Agnosticbecomes
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News of God’s Work from Around the World Feb-Mar 2008 | Vol 14 No 1 HARTLAND MINISTRY REPORT Agnosticbecomes Soul Winnerp. 2 A Glimpse The Power of “I Was in Breaking Barriers | 5 of God | 8 the Pen | 10 Kidney Failure” | 13 ✱ MISSIONARY TRAINING FUND Agnostic becomes Soulby Rachel Perry Winner few years ago, Mike Kwon was an Aagnostic. Then someone at his univer- sity gave him a Bible. “Once I read it, I began to realize that the God of heaven really was faithful in little things, I have been trained real, and that I could have a personal expe- to be ready for the bigger responsibilities.” rience with Him.” Mike started going to Truly the Lord has honored Mike’s church regularly and was later baptized. faithfulness. Mike recently has been given Mike’s parents, also Seventh-day the “bigger responsibility” of coordinating Adventists, wanted him to study for Hartland’s outreach activities. Almost every the ministry. They suggested Andrews afternoon, he can be found in a nearby town University. But Mike, impressed by the visiting Bible study contacts and opening dedication and godliness of Hartland God’s Word to hungry souls. Now he is in students at his church the process of starting a prison (such as Douglas Na’a, “When I saw ministry. David Casas, and Michelle the character of Unfortunately, Mike’s Chai), replied, “What about Hartland graduates, parents can no longer support Hartland?” I sensed the Lord him in his studies at Hartland Now a junior, Mike says, calling me to work College. He tried to support “My experience here has as a missionary.” himself through work drastically increased my scholarship, but soon realized spirituality. I’ve realized if he wanted to graduate, that a worldly lifestyle can only be selfish; it would take him nine years! Mike has a but when we are laboring for souls deep burden to go out and finish the work without having self in mind, that’s when quickly. He realizes that we don’t have much we are able to grow spiritually.” time left on this earth! Now, because of the Classes provide much-needed theory, Missionary Training Fund, Mike is looking but the most integral and unique part forward to graduating in a couple of years. of Hartland’s educational program is “My vision is to take the everlasting vocational training, where students learn to gospel to the world,” says Mike. “After apply the theoretical in a practical way. “My graduation, I plan to work in the South as a most important lesson was learned in the Bible worker, bringing truth into the homes gardens, experiencing with my own hands and watching the Holy Spirit change lives the principles of how God’s government through the truth of God’s Word.” works. In the kitchen, I learned Without your gifts to the Missionary righteousness by faith from washing Training Fund, Mike would not be able to dishes; I learned how to be faithful in the fulfill his goal for many years. Thank you least. By applying these lessons and being for helping to hasten Christ’s coming! 2 HARTLAND MINISTRY REPORT | Feb-Mar 2008 ✱ PIEdmont VALLEY YoutH BibLE Camp Embers to Flames June 15-22, 2008 Ages 12-17 his year at camp, unite with us as Twe reconnect with God or find that connection we have never had. Join us as we bind together to create our own great stories in being faithful ambassadors of God. get involved Mail Web P.O. Box 1, Rapidan, VA 22733 www.pvybc.com [email protected] 540-672-3100 | [email protected] | www.hartland.edu | www.egntv.com 3 ✱ COLportEuring Planting Seeds in Winter Students plant seeds of God's truth in North Carolina. by Leilani Hortaleza “If there is one work more important than another, it is that of getting our publications before the public, thus leading them to search the Scriptures. Missionary work—introducing our publications into families, conversing, and praying with and for them—is a good work and one which will educate men and women to do pastoral labor.” ~ Testimonies, vol. 4, p. 390. This December, five students took up the challenge of literature evangelism in North Carolina under the leadership of ReNeita Samuel, a Hartland graduate. The stories they share are just a few examples of God's faithfulness as they sought to be faithful in His work. “I had just gone through a whole block of businesses, and no one would take even one piece of literature. It was very disappointing. So I took time to agonize with God, because I knew the spiritual warfare that was taking place, and I deeply desired to reach the people. At the next business, a lady asked me how I was doing. I couldn't lie, so I told her, and she asked if she could pray with me. The Lord truly answered her powerful prayer, because she took some books, and many others did the same. Her name was Angela, and she truly was an angel to me.” Aaron Wilson, Sophomore England “We were almost finished for the day, so I started running between houses. I met a man who told me that he was studying the book of Daniel, so I showed him The Great Controversy and God's Answers.* He was very excited about the books, but he had no money, so I suggested that we go inside his house to hunt for change. He found enough to get a book. There are people waiting for someone to help them understand the prophecies and be ready for Jesus' second coming. I recently read, ‘The lost sheep of God's fold are scattered in every place, and the work that should be done for them is being neglected. From the light given me I know that where there is one canvasser in the field, there should be one hundred.’ Testimonies, vol. 6, p. 340.” Giancarlo de Miranda, Junior *God's Answers is an abridged version Brazil of Bible Readings for the Home. “The man I was canvassing was not interested, but his daughter wanted the books. She even urged her father to sign up for Bible studies after taking the book I was offering. Canvassing this winter has helped me realize my dependence on God for everything! We must first spend personal time with God in order to work with people in His wisdom and not our own.” Jesse Foster Tennessee Aaron, Giancarlo, and a few other students are colporteuring on Sunday and Wednesday afternoons during this term. Please pray for them as they touch more lives with truth-filled literature and lead them to search the Scriptures. 4 HARTLAND MINISTRY REPORT | Feb-Mar 2008 ✱ MISSION TRIP Breaking Barriers A Hartland college student and his Romanian friends win the trust of skeptical villagers. hat is happening here!” the teacher “Wdemanded. “If you don’t leave now, I will call the police!” I had suspected some- thing like this might happen, but we had already promised to do the Vacation Bible School. We couldn’t stop now. padlocked. “Are we still going to have our Last summer, I organized a group of youth meeting?” they clamored. We found an open from my church in Romania to do mission field, and continued meeting there for the rest work in a small village. The church was dying, of the week. Although it was very rainy that and my friends and I wanted to do something season, the Lord always stopped the rain just worthwhile during our summer vacation. before our meetings. Following the pastor’s advice, we planned a At the beginning, the villagers were very two-part program: Vacation Bible School for skeptical. We learned later that the priests one week, followed by a health expo the next were threatening not to baptize their children week. “This is great!” the pastor enthused. or perform their weddings if they attended “It’s unusual to see young people organizing our meetings. In spite of this, we had a steady everything themselves. I wish more young attendance at both the children’s meetings people would come and do what you are doing.” and the health expo. The principal of the local elementary The one Adventist in that village, a little school gave us permission to use the school old lady, kept us informed of the village talk. for our children’s meetings. It seemed the Several women told her, “It’s so nice the way perfect neutral meeting place! However, on those young college students talk to us. We the second day a teacher and a priest from can see that they’re different. Even though the village burst through the door, shouting they’re educated, they don’t look down on us.” threats and angry words. They thought Others thanked us personally, saying, we were trying to hide something, but the “We’ve never had anybody come to our principal had simply forgotten to tell them village and do something for us without we were coming. having any other interest. But we see that you The teacher soon calmed down and left, really care. Thank you.” but the priest stayed to see what we were By God’s grace, walls have been broken doing. After watching the children sing down in that village. After I graduate, I enthusiastically about Creation, he asked want to go back and start a ministry there, them, “I see that you like to sing. What if continuing what we started. In the meantime, we have a meeting tonight at the Orthodox I pray that God will continue to break down church in the village at 4:00? Will you barriers in the people’s minds and prepare the come?” But the children chorused, “No!” way for His truth.