decided on the spot to become The leadersstayedforSabbathSchool Despairing, thefourleaderswere The fourchurchleaderssawthegreat

| April6 Commandment to keep the seventh-day Story Tips Sabbath. He became an Adventist. Alejandro, who was now 19, soon

 Pronounce Alejandro as: dropped out of school to work full-time on PERU all-aye-KHAN-dro the farm. He also began to tell anyone who  Pronounce the name of Alejandro’s would listen that Jesus is coming soon. village, Ccacaccollo, as: kaka-KOLO His love for Jesus has brought  Find photos for this story at the link: extraordinary results. Alejandro, a bit.ly/fb-mq simple man of short stature and limited  Know that Alejandro, like many education, has planted six churches over villagers in Peru, only speaks Quechua the past 30 years. He planted the first (pronounced: KETCH-wa). To interview him, Adventist Mission needed two church in 1985, shortly after his baptism, interpreters: one to interpret from and has planted a new church every three Quechua to Spanish, and another to to five years since. Sometimes he walks interpret from Spanish to English five hours to reach one of his church  Share that the Cusco church with the plants. More than 800 people have been Bible-carrying members has been a big baptized through his influence. support to Alejandro, providing food, money, and religious materials for his Alejandro, now 52, praises God for the outreach efforts results but says real credit belongs to the faithful Adventists who carried their Bibles  Watch a video of Alejandro at the link: bit.ly/Alejandro-Qquerar to church in Cusco one Sabbath morning. “I think that it’s important that we always have a Bible in our hands when we go to church because other people can see then that we are Christians,” he said. “If the help explaining the full Bible truth to the Seventh-day Adventists in Cusco hadn’t people back in the village. Two church been carrying Bibles that day, my village members accompanied the men to the may have never found the true church.” village and preached in their church the His village, which has 500 inhabitants, next day, on Sunday. is largely Adventist today. Its church has Alejandro missed the worship service 300 baptized members.  because he was working on the farm. But his friends told him not to bother Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth going to church the next Sunday. Sabbath Offering will help open a Cusco The church had become Seventh-day community center that will offering Adventist and its next worship services English classes, music lessons, and other would be on Saturday. activities to children and young people. Alejandro went on Saturday to The goal of the community center is to find out what had happened. He was plant a new church in the area. Thank convicted with the new truths that he you for your mission offering. heard, including God’s instructions in the Garden of Eden and through the Fourth By Andrew McChesney AdventistMission.org 5 6 Adventist Mission South American Division to overseethe church-plantingeffort. only twoblocksfromhis home. Heagreed waslocated Nueva Sajonianeighborhood the siteofproposedchurch inthe a growingsenseofguiltas herealizedthat and ReliefAgency. Sheagreedtohelp. working withtheAdventistDevelopment experience withpeopleofotherfaithsafter capable torunachurchalone.” worked withpeopleoutsidethechurch. about 300members.Buthehadnever Church, thecity’s largestchurchwith at theCentralSeventh-dayAdventist for 20yearswithfellowchurchmembers AdventistHospitalhadworked Asunción capital, Asunción. inParaguay’sunreached neighborhood H Hugo prayedforseveralweeks andfelt Hugo spokewithhiswife,whohadsome “I wasafraid,”hesaid.didn’t feel The silver-haired insurancedirectorat “I startedthis outofguilt,”hesaid. ugo Sanzwasscaredwhenthepastor asked himtoplantachurchinan to Plant Scared PARAGUAY Hugo Sanz,64 together, andpeoplewhohad attended said. “We sang andstudiedtheBible their stressandfocusonthe Bible,”Hugo the World.” meetings called“OneDay Away From influence begantoholdregular Saturday Channel radio,providedadvertising. affiliate oftheAdventistChurch’s Hope photos. RadioNuevoTiempo, thelocal created aFacebookpageandposted community center. Achurchmember befriended peopleintheneighborhood. hospital. Heandotherchurchmembers from fellowchurchmembersthe classes andstop-smokingcourseswithhelp organized seminarssuchashealthycooking a building,“centerofinfluence,”and started working.” did it.We camehere,sawtheneed,and “But withthehelpofanotherpeople,we “This isonedaywhenpeople canforget After ayear, in2015,the center of Word begantospreadaboutthenew The firststepsweresmall.Hugorented

| April13 prosper in all things and be in health, just Story Tips as your soul prospers.” Another favorite is Philippians 4:7, which says, “And  Pronounce Asunción as: the peace of God, which surpasses all ah-soon-SYAWN understanding, will guard your hearts and  Pronounce Nueva Sajonia as: minds through Christ Jesus.” nyo-va sa-KHON-ia A series of overnight burglaries  Watch a video of Hugo at the link: disrupted work at the community center bit.ly/Hugo-Sanz in 2016. Four times thieves broke the glass  Find photos for this story at the link: windows and stole electronics, chairs, bit.ly/fb-mq

and tables. The seminars were moved to PARAGUAY Hugo’s home. Mission Post That same year, the Adventist world church collected a Thirteenth Sabbath  Paraguay has 61 churches, 95 companies, and 12,519 members. In a Offering to help the community center population of 31,838,000, one in 544 grow into a church. With the money, the people is an Adventist. local Adventist Church purchased the  The first Adventist worker to visit community center site, expanded and Paraguay was Lionel Brooking, a updated its facilities, and improved security. colporteur, who sold books in the The new Nueva Sajonia Seventh-day Gran Chaco of Paraguay in 1892. In Adventist Church and community center August 1900, E.W. Snyder and his opened in 2018 with its own pastor. Hugo wife arrived from the United States. Adventist canvassers had reported remains a lay leader — and he said he that a German at Colonia Nacional couldn’t be happier. (National Colony), Paraguay, had “I worked for the Adventist Church for accepted Adventist teachings through 20 years, but the few years here have been reading a German paper sent to him by his brother in Uruguay. the happiest in my life because I have worked with people in the world,” said Hugo, 64. “Before, I worked for people already in church. But now I’m not just talking but also doing, and showing God’s our health seminars realized that we are love in a new way. I feel like I’m fulfilling the mission that God has for my life.” healthy because of the Bible. They started praying to God.” Thank you for your Thirteenth While studying the Bible, community Sabbath Offering in first quarter 2016 members expressed surprise about the that helped plant Nueva Sajonia practical health advice on its pages. They Seventh-day Adventist Church in learned that good health can be found Asunción, Paraguay. Thank you for your through a proper diet and also through mission offerings that support mission prayer, peace, and Jesus. One of their work around the world.  favorite Bible verses is 3 John 2, which AdventistMission.org says, “Beloved, I pray that you may By Andrew McChesney 7 8 Adventist Mission South American Division No Peace inMeditation your feelings.” They willonlyexamineyour mindand said, “Don’t worry. Theywon’t hurtyou. disappearing. Theyresembled demons. He sawpeoplewalkingaround and distorted voices, yelling,intheroom. returned ahundredfold. peace forawhile,butthenthestress cope withstress.Themeditationoffered morning andanhourintheevening—to meditating twiceaday— anhourinthe He struggledtosleepatnightandwas need,” thespiritualguidesaid. people inParaguay’s capital,Asunción. T With theguide, hespiritual heard Gustavo desperatelywantedanswers. “They willgivesomeanswersthatyou After the experience, Gustavo looked After theexperience, Gustavolooked Seeing hisfright,thespiritual guide aroomtocommunicatewithdead he spiritualguideledGustavointo to another Christian denomination, to anotherChristiandenomination, back onhislife.Hisparents,whobelonged PARAGUAY and anAdventist mentalhealthworker school. Hecontacted anAdventistpastor studying theBibleat Adventist supposedly deadpeople. who frightenedhimbytaking himtomeet “I neededsomeonetohelpme.” trances. “Iwasgoingcrazy,” Gustavosaid. apparitions duringthemeditation-induced But thenhebegantohearvoicesandsee where hismindwentblank. him andconnecttoapeacefulplace and again.Thiswassupposedtorelax phrase fromadeadIndianlanguageagain and yoga.To meditate,herepeateda Eastern templeandlearnedmeditation recommended Easternmeditation. went toapsychologistforhelp,andshe constant headachesandnausea.He worries. Butthenhestartedtosuffer and cocaineonweekendstoeasehis to alcoholanddrugsduringhissenioryear. him friends introduced and neighborhood little interestintheschool’s Bibleclasses, recommendation ofaneighbor. Heshowed Adventist schoolattheageof12 enrolled himinaSeventh-day Gustavo JavierCaballero,40 It wasthenthatGustavo remembered He soughthelpfromthe spiritual guide, Life seemedtoimproveforawhile. Gustavo foundthespiritualguideatan Gustavo usedmarijuana,alcohol,

| April20 and decided to try it. He found that the Story Tips technique mirrored Eastern meditation but, instead of repeating the phrase in the  Pronounce Asunción as: ah-soon-SYAWN dead Indian language, he repeated words  Pronounce Nueva Sajonia as: nyo-va from the Bible. The results shocked him. sa-KHON-ia “I lost control of my mind, and it went  Watch a video of Gustavo at the link: blank like before,” he said. “I felt an bit.ly/Gustavo-Caballero energy surging through my body, and I heard voices telling me what to do.”  Find photos for this story at the link: bit.ly/fb-mq Gustavo was frozen, unable to move,

until he came out of the trance. PARAGUAY Afterward, several old friends told Fast Facts Gustavo that voices had instructed them  Paraguay’s literacy rate is higher than during their own meditations that day to that of the United States. Paraguay’s invite him to meditate like before. citizens age 15 and older read and write Gustavo resolved never to meditate that at a 94 percent literacy rate, compared to way again. Instead, he said, he chooses to 86 percent for the U.S. “read the Bible and meditate on His word, not doing Eastern-style meditation. That is a dangerous place. God is not guiding for help. They prayed with him and that kind of meditation.” He also is convinced that yoga is a tool advised him to give up meditating, yoga, of the devil. and drugs. Gustavo started attending “With yoga, you feel good, and you don’t church every Sabbath. need to read the Bible or have Jesus in your Meditation and yoga proved easy to stop, life,” he said. “You think that spirits are but the drug use was more difficult. As working within you and that is enough.” Gustavo struggled, he prayed and found Today, Gustavo is 40 and works as help in the Bible. On sleepless nights, he a literature evangelist and massage claimed Isaiah 26:3, which says, “You will therapist. He also is an active participant keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is of a community center attached to Nueva stayed on You, because he trusts in You.” Sajonia Seventh-day Adventist Church, a He also claimed Philippians 4:13, which 2016 Thirteenth Sabbath project. promises, “I can do all things through He tells people in the neighborhood that Christ who strengthens me.” drugs and meditation aren’t the answer. Gustavo gave his heart to Jesus and was “Getting high and meditating feels good baptized at the age of 34. “I was looking for a while, but then you feel worse,” he for a cure, for someone to help me feel said. “The only solution is Christ. Only better,” he said. “In church, I found out when you pray do you feel better — and that I’m God’s son. I was freed by His life.” have real peace.”  After baptism, he found a video presentation about “Christian meditation” By Andrew McChesney AdventistMission.org 9 10

Adventist Mission South American Division day, Mother tookGracielatothe fire thatkilled about20people.Every 18-year-old sisterdiedinatragicfactory tombstones. Unusual Childhood her daughtertoforgetthatday. was born. money tobuycookies. street toabakeryandusedsomeofthe turned away. Instead,shecrossedthe something moveinsideher. the bus. special purpose,andshewaswaitingfor A Graciela’s mother, Maria,neverallowed Several monthslater, GracielaMusetti “Yes, Idecidednottodoit,”shesaid. “Back sosoon?”heasked. At home,herhusbandmetatthedoor. The busarrivedandstopped,butshe Suddenly, shebegantotremble.Shefelt She hadmoneyinherpursefora When shewas18months old,her Graciela grewupplaying among

Uruguay’s capital,Montevideo. atthebusstopinwoman stood I Born? Why Was URUGUAY Graciela Musetti,52 Nuevo Tiempo radio, thelocalaffiliate was bedriddenaftersuffering astroke. her untilshedied.Inlast years,Mother sole survivorofamajortragedy. heart totellhermother. Shefeltlikethe hisbicycle.Gracieladidn’trode havethe brother, wasstruckdeadby acarashe only remainingsibling,anotherolder to visithisgrave. Graciela accompaniedhertothecemetery devastated Mother, andforseveralmonths brother diedofaheartattack.Thedeath eldest her Then had asonattheageof15. passed, andherparentsdivorced. Graciela was thelightofhouse.Severalyears felt likeshehadreplacedasisterwho born,” shesaid,smiling. a joke.“Gracielawasn’t supposedtobe about thebusstop,treatingitlightly, like one instead.”Thenshetoldthestory daughter awayfrommeandgavethis tookone to visitorsbysaying,“God and placedthemonemptygraves. flowers fromgraveswithlargebouquets the tombstones.Thelittlegirltook daughter’s grave,Gracieladartedbetween cemetery and,asshemournedatherolder One day, Graciela stumbledacross Mother grewold,andGraciela caredfor A fewmoreyearspassed,andGraciela’s Graciela feltguiltyandinsecure.She Graciela At home,Motherintroduced

| April27 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Hope radio. Listening to a program, she Story Tips was drawn to the pastor’s voice, which she found peaceful and calming.  Pronounce Graciela as: gras-EE-yela At the same time, she listened to a  Pronounce Montevideo as: pastor on another radio station who Mon-teh-vi-DAY-oh attacked Adventist Church cofounder  Watch a video of Graciela at the link: Ellen White much of the time. His anger bit.ly/Graciela-Musetti caught Graciela’s attention, and she  Find photos for this story at the link: decided that she wanted to read an Ellen bit.ly/fb-mq White book. But where to find one? Graciela visited libraries and Mission Post bookstores, but nobody had any books. One day, her adult son visited a shoe  Uruguay has 59 churches and 50 store and noticed a book lying on the companies. There are 7,890 members in Uruguay’s population of 3,457,000, or chair. He glanced through it and brought one Adventist for every 438 Uruguayans. it to his mother. “Look, Mother, this is URUGUAY something that you will like,” he said.  The first Adventist in Uruguay was Mrs. Juan Rivoir, who came to Uruguay with A Book From God her husband in 1890 and who, four years before her arrival, had listened to sermons Graciela took the book into her hands by Ellen White in Piedmont, Italy. and read the title, “The Great Hope.” Underneath, she saw the author’s name, Ellen White. She began to tremble. “Since the moment that I was in my “This is the Lord acting in my life!” she mother’s womb, the Lord was working exclaimed. “He has sent me this book!” with me,” said Graciela, 52. “If my mother From that moment, Graciela had no had had the abortion, who would have doubts about Ellen White — even before taken care of her? Who would take care of she read the book. “God used the book to my father, who is now 94 and bedridden? call me to His way,” Graciela said. “God is always in control of She telephoned Nuevo Tiempo for everything,” she said. “I don’t know what more information, and the radio station He saw in me, but He saved me. I hope to sent an Adventist church member, Miguel make more disciples for Him.” Amaro Speranza, to give Bible studies. Soon Graciela was baptized into La Teja Thank you for your 2016 Thirteenth Seventh-day Adventist Church, a church Sabbath Offering that helped La Teja funded by a 2016 Thirteenth Sabbath Seventh-day Adventist Church move Offering. Today, she is an active church from a small, rented house into its own member, giving Bible studies and helping church building and community center. people in her neighborhood. Through her Thank you for your mission offerings that influence, four people have been baptized. help lead people like Graciela to Christ.  Graciela wondered much of her life why she was born. Now she has the answer. By Andrew McChesney AdventistMission.org 11 12

Adventist Mission South American Division Longing for God operation and hercancerwasremoved. church,” hermothersaid. alcohol withherhusband. stopped goingtopartiesand drinking in Uruguay. Afterbeingbaptized,Cecilia campaign inherhometown,Mercedes, Seventh-day Adventistevangelistic baptized severalyearsearlierduringa Adventist Church.Ceciliahadbeen decision tojointheSeventh-day blamed thedivorceonherdaughter’s allowed himtotouchherformonths. because she,doubledoverinpain,hadn’t whether herhusbandhadgottenadivorce and sufferingdreadfulpain.Shewondered C But hermotherhadotherideas.She She was30,fightinguterinecancer, Fortunately, Ceciliahadasuccessful “You lostyourhusband becauseofthe husband left. ecilia wasdevastatedwhenher work. Unabletofindacookingjob three childrentoraise,sheneeded But shestoppedgoingtochurch.With URUGUAY was baptized five monthslater, onMay 18. refresh herknowledge oftheBible.She immediately, butthepastoradvisedher to Shealsowantedtobebaptized with God. opened. Shewantedtostart thenewyear on Jan.1,2017,shortlyafter itofficially the GoesSeventh-dayAdventist Church blocks fromherhome.Shewalkedinto an Adventistchurchwouldopenjust13 radio station.” thatIfoundthe something fromGod to theradio,”shesaid.“Itwasjust the AdventistChurch’s Hoperadio. Nuevo Tiempo radio,thelocalaffiliateof was locatedinherneighborhood. andwishedthatanAdventistchurch God grandchildren. Shebegantothinkabout eldest daughter, son-in-law, andthree capital, Montevideo,tolivewithher Moving Home grew whenhermotherdied. bitter aboutthedivorce.Herbitterness and gotmarried.ButCeciliaremained the Sabbath. with Saturdaysoff,shestoppedkeeping Maria CeciliaFreire,60 One daywhilelistening,sheheardthat “I can’t explainhowIstartedlistening Somehow, shestartedlisteningto Then CeciliamovedtoUruguay’s Years passed,andherchildrengrewup

| May4 “From that day on, I am very happy,” Cecilia said. “God has changed my life. Story Tips He has taken me away from a life of pain and bitterness.”  Pronounce Montevideo as: Mon-teh-vi-DAY-oh She knew that God was removing her bitterness when she started to smile. Even  Pronounce Goes, a two-syllable word, as: the church members have noticed and say, GO-es “You are very smiley!”  Watch a video of Cecila speaking She replies, “I’m very happy!” beside the baptismal pool where she was baptized at Goes Seventh-day Adventist Praying for Family Church. The link: bit.ly/Cecilia-Freire After returning to church, Cecilia  Find photos for this story at the link: started praying for her daughter and son- bit.ly/fb-mq in-law to accept Jesus. As she prayed, she noticed that a church member, a Fast Facts Brazilian missionary, spoke fluent English. Her son-in-law, an architect who spoke  The Guaraní word “Uruguay” means no English, was looking for a language “river of the painted birds.” URUGUAY teacher because he wanted to move  The national dish of Uruguay is a abroad to work. With the permission of sandwich called Chivito. It is made the Brazilian missionary, Cecilia told her with thinly sliced steak (churrasco), mozzarella, tomatoes, mayonnaise, olives, son-in-law that she had found an English- and hard-boiled eggs, and is served in a language teacher at church. bun. It is often eaten with french fries. “This way I brought him into contact  Uruguay has a literacy rate of 98.1 with the church,” Cecilia said. “He became percent for adults, thanks to the friends with the pastor and others in provision of free, compulsory education. church and got involved in the church.” In 2009, it became the first nation in the Her daughter proved more difficult to world to provide every school child with free wireless Internet and a laptop. reach. Every time Cecilia mentioned God, the daughter complained, “You’re trying  Uruguay is the only country in South to get me into that church again!” America where tap water is safe to drink. Finally, Cecilia told her daughter, “It is  Around 95 percent of the electricity not that. It’s just that after I die, I want us is generated from renewable resources, to meet again when I open my eyes.” mainly from wind farms. The words touched the daughter’s heart. She and her husband are taking Bible studies in preparation for baptism. Offering to acquire a church building in “God has done wonderful things in my Montevideo, Uruguay. Thank you for your life,” Cecilia said. faithfulness with mission offerings, which help prepare people like Cecilia and her Cecilia, 60, belongs to Goes Seventh- family for Christ’s soon return.  day Adventist Church, which received part of a 2016 Thirteenth Sabbath By Andrew McChesney AdventistMission.org 13 14

Adventist Mission South American Division and theirimpact onthecommunity. for waystoexpand thechurchbuilding grew cramped, and church members looked andclothing.Therentedspace with food members reachedouttothe neighborhood and worshippedthereeverySabbath. and the16newmembersrentedahouse plant achurch,”Miguelsaid. people werebaptized. Revelation evangelisticseries.Sixteen participants wereinvitedtoaDanieland had nochurchbuilding. where theSeventh-dayAdventistChurch at people’s homesinthedistrict,aplace of Uruguay’s capital,Montevideo. home intheimpoverishedLaTeja district Fernandez, toleadBiblestudiesinDino’s invitation fromafriend,Yraldino“Dino” M Miguel, severalotherchurchmembers, “Following themeetings,wedecidedto After ayear, theBible-study Miguel andDinoalsogaveBiblestudies Church attendancegrew as church iguel is69andburstingwithenergy. Not longago,Miguelacceptedan Adventists aroundtheworldhelpedLa floodwater duringtherainy season. floodwater people couldfindshelter from rising They alsoconstructedahouse where assistance to47adultsand 90children. provide fortheirneeds.” Wefood. triedtoreachthepeopleand Sabbath,” Miguelsaid.“We alsobrought dangerous partofMontevideo. of crudecardboard-boxsheltersina to asquattersettlementcomprisedlargely Adventist Churchusedtotravelregularly members fromElPradoSeventh-day souls forChrist.Heandagroupofchurch TwoStory around here.” are held.“Manyimpoverishedpeoplelive kitchen, wherehealthycookingclasses he saidinaninterviewthechurch’s including thehomeless,” neighborhood, opportunities nowavailabletothechurch. Offering in2016. center throughaThirteenthSabbath purchase itsownbuildingandlifestyle Teja Seventh-dayAdventistChurch for Jesus FireOn URUGUAY Miguel AmaroSperanza,69 The problemwassolvedwhen People from the settlementstartedgoing Church membersprovided ongoing “Five ofusgave25Biblestudiesevery This wasn’t Miguel’s firsttimetowin “Our planistoservethepeoplein Miguel isthrilledaboutthenew

| May11 to the Adventist church. Some arrived by horse and cart. Story Tips “As a result of the work, we had 21 baptisms,” Miguel said.  Pronounce Montevideo as: Mon-teh-vi-DAY-oh Story Three  Watch a video of Miguel speaking in Miguel worked 27 years with the the sanctuary of La Teja Seventh-day Adventist Development and Relief Adventist Church at the link: Agency in Uruguay, and one of his fondest bit.ly/Miguel-Speranza memories is of Walter, a homeless man  Find photos for this story at the link: with diabetes and no legs who showed up bit.ly/fb-mq at an ADRA center in Montevideo. Walter had no food and no place to go, Mission Post and Miguel became acquainted with him and, at his request, gave Bible studies.  The first Seventh-day Adventist school One day as Miguel was preparing a in Uruguay was organized in 1908, in Nueva Helvecia colony in the home Sabbath sermon while cooking, Walter of Julio Ernst, with Otto Heydeker asked, “What will you preach about?” as teacher. Uruguay Academy, now URUGUAY Miguel explained that the inspiration Uruguay Adventist Academy (Instituto for the sermon came from a picture posted Adventista del Uruguay) situated at Progreso, was founded in 1944. on his refrigerator door. The picture showed a child fishing food out of the garbage and posed the question, “What “I used to have friends who drank and are you complaining about?” danced with me. But now they complain Opening his Bible, Miguel read Luke about their problems, and I say, ‘What 9:13, where Jesus told His disciples, “You are you complaining about? Look at me. I give them something to eat.” Jesus gave have diabetes and no legs.’” the command shortly before the miracle of Months later, Walter gave his heart to the loaves and fish. Jesus. Coming out of the baptismal waters, Miguel returned to his cooking, and he shouted, “Thank you, Jesus!” Walter busily wrote on a piece of paper. Miguel still hears Walter’s triumphant After a while, Walter handed the paper to shout today. A month and a half after the Miguel. “If this is useful, I give this to you baptism, Walter passed away. “I hope to for the sermon,” he said. see him again when our heavenly Father Miguel read the message during the comes to take us home,” Miguel said. sermon. The church members wept. “I hope to reunite with him and with Walter had written as if Jesus were all those whom God has given us the writing to people. The message said, “You opportunity to share the gospel.” are complaining, but look: Around you live people who are homeless, without Thank you for your 2016 Thirteenth food, and without clothing. You have a Sabbath Offering for La Teja church.  place to rest, food, and clothing.” AdventistMission.org Walter then wrote about himself, By Andrew McChesney 15 16

Adventist Mission South American Division

photo: Pixabay Born to Be aMissionary to Be Born authorities also said“yes.” said “yes,”and therelevantgovernment church leadersintheclosed country desire tomoveabroadfor fiveyears.The includes Argentina,said“yes” toour American Division,whose territory Seventh-day AdventistChurch’s South child inanothercountry.” wantsustoadopta thought, “MaybeGod inaclosedcountryfaraway,God andwe in ourhomecountry, Argentina. that itwouldbedifficulttoadoptchildren children wereslim.Italsobecameclear declared thatourchancesofhaving children orhelpustoadopt,”weprayed. M All thepiecesfellintoplace.The Then anopportunityarosetoworkfor After aseriesoftests,ourphysician “If itisYour will,letushaveourown 14 years. y wifeandIprayedforachild

was pregnant. ARGENTINA foreigner, it’s evenbetter. Peoplewill people lovechildren. Andifyouarea witnessesforGod. to helpusbegood has openedatleast80percent ofthedoors after wearrivedintheclosed country. He said, “Noproblem.We lovechildren.” authorities, inreplytoaworriedquery, pregnancy. Eventhegovernment God’s TimingPerfect expensive anddisruptourwork.” Division willsay‘no.’Achildbetoo country willsay‘no.’TheSouthAmerican say ‘no.’Thechurchleadersintheclosed ever. Nowthegovernmentauthoritieswill I thought.“Thisistheweirdesttiming pregnancy testinmyhand. even hugmywife.Ionlystaredatthe recording showsthatIfroze.didn’t happiness overwhelmedme.Thevideo saw thatitwaspositive. pregnancy testinside.Itookitoutand I thoughtwasempty. ButthenIsawa she brokethenewsoverbreakfast. a hiddencameratorecordmyreactionas Marcelo Fernandez Elisa, whohasasenseofhumor, setup Then mywife,Elisa,learnedthatshe We quicklylearned thatthelocal Our son,Ezekiel,wasborn threemonths objectedtomywife’sNobody But God’s timingisperfect. My mindwasracing.“Whynow, God?” A confusingmixtureofshockand She gavemeasmallbox,whichatfirst

| May18 stop you everywhere to take a photo. Grandparents, carrying around their Story Tips grandchildren, will reach out to you to  Names have been changed in the know more and to share parenting tips. story to protect the family’s work in a We have more opportunities to sensitive region. For that reason, no sow seeds than we ever could have video is available this week imagined. Wherever we go, people  Find a photo for this story at the link: gather around Ezekiel. bit.ly/fb-mq Through our son, we have befriended people in our apartment building, at Mission Post supermarkets, and in parks. We invite our  Argentina has 606 churches and 438 new friends to birthday parties and other companies. There are 116,391 church celebrations in our home. Many parents members — one for every 381 people in want their children to interact more with the country. our son, so they ask whether they can  The first Adventists in Argentina were come to our son’s Sabbath School class. four families who came to Diamante, One married couple in our building has Entre Rios Province, from Tampa in a same-aged daughter, and they visit us the U.S. state of Kansas in early 1890. These were German farmers who often. We have presented their girl with had been colonists in Russia and had an English-language children’s Bible. become Adventists while living in the The way that we treat our child is having United States. a bigger impact than we ever dreamed. God  In July 1896, the first Adventist camp gave us a well-behaved son. People see that meeting in Argentina was held in we hug him and how happy he is. They see Crespo, Entre Rios; 150 people attended. God’s love even better. ARGENTINA Surprise No. 2 An amazing thing happened just as Our witness speaks louder than our we were rejoicing over Ezekiel’s powerful words. I think God wants us to be living ability to witness. My wife got pregnant witnesses, and He is giving us a chance to again, and then she gave birth to a girl. experience this in a deeper way. For the local people, having a son and God is using my son to fulfill Matthew a daughter is wonderful. Random people 24:14 and pave the way for the Second stop us on the street to explain again and Coming. I think Ezekiel already has more again that the combination of having a stars in his crown than my wife or me. boy and a girl is perfection. We smile, I feel so blessed that God shows us thank them, and point to God as the sinners that His plans are always better. perfect picture of perfection. The Lord says in Isaiah 55:8, “For My What a witness! thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are Jesus said in Matthew 24:14, “And this your ways My ways.” gospel of the kingdom will be preached in God’s plans are perfect.  all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.” By Marcelo Fernandez, as told to Andrew McChesney AdventistMission.org 17 18

Adventist Mission South American Division Adopting TwoBoys him togivemedicine tohislittlebrothers day, andthe coupledecidedthatasking the boyswereill. lived alone.Moreover, itwaswinter, and had twolittlebrothers,ages 3and5,who The teen’s ownhomeastonishedthem.He jobsforthem. of ateenagerwhodidodd better, JuanandJuanitavisited thevillage helping them,”Juansaid. emotional needs. seemed tohaveotherchallenges,perhaps of thechildrenweren’t hungryatalland fromtheirkitchen. other simplefoods stipend, buttheygladlysharedriceand year missionterm,werelivingonasmall volunteers fromArgentinadoingaone- hospital inAfrica. compound oftheSeventh-dayAdventist C Determined tounderstandthechildren “We askedourselvesifwewerereally Then itstruckJuanandJuanita.Some Juan andJuanita,marriedmedical The teenwasn’t homeformuchof the of JuanandJuanita’s houseonthe hildren keptknockingonthedoor the hospitalcompound.Theyinvited at home,theytookthesmallboysbackto Remembering thattheyhadanextraroom daily wouldbetoomuchtoexpect. with localfriends. made arrangements fortheboystolive Adventist Volunteer Servicesended,they honorable tohavesuchnoble sons. thought thatshemustbe verylovingand longed tomeettheboys’ mother. They to letusrestabitlonger,” Juan said. we weretiredandjustwantedtohelpout his toesatthesink,washingdishes. old inthekitchen,standingontipsof morning Juanitawokeuptofindthe5-year- took theinitiativetohelpwithchores.One people wereledoutofslaveryinExodus. identified withmiraclessuchashowGod’s stories fromtheBible,andtheyespecially Sabbath School. Adventist school,andtookthemto their basicneeds,enrolledtheminthe decided tokeepcaringforthetwoboys. could notsendforthem.JuanandJuanita Their motherwasworkingfarawayand Juanita learnedthattheyhadnofather. complete thetreatment. brothers tostayforthe10daysneeded ARGENTINA Juan andJuanita When thecouple’s one-yeartermwith Time passed,andJuanJuanita “He smiledatmywifeandsaidheknew Despite theiryoungage,theboyseven During familyworship,theboysheard The couplehelpedtheboyswith As theboys’healthimproved,Juanand

| May25 “It was a beautiful moment because we Story Tips felt that a chapter in our lives had closed,” Juan said. “We pray that the Lord will  Adventist Mission is not disclosing the real identities of Juan and Juanita, or water the seeds that have been sown.” the country where this story took place, The African experience changed the because the couple are career medical hearts of Juan and Juanita. They noticed missionaries who work in sensitive that Ellen White wasn’t only a prolific parts of the world. They asked that author with prophetic insights. She also their names not be published to avoid hindering future work. For that reason, had a living faith, practicing what she no video is available this week preached by caring for needy children in her own home.  Find a picture that Juan drew for this story on the opposite page and at the “For me this was revolutionary,” Juan said. link: bit.ly/fb-mq “Many times you see missionaries working in the community, but how often do they bring the mission work to their homes?” Missionaries who do this can entertain After a while, Juan and Juanita returned unseen angels, Juan said, pointing to a for a new mission term and learned that favorite passage in Ellen White’s “Desire the teenage brother had died. His mother of Ages,” page 639: “As you open your had taken away her young sons. door to Christ’s needy and suffering ones, Juan tracked down the mother and you are welcoming unseen angels. You visited her and her sons. invite the companionship of heavenly “It was a blessing to find them,” Juan beings. They bring a sacred atmosphere said. “She is a lovely person. We spent of joy and peace. They come with praises time with her. The boys were shy because upon their lips, and an answering strain we hadn’t seen them for some time.” is heard in heaven. Every deed of mercy ARGENTINA When their second mission term ended, makes music there. The Father from His the couple decided to visit the reunited throne numbers the unselfish workers family one last time. Juan spent about a among His most precious treasures.” week with them, building a friendship Juan — who was 30 when he and with the mother as he helped her with Juanita helped the boys and is now 34 — legal paperwork and other practical issues. appealed to Adventists to be vulnerable Juanita had to work during the week but and to practice the gospel by bringing the mission work to their homes and, by God’s joined them on the weekend. grace, reaching people’s hearts. Together, the couple presented the family “This was a heart-changing with a box of children’s Bible books with experience for me,” said Juan, who beautiful illustrations, a Bible for each grew up as a missionary kid. “I felt like I family member in their native language, and turned into a missionary in the mission Ellen White’s “The Great Controversy.” field. I was no longer a missionary kid, Under a tree, they led a special Sabbath but a missionary myself.” School class and church service for the community, and then said goodbye. By Andrew McChesney AdventistMission.org 19 20

Adventist Mission South American Division New Year’sWish many good thingshavehappened.” many good internship atanengineering company. So I gotauniversityscholarship andagood everything thathashappened thisyear. for she said.“Ijustwanttothank God life. Thenshespoke. drinking andpartyingwasimprovingher of 3millionpeople.Shewonderedhow ferry fromherhomeinSalvador, acity a popularhangoutlocatedanhourby her friendsspokeontheAratubaBeach, said one. Brazil’s ItaparicaIsland. Year’s Evepartyonasandybeach Y “I don’t foranything,” wanttoask God Beatriz deJesusSantanalistenedas “I wanttofindlove,”chimedinathird. “I wanttogetrich,”saidanother. Iwantayearfilledwithblessings,” “God, The nextMonday atwork,Beatrizdidn’t they made wishes to God ataNewthey madewishestoGod oung peopleraisedglassesofwineas sympathetically satdownbesideherand holiday weekend. feel sowell.Shewasexhaustedafterthe with thetelevision program,Beatrizasked and theseventh-daySabbath. she heardabouttheTen Commandments spoke thetruth.Shewas astonished when along inherBibletoverify thatthepastor Written” broadcasts,andshefollowed Church’s HopeChannel. affiliate oftheSeventh-dayAdventist on NovoTempo television,theBrazilian language “ItIsWritten” televisionprogram Ivan Saraiva,hostedthePortuguese- pastor’s name.Shelearnedthatthepastor, party anddrink. main reasonthatBeatrizhadbegunto often quarreled.Theargumentswerea father, whodrankheavily, andthetwo demeanor. Shelivedwithherdivorced and wasamazedbythepastor’s peaceful following day. Beatrizwatchedeachvideo phone. Anothershortvideoarrivedthe Christina viaWhatsApponhercell another three-minutevideofromAna didn’t speaklikeherfriends. saw apastorspeakaboutJesus.The a three-minutevideo. pulled outhercellphone.Onit,sheplayed BRAZIL Beatriz deJesusSantana,23 Her boss,AnaChristina, After threeweeks ofstudyingtheBible Beatriz beganwatchingthe“ItIs After severaldays,Beatrizgoogledthe The nextmorning,Beatrizreceived Beatriz watchedwithinterestasshe

| June1 She also was surprised about how she Story Tips was treated, and she wondered, “Why do those people care so much about me?  Watch a video of Beatriz at the link: They don’t know me, but they tell me, bit.ly/Beatriz-Santana ‘Have a great day!’ They want to know  Find photos for this story at the link: about my knowledge of the Bible and bit.ly/fb-mq how I am studying it. They care about me Mission Post before they know who I really am.” Two young people at the church  Brazil has 9,006 churches and 8,813 — Amanda and Vitor — gave Bible companies. With 1,666,125 members, studies to Beatriz every Sabbath. Finally, that’s one member for every 125 people in Brazil. Beatriz gave her heart to Jesus and was baptized in a swimming pool in the yard  In 1939, Adventist medical work was established in Brazil, with the foundation of the house church. Ana Christina wept of Boa Vista Clinic (Good View Clinic) with joy at the sight. under the direction of Dr. Antonio Today, Beatriz is praying for her father, Alves de Miranda. In 1942 the clinic mother, and older brother to accept Jesus. was replaced by Casa de Saude Liberdade Her brother is already studying the Bible (Sao Paulo Adventist Hospital), under the direction of Dr. Galdino Nunes with “It Is Written.” Vieira, a university teacher who left “I didn’t used to believe in miracles,” his job to dedicate himself to medical Beatriz said. “I thought miracles were missionary work. impossible. But God has performed a true miracle in my life. I had an emptiness that God to forgive her for her past life. She partying and drinking could not fill. It was opened her heart to God and, for the first an emptiness that was just the right size time, believed that He was listening when for Jesus to fill.” she prayed. Beatriz celebrated last New Year’s Eve at Beatriz searched for a church to the home of her fiancé, an Adventist man, attend. A friend invited her to a Sunday and his family. They drank unfermented church, but she remembered the fourth grape juice and praised God for His blessings. “I want to grow closer to God,” commandment about the seventh-day BRAZIL Sabbath and wondered why her friend’s Beatriz said. “I want the love for God in church didn’t obey the Bible. my heart to never end.” Ana Christina saw Beatriz’s new Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth relationship with God and invited her to Sabbath Offering will help the Sharing the Sharing Jesus house church, where Jesus house church move from rented dozens of people gather in small groups premises to a larger building, where it to study the Bible on Sabbaths and other also will offer healthy cooking classes days of the week. and health seminars. Thank you for your Beatriz immediately fell in love with the mission offering.  house church. “I was hugged, and I felt AdventistMission.org welcomed,” she said. “I felt peace.” By Andrew McChesney 21 22

Adventist Mission South American Division Fast Answer to Two Prayers won’t gowithyou this time.” told hiswifeandthreeteenage children.“I of 3millionpeopleinBrazil. from thestreetinSalvador, acoastalcity the familytraditionofwatchingfireworks Bible tohim. wished thatsomeonewouldexplainthe he anxiouslyponderedtheirmeaning.He But partsoftheBibleconfusedhim,and Bible onhisown. Brazilian bankmanagerbegantostudythe overcome withadesiretoreadtheBible. understand whyhesuddenlywas G On NewYear’s Eve,hedecided toskip Gilberto wasamazedbywhatheread. Unable toresisttheurge,retired After hisfamily leftthehouse,he Gilberto had aplan.Hewantedtopray. “Watch thefireworks withoutme,”he joining achurch,andhecouldn’t ilberto neverhadanyinterestin and torevealHistruechurch. toteachhimtheBible pleaded withGod just theplace,” hesaid.“Peoplejuststudy traffic isterrible.” where heattendedanAdventist church. Alvaro said,referringtothe citydistrict but Gilbertodidn’t knowthat. study theBible.” Don’t trytoconvertme.Ijustwant added, “Butdon’t metoapastor. introduce the Bible?”Gilbertoasked.Hequickly man, Alvaro,aftersigningthecontract. man wasaChristian.Hewentovertothe desk andabruptlyrememberedthatthe co-worker sittingnearthebankdirector’s that heowned. sign anewcontractonsomeinvestments bank directorwantedhimtocomein the bankwhereheusedtowork.The year, Gilbertoreceivedaphonecallfrom day, Jan.1,wasaSunday. 31 fellonaSaturdaythatyear. Thenext prayed ontheseventh-daySabbath.Dec. said later. than anyotherprayerinmylife,”Gilberto BRAZIL Gilberto FerreiradaSilva,68 “God answeredthatprayermorequickly “God Alvaro thought foramoment.“Iknow “That’s sofaraway,” Gilbertosaid.“The “You canstudytheBibleinCabula,” Alvaro wasaSeventh-dayAdventist, “Alvaro, doyouknowwhereIcanstudy At thebank,Gilbertosawaformer On Monday, thefirstworkdayof Without knowingit,Gilbertohad

| June8 “Mom, I’m going to be baptized into my Story Tips sister’s church,” he said. Ten minutes after the telephone  Pronounce Gilberto as: zhu-BER-tu conversation ended, Gilberto’s mother  Watch a video of Gilberto at the link: called back. bit.ly/Gilberto-Silva “Why can’t we be baptized together?”  Find photos for this story at the link: she said. bit.ly/fb-mq “Are you prepared for baptism?” Gilberto asked. Fast Fact “Every day, my daughter gives me Bible lessons,” she said. “I can’t lose this  Brazil is the only country in South opportunity to go into the water with you.” America that speaks Portuguese. She was baptized at the age of 84. Gilberto was 56. Today, Gilberto is 68 and a co-leader of the Bible there. It’s not a church.” the Sharing Jesus house church. Part of The next day, on Tuesday, Alvaro this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering took Gilberto to the Sharing Jesus house will help the house church move from church, where people meet in small groups to sing and study the Bible. Gilberto, rented premises into a larger building, however, felt uncomfortable going where it will also offer healthy cooking somewhere he knew no one, so he asked a classes and health seminars. family friend, Regina, to come along. His Gilberto said he marvels at how wife refused to go. God answered his New Year’s prayer to Gilberto was fascinated by the Bible understand the Bible and know God’s true study and asked Regina to join him at the church by leading him to the Adventist next meeting. house church in just three days. “Fine, I’ll go with you,” she replied. “How did I come to this church?” “But I won’t join the church.” he said in an interview at the house Regina accompanied Gilberto to every church. “It was the love of God. But what meeting, and she often wore a swimsuit prompted me to stay was the welcoming under her clothing so she could swim at and loving environment that I found.” BRAZIL the beach afterward. He added: “I think this church has Gilberto was baptized at the end of broken the prejudices of many people. the year, on Dec. 31, 2006. Regina was I came from the world, and we have baptized the next year. baptized people just like me — physicians, “Guess who was baptized with me,” dentists, and lawyers — who normally Gilberto said with a twinkle in his eye. wouldn’t go to church. We welcome “My mother.” people who don’t want to go to church Shortly before his baptism, he and, once they are baptized, they almost announced the news to his mother, who never leave the church.”  lived in the Brazilian countryside with his AdventistMission.org sister, Odete, an Adventist. By Andrew McChesney 23 24

Adventist Mission South American Division from anoldfriend, BrazilianpastorLuis studies atUniversitéduQuébec àMontréal. Montreal, Canada,topursue post-doctoral had ason,andwaswidowed. Shemovedto Marx’s teachingsonhuman rights. German philosopherandsociologistKarl into sociologystudiesandembraced that offended her.herself immersed Maria prominent churchmembersaidsomething going tochurchattheageof22aftera director whileinherteens.Butshestopped class andservedasherchurch’s youth mother, MariataughtaSabbathSchool known tofriendsasMarita. ideals ofChristinmylife,”saidMaria, inhercommunity.powerhouse forGod aside herfaithinMarxismtobecomea and 38yearspassedbeforeshecouldcast M Raised by a Seventh-day Adventist Raised byaSeventh-dayAdventist “The idealsofMarxismreplacedthe But sheleftthechurchasayoungadult, While there, shereceivedasurprisevisit Twenty-five yearspassed.Mariamarried, in Brazil. arita wasbaptizedattheageof12

Santana, andhiswife,Leoni.PastorLuis but Hewasn’t theSonofGod.” that Jesuswas agreatrevolutionaryleader, her graduatesociologyclass, “Inowbelieve that peopleneededChrist tochange. their ownpower, whileAdventistsbelieved that peoplecouldchangetheworldthrough with Adventism.ShesawthatMarxtaught Adventist message.ShecomparedMarxism Marxismtocounteractthe introduced wondered whetherthedevilmighthave movement beganin1844,andshe that hermotherhadsaidtheAdventist manuscript in1844.Sheremembered for aclassthatMarxwrotehisfirst Maria alwaysfoundanexcusenottogo. invite hertoattendaBiblestudygroup. to wife calledhereveryweekforthreeyears teach asauniversityprofessor. PastorLuis’ was unmoved. Maria listenedpolitelybut Christ. to return Jesus’ loveforher. Theyinvitedherto every day. TheyspokeabouttheBibleand as youngadults. and Mariahadattendedthesamechurch days toseeMariabeforeflyinghome.He States andstoppedinMontrealforeight had attendedaweddingintheUnited Adventist toMarxist BRAZIL Maria Palmeira,70 A shorttimelater, Mariaannouncedto One day, Marianoticedwhilepreparing Two yearslater, shereturnedtoBrazil Pastor LuisandhiswifevisitedMaria

| June15 Maria couldn’t sleep that night. The next day, a female student, Story Tips Dinalva, approached her in tears. “You told the class that you don’t  Know that Maria prefers to go by her nickname, Marita believe that Christ is the Son of God,” Dinalva said. “I couldn’t sleep all night. I  Watch a video of Marita singing felt that God wanted me to tell you that “Maravilhosa Graca” (Wonderful Grace of Jesus) at the Sharing Jesus house you weren’t speaking from your heart. You church. The link: bit.ly/Marita-Palmeira didn’t want to admit that you believe in Jesus because you are a Marxist.”  Find photos for this story at the link: Maria didn’t know what to say. bit.ly/fb-mq Two weeks later, Maria was eating lunch at a café when she heard a She didn’t want to go to church. choir rehearsing “Maravilhosa Graca” “Why don’t we have meetings in a (Wonderful Grace of Jesus) in a Sunday house?” she asked Pastor Luis. church next door. It was a hymn that she The two discussed the idea of had sung in the Adventist choir as a teen. establishing a meeting place for people Maria slipped into the church’s back who like the Bible but don’t want to go to pew to listen. Moments later, Dinalva church. The pastor asked Maria to draft entered the church and walked straight a plan for such a house church. Church to Maria. She hugged the professor and, leaders then revised the proposal, and the crying, said, “I knew that I would find you Sharing Jesus house church was born. here! I was at home feeding my child, and Sharing Jesus began with 13 people I had the strong impression that I needed in 2004. It has now baptized more than to come here.” 200 people. Maria was shocked. Dinalva didn’t live “People learn how to love the nearby, and Maria had chosen a café far Adventist Church here. They are from the university campus. converted and baptized, and then we After the song finished, the two parted send them to Adventist churches around ways. The experience convinced Maria Salvador,” said Maria, now 70 and a that God wanted her to study the Bible, co-leader of the house church. and she accepted the invitation of Pastor The house church will receive part BRAZIL Luis’ wife to join the weekly Bible study. of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Maria studied with Pastor Luis and his Offering to move out of its rented wife for 10 years, but she couldn’t accept premises and into a larger building, the Bible as the Word of God. Finally, where it will also offer healthy cooking the wife said, “You need to ask God for classes and health seminars. faith. You have lost your faith. I will pray “We have a lot of music,” Maria said. for you.” “Many small groups study the Bible and As the wife prayed, a desire grew in pray. And we are really happy, waiting for Maria’s heart to read the Bible at home. Jesus’ coming.”  She read the Bible for two months and AdventistMission.org was rebaptized. But she had a problem. By Andrew McChesney 25 26

Adventist Mission South American Division an evangelistic seriesand,afterward,they Several youngpeoplewere conducting Adventist Church,andwe wentinside. we passedbelongedtothe Seventh-day half-brother, and me.Thefirstchurchthat stepfather, youngersister, ahalf-sister, a will enterthefirstchurchthatwefind.” shesaid.“Let’slack God,” gotochurch.We she saw. came tovisit,andshewasshockedbywhat andneverwenttochurch. God with yellingandchaos.Igrewupwithout wasfilled over time,andmychildhood Aracaju, Brazil. M Unforgettable Proposal came toourhome togiveBiblestudies. We leftthehousebyfoot:mymother, “Your familyisreallybeautiful,butyou One daywhenIwas18,akindlyaunt The argumentsseemedtogrowworse constantly inourhome y motherandstepfatherargued conversation andrecommendedme. old half-brother hadoverheardthe to recommendastudent, and my12-year- school thatdayandasked theprincipal if Iwantedthejob.Hehad visitedmy was lookingforasecretary andasked old businessmannamedRafaelsaidhe telephone rangoneevening.A26-year- my stepfather. my younghalf-siblings,soIstayedwith attending church.Ididn’t wanttoleave it anymore,andsheleft.We stopped and thefightinggrewworsethanbefore. But thenmyparentsresumedtheirarguing, attending church. siblings participated,andweallbegan the Biblestudies.Butmymotherand BRAZIL Grecielly Nascimento,20 Several monthspassed,andthe One daymymothercouldn’t take Peace filledourhome— forashorttime. I wasinschoolatthetimeandmissed

| June22 I accepted the job. Soon I noticed that my new boss didn’t Story Tips act like other bosses. He prayed before work. He didn’t eat certain foods. One  Pronounce Grecielly as: gray-SYEL-lee day, I was riding in his car and he turned  Read about an 8-year-old girl in on music that I had heard long ago in the Grecielly’s Sabbath School class at the Adventist church. I began to sing along link: bit.ly/Grecielly-class with the song. Rafael heard me and asked,  Watch a video of Marita at the link: bit. “Do you know the Adventist Church?” ly/Grecielly-Nascimento I nodded my head.  Find photos for this story at the link: Rafael said he was an Adventist and bit.ly/fb-mq invited me to go to church with him. I refused, but he kept insisting, so I finally Mission Post went one Sabbath. Then I went a second  Leo B. Halliwell was a pioneer in boat Sabbath and a third Sabbath. After that, medical-missionary work, beginning his I couldn’t stop going. I loved worshipping well-known welfare ministry in 1931 God, and I began taking Bible studies. with a launch on the Amazon River, When I learned about tithe, I immediately designed and built by himself — the first of a series of such craft named Luzeiro started returning 10 percent of my income (Light Bearer). Other boats were to God. subsequently built and used on branches I was baptized in February 2017. My of the Amazon. These launches still 12-year-old half-brother, Jenivaldo, was give assistance to thousands of people. Besides distributing clothing and food, baptized a few months later. My sisters saw medical help is given for many issues, that I was praying and my behavior had the most common being malaria, changed. My clothes were not the same as intestinal parasites, malnutrition, skin before, and I spoke differently. Both sisters diseases, general and tropical diseases, and tooth extraction. — Yasmim, 18, and my 15-year-old half- sister, Evelim — were baptized together. In July 1900, the first issue of O Arauto Five months after my baptism, Rafael da Verdade (The Herald of Truth), the first Adventist periodical in Portuguese, proposed to me, and I accepted. We are was published. now constructing a new home, and we BRAZIL will get married after it is built. I am praying for my parents to find God. My siblings and I are strong in God. Our lives have changed completely. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth The way we speak, our friendships, our Sabbath Offering will help our church clothes — everything. I serve in the in Aracaju acquire a new building so we children’s and music departments in my will have space for all the people who church, while my sisters work in the worship on Sabbaths. church reception. My brother is too Thank you for your mission offering. young to hold a position in the church, but he is a Pathfinder.  By Grecielly Nascimento, as told to Andrew McChesney AdventistMission.org 27 28

Adventist Mission South American Division Tired Missionaries battered pickup truckssecuredbythe many riding in thebackofthreerented in Democracia. series atanopen-aircommunity center during themonth-longevangelistic by visitinghomesintwoothervillages. home. ThreeBibleworkershelpedthem village, wheretheyalsovisitedevery minutes alongamuddyroadtoanother invitation cardstoevangelisticmeetings. the doorsofeveryhometodistribute village ofDemocraciaandknockedon docked theirboatattheremoteBrazilian T The missionariesdidthiseveryday Then themissionarieswalked45 Pastor Renoandhiswife,Natalia, People flockedtothemeetings, exhausting. he hotAmazonsunmadetheirwork 13 They didn’t wantdivisioninDemocracia. denomination hadenteredthatcommunity. village whenarivalSunday neighboring about howfamilieshadbeen splitina denomination, andtheyspoke withworry villagers belongedtoasingle Sunday had hiredworkerstoconstruct.The Adventist churchbuildingthatReno their dailyvisits. resembled door-to-door salespeoplewith apparent indifferencediscouragedthem. long morningwalksandthevillagers’ week, RenoandNataliagrewweary. The gathering of150people. few Democraciavillagersjoinedthedaily missionaries. Otherpeoplewalked.But Guerra, 32 Natalia GalvaoMarinho Reno AguiarGuerra,32 bit.ly/fb-mq the link:bit.ly/Reno-Guerra to havereadit. familiar enoughwiththematerialsoasnot memorize thestory, butheorsheshouldbe Others lookedsuspiciouslyatarising Some peoplegrumbledthatthecouple As themeetingsenteredtheirsecond th SABBATH Find photosforthisstoryatthelink: Watch avideoofRenoandNataliaat Note: Thenarratordoesn’t needto

| May29

Thirteenth Sabbath Program

 Congregational “Tis Love That Makes Us Happy” Song The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, No.579  Welcome Superintendent or Sabbath School teacher  Prayer  Program “Tired Missionaries”

 Offering  Closing Song “I’ll Go Where You Want Me to Go” The Seventh-day Adventist Hymnal, No. 573  Closing Prayer

After one particularly tiring day, Reno logo on the card. “This has been my church and Natalia collapsed on their boat. for four years, and I want to be baptized.” “Why are we here?” Reno said. “The The missionaries learned that the field doesn’t appear to be ripe. It seems woman had watched Novo Tempo like no one will accept the Bible.” television, the Brazilian affiliate of Hope “I don’t want to do this work anymore,” Channel, for the past four years and Natalia said. “I love this work, but they prayed for a preacher like those on the aren’t accepting the truth.” channel to come to her village. In despair, Natalia opened the Bible app The woman was among 50 people on her cell phone and pressed a button to baptized when the meetings ended in randomly choose a verse. “Please God,” December 2017. she prayed. “Show us why we’re here.” Also baptized were two sisters, Galatians 6:9 stared back at her, Franciene, 19, and Delciene, 16, who reading, “And let us not grow weary while began attending after the missionaries doing good, for in due season we shall reap read the Bible promise. The sisters’ if we do not lose heart.” parents forbade them from going to the “That’s our answer!” Natalia exclaimed. meetings, but they went anyway. The next day, a middle-aged woman “Our father doesn’t accept our faith, cried out with joy when Reno and Natalia and he didn’t want us to be baptized today, stopped by her home with an invitation so we came by ourselves,” Franciene said card to the evangelistic meetings. in a video recording that Reno made on “That’s my church!” she said, pointing the day of the baptism. “Grandmother to the Adventist Church’s Hope Channel came to our home last night to talk with AdventistMission.org 29 30

Adventist Mission South American Division . . . his owndiscouragementjustweeksearlier. their newfoundfaith,Renoremembered be withJesus.” doesn’t acceptourfaith,westillwantto would beatus.Butevenifourfamily him. Hesaidthatifwegotbaptized,he boat for the Democracia meetings, the boat boat fortheDemocraciameetings, shoreline madeitimpossibletousethe Amazon River. Whileanespecially muddy — travelstoremotevillagesalongthe sound system,andseatsfor150people with airconditioning,aprojectorand in operation. 2017, theboatchurch’s firstfull12months 286 peopleandplantedthreechurchesin Thirteenth Sabbathproject.Renobaptized (Amazon ofHope)boatchurch,a2016 Reno, pastoroftheAmazoniadeEsperanca evangelistic seriesorganizedin2017by divide thecommunity,” saidanother. church,” saidone. changing theirminds. new churchmightcreatearift,endedup working ontheirhearts.” was accept theBible,”hesaid.“ButGod

The ThirteenthSabbath Offering nextquarterwillhelptheSouthPacificDivision to: The boat — which has a meeting hall The boat—whichhasameetinghall Democracia wasthelastsiteofthree “You careforusanddon’t wantto “Wow, thisisadifferentkindof The villagers,whohadworriedthata “I thoughtabouthowIsaidnoonewould As helistenedtothesistersspeakabout following the adventuresofDanieland histhreefriends,inAustralia. “DanielChildren’sProduce Series,”a13-part animatedseriesforchildren aged8-12 Construct HopeTVand radio studiosinTongatapu, Tonga. Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands,Samoa,AmericanKiribati,and Tonga. “Save 10,000Toes,” acampaignto preventtoeamputationsthroughhealthservicesin Future Thirteenth SabbathProjects television andothermeans.” people intheAmazonjunglethrough ispreparing be worriedaboutbecauseGod arrive,” Renosaid.“We havenothingto whoispreparingpeoplebeforewe is God Adventist work. discouragement hasnoplaceinthe Natalia, both32,areconvincedthat was usedfortheotherevangelisticseries. By AndrewMcChesney willing tosay, ‘HereIam,sendme!” “Jesus onlyneedsonepersonwhois and waitingtoknowJesus,”Nataliasaid. been forgottenbyGod.” Reno said.“Butthesepeoplehavenot political, economic,andhealthsystems,” saving peoplewhohavebeenforgottenby Offering infourthquarter2016. church throughtheThirteenthSabbath contributing tothepurchaseofboat church membersaroundtheworldfor every dayforourwork.” to becomeamissionary. “IthanktheLord said Natalia,whoquitherjobasalawyer only thetoolstoguidepeopleHim,” “It isn’t uswhoaredoingthework.It After Democracia,Renoand “Villagers arewaitingformissionaries “The boatchurchisGod’s wayof The coupleexpressedgratitudeto “The Lorddoeseverything,andweare  Leader’s Resources YOUTH & ADULT Mission Following are sources of information that may be helpful in preparing for the mission segment of Sabbath School. For more information on the cultures and history of the countries featured in EDITORIAL this quarterly, visit your local library or a travel agency, or visit the Andrew McChesney Editor websites listed below. Wendy Trim Editorial Assistant Emily Harding Layout Editor Argentina: government website argentina.gob.ar Lonely Planet bit.ly/LPUruguay OFFICE OF ADVENTIST MISSION Gary Krause Director Rick Kajiura Communication Director Brazil: government website bit.ly/BrazilGov Homer Trecartin Global Mission Centers Director Brazil Travel Information bit.ly/BrazTrav Jeff Scoggins Program Director

Paraguay: government website bit.ly/ParGov COMMUNICATION TEAM World Travel Guide bit.ly/WTGParaguay Andrew McChesney Editor, Mission Laurie Falvo Projects Manager Kayla Ewert Projects Manager Peru: government website peru.gob.pe Ricky Oliveras Video Producer Earley Simon Video Producer Visit Peru http://bit.ly/Visit-Peru Donna Rodill Editorial Assistant

Uruguay: government website portal.gub.uy Special thanks to the following: Sergio Casiano (Uruguay); Jose Manuel Ccanccapa (Peru); BBC Country Profile bit.ly/UruguayBBC Edison Choque (SAD); Max Choque (Peru); Amilton Costa Cunha (Brazil); Gabriel Darrichón Seventh-day Adventist (Argentina); Gino Pomacaja Espinoz (Peru); Tiago de Souza Ferreira (Brazil); Andy Frasqueri South American Division bit.ly/SADiv (Paraguay); Pomacaja Gino (Peru); Ana Cecilia Argentina Union Conference ua.adventistas.org Lopez Huaringa (Brazil); Heyssen J. Cordero East Brazil Union Mission ulb.adventistas.org Maravi (Peru); Egan Schmidt (Argentina); Consuelo Marcel Jaimes Soncco (Peru); and North Brazil Union Mission unb.adventistas.org Alisson Lopes de Souza (Brazil). Northeast Brazil Union Mission uneb.adventistas.org Website: AdventistMission.org South Brazil Union Conference usb.adventistas.org West Central Brazil Union Mission ucob.adventistas.org Mission (ISSN 0190-4108) is produced and copyrighted © 2019 by the Office of Adventist Paraguay Union of Churches Mission up.adventistas.org Mission, General Conference of Seventh-day North Peru Union Mission upn.adventistas.org Adventists®, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver South Peru Union Mission upsur.adventistas.org Spring, MD 20904, U.S.A. Uruguay Union of Churches Mission uu.adventistas.org Printed in U.S.A. Second Quarter 2019 An offering goal device will help focus attention on world missions Volume 108, Number 2 and increase weekly mission giving. Determine a goal for your class’s ADVENTIST® and SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST® are the registered trademarks of the General weekly mission offering. Multiply it by 14, allowing a double goal for Conference of Seventh-day Adventists®. the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering. Permission is granted to reproduce material Remind your Sabbath School members that their regular weekly from this quarterly for local Sabbath Schools mission offerings will help the missionary work of the world church and children’s ministries programs. Permission to reproduce any portion of this material for and that one quarter of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will sale, publication in another periodical, or other go directly to the projects in the South American Division. On commercial use must be authorized in writing the twelfth Sabbath, report on mission giving during the quarter. by the editor at the above address. Encourage members to double or triple their normal mission giving on For subscription inquiries, e-mail Rebecca Hilde at [email protected] or Thirteenth Sabbath. Count the offering and record the amount given call 1-800-545-2449 or 1-208-465-2527 Annual at the end of Sabbath School. subscription rates per edition: domestic, Unless otherwise noted, Bible texts are from the New King James U.S.$7.50; international, U.S.$14.50. North Version ® Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by American Division churches can receive a

complimentary subscription by contacting the AdventistMission.org Permission. All rights reserved. above telephone numbers or e-mail address. 31 Cuba Mali Dom. Rep. Mauritania Nouakchott Belize Jamaica Haiti Honduars Niger Chad CapeV erde Senegal Niamey Bamako Gambia El Salvador Nicaragua Burkina Faso Caracas Guinea-Bsisau Nigeria Benin N'Djamena Panama Trindi ad & Tobago Guinea Abuja Costa Rica Cote Togo Venezuela Guyana Sierra Leone d'Ivoire Paramaribo Ghana Central African Republic Bogota French Guiana Georgetown Liberia Cameroon Surinmae Bangui Colombia Equaotrial Guinea Yaounde Quito Libreville Congo São Tomé Ecuador Gabon and Príncipe Democratic Republic Brazzaville of theC ongo Peru Kinshasa 1 Brazil Luanda

Angola Lima 2 4 3 Brasilia La Paz SOUTH AMERICAN DIVISION Bolivia CONFERENCE CHURCHES COMPANIES MEMBERSHIP POPULATION Namibia Argentina Union Conference 606 438 116,391 44,293,000 Bolivia Union Mission 424 702 116,480 11,146,000 Paraguay Central Brazil Union Conference 1,181 845 264,059 45,042,612 Windhoek Chile Chile Union Mission 677 339 102,481 18,374,000 Gaborone Asuncion East Brazil Union Mission 1,061 1,534 206,881 16,586,989 Ecuador Union Mission 278 416 58,865 16,777,000 North Brazil Union Mission 1,657 1,393 291,905 16,295,989 North Peru Union Mission 1,340 1,749 209,891 15,925,368 SouthA frica Santiago Northeast Brazil Union Mission 989 1,464 213,683 33,361,049 Argentina Uruguay Northwest Brazil Union Mission 952 776 170,188 7,233,424

Buenos Aires Paraguay Union of Churches Mission 61 95 12,519 6,811,000 Montevideo South Brazil Union Conference 1,153 968 185,557 30,305,551 South Peru Union Mission 1,155 1,478 191,293 15,912,632 Southeast Brazil Union Conference 1,306 1,097 207,719 41,820,828 Uruguay Union of Churches Mission 59 50 7,890 3,457,000 West Central Brazil Union Mission 707 736 126,133 17,210,560 Division Totals 13,606 14,080 2,481,935 340,553,000

PROJECTS 1 Establish a church and medical center in Pucallpa, Peru

2 Open a youth-focused community center with English-language school in Cusco, Peru

3 Plant a church and health-focused community center in Aruana, Brazil

4 Acquire property for a church and community center in Salvador, Brazil