July 8, 1999

World Edition

A New Mood in India

Our Candidate Is Winning Waiting for a Visa LETTERS

A Horn Player’s Dilemma conflict resolution? This, from the came to admire the hardworking jani- I loved Bert Williams’s piece (May same church that takes people to torial staff. Not much thought is given 13 World court to prevent them from using its to them, but I sure do like to see them Edition). His name? Doesn’t the church realize that cleaning up after everybody. Oh, and comparison of the court’s power is based on the gov- I’m sure you would consider their job playing the ernment’s ability to enforce the law nonhumanitarian as well as those of French horn to a against unwilling citizens? Using vio- many other support people who, Christian’s lent means as required? How can the although they have no patient contact, attempt to live a church support (and make use of) make your stay more comfortable. Christlike life government power to enforce its was one of the rights and then reject the use of gov- —Kimberly M. Trewitt best illustrations ernment power to enforce the rights B ELTON, TEXAS I’ve ever read. My favorite part of those who are victims of “ethnic (because I could identify with it so cleansing”? well) was “It’s not that the miscues Perhaps the church also believes Since, in the final analysis, each one don’t matter. (What self-respecting the Israelites should have negotiated of us must come individually before musician wants wrong notes?) It’s with the Canaanites. the judgment seat, and because what just that to focus on them will only is acceptable Sabbath activity varies make them worse and bring more in —Douglas Kingsfield across time and culture, I believe that their train.” This is so true. We need A URORA, COLORADO it would have been more appropriate to focus on Christ and hang on for Elder Rock to refer the writer to loosely to everything else—includ- James 1:5 as the ultimate place for an ing our own performance. Abiding Principles answer to the question. I also empathized with his anguish I found it interesting to read Calvin over the missed notes. I used to play Rock’s thoughts on “the growing ten- —Jane Guiles, R.N., Ph.D. the clarinet, and it’s a humbling expe- dency in our churches to sanction any S ILVER S PRING, MARYLAND rience when instead of a clear, true and all humanitarian-related wage note, you hear something closer to the earning on the Sabbath, i.e., ambu- sound of fingernails being scraped lance drivers, hospital dietitians, police Who Said It? across a chalkboard. officers, firefighters—even physicians I’m grateful and disappointed at the and nurses who labor under common, same time. See, there was this Ellen —Cheryl Campbell everyday secular circumstances” (May White quote that was my all-time C OLLEGE P LACE, WASHINGTON 13 World Edition). favorite. I read it often, hung it on I sure hope Mr. Rock is never my wall, claimed the promises it traveling between home and church entailed, and sent it out to others. Church Rejects Use of Violence and happens to need an ambulance And then, lo and behold, Roy The church wishes to negotiate a or a police officer. I also hope that Adams (May 13 World Edition) settlement with a band of thugs? he never needs to go to a “secular pulled the rug out from under me! (Newsbreak, May 13 World Edition) hospital” or an Adventist hospital The quote that “prayer is the answer How do you negotiate with criminals? and have any kind of treatment on to every problem in life” is still pow- How do you determine how much the Sabbath. erful, but since I found out my evil is acceptable? The church doesn’t You see, Mr. Rock, after having had favorite author didn’t say it, it was a believe violence should be used in to be in the hospital on Sabbath, I disappointment. I am thankful,

2 (890) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 though, that I found out the truth. presidents. And I thought you nice Now I add my plea to Adams’: Who people ought to know. said it? Does anybody know? Again, thanks for sharing the uncertainty of —Penny Estes Wheeler the origin of that quote. E DITOR, WOMEN OF S PIRIT V IA E- MAIL COVER STORY —Sarah L. Clark 8 A New Mood in India F ORT W HITE, FLORIDA Punishing the Rebellious Child Both society and the church are changing—at a pace that boggles Roy Adams is collecting research and In your article (Angel Manuel the mind. reader responses. Look for a follow-up Rodriguez, May 13 World Edition), BY W ILLIAM G. JOHNSSON article sometime this fall.—Editors you state that the theocratic govern- ment is no longer operative, and you ARTICLES further state that punishing the rebel- Disturbing Disclaimer lious child comes from the fifth com- 14 A Heart for the I enjoyed Roger Coon’s article “Ellen mandment. Would you selectively Down-and-out An interview with the first White’s Disturbing Disclaimer of enforce the Ten Commandments, Adventist member of India’s lower 1904” (May 13 World Edition). It which were given under theocratic house of Parliament helped me, as a new member, clarify government? Would you say, as others, BY D ITTU A BRAHAM AND this issue by explaining the events of that the Ten Commandments are J. JOHN W YCLIFFE those days. I must admit, though, that moral laws, thus not abolished? I have a hard time thinking of John’s The other matter is that we 16 Waiting for a Visa He planned his itinerary, ordered his prophecy in Mark 1:7 as an offhand Christians (including Adventists) are tickets, and waited . . . and waited. remark (see page 26). not to take the matter to the secular BY C HITRA B ARNABAS The Bible makes it clear that John courts as they are not fair (as I have was preaching when he gave this experienced on my own). The Bible 22 Our Candidate Is Winning! prophecy and I truly believe that he says so, the preachers say so, and The “what” has already been was under divine guidance during this many others discourage taking mat- determined. Now it’s just a matter of when. work. An offhand remark is usually ters to courts of this world. I consider BY R ACHEL E. WHITAKER thought of as coming from a person, this matter an intrusion to our pri- not the inspiration of God. vate family life by the government. 24 The Other Adventist School System —Greg Carey —Won H. Bae, D.D.S. Home Study International turns 90 years young. C ASSOPOLIS, MICHIGAN V IA E- MAIL ) BY B ILL K NOTT

DEPARTMENTS Meaningful Magazine L ETTERS P OLICY

I met a young woman at a women’s The Review welcomes your letters. Short, 2 Letters IGITAL COMPOSITE (D ministries retreat in Winnipeg, specific letters are the most effective and have

7 Give & Take ISC D Manitoba, recently. She mentioned the best chance at being published. Letters will 13 Bible Questions Answered that she hadn’t been to church in be edited for space and clarity only. Send cor- HOTO several years. However, a year and a respondence to Letters to the Editor, 18 World News & Perspectives © P half ago she subscribed to Adventist Adventist Review, 12501 Old Columbia 26 Tuesday’s Child Review. (Her mother had part in that Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6600; 27 Faith Alive! decision.) Internet: [email protected] 28 Adventist World Radio

After she’d decided to subscribe, CompuServe network: 74617,15. ACKGROUND PHOTO she changed her mind . . . then 29 Bulletin Board / B changed it again . . . and finally did it! 31 Reflections DAMS “I can’t tell you how much it has E., A meant to me,” she said, and went on EDITORIALS ARON to talk about the magazine’s content. A 5 Lessons From India How it has made her connected to the church again, and how much she 6 The End of the Story appreciated the coverage of the OVER PHOTO BY changes in General Conference C

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (891) 3 “Behold, I come quickly . . .”

Our mission is to uplift Jesus Christ through stories of His matchless love, news of His present workings, help for knowing Him better, and hope in His soon return.

Publisher General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Executive Publisher William G. Johnsson Associate Publisher Charlotte McClure Publishing Board: Phil Follett, vice-chair; Lowell Cooper; William G. Johnsson; Robert E. Lemon; A. C. McClure; Ardis D. Stenbakken, Donald R. Sahly; Ted N. C. Wilson; Robert Nixon, legal advisor

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The Adventist Review (ISSN 0161-1119), published since 1849, is the general paper of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It is published by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists and is printed 40 times a year each Thursday except the first Thursday of each month by the Review and Herald® Publishing Association. Periodicals postage paid at Hagerstown, MD 21740. Copyright © 1999, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. Vol. 176, No. 27

4 (892) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 EDITORIAL Lessons From India WILLIAM G. JOHNSSON

eventh-day Adventists came to India more than are a people who love enough and care enough to do what a century ago, but for the most part the work has Jesus did—wash one another’s feet in the attitude of a servant, grown at a glacial pace. In the past several years, regardless of caste, education, or social standing. however, a sea change has occurred (see accom- And the movement of the Spirit in India is a work of panying report beginning on prayer. For centuries godly men and women Spage 8, “A New Mood in India”). What have implored the Lord to bring a break- has made the difference? through, searching for ways to present Jesus Only the Lord knows the full story. In in a manner that will soften hearts. In His divine wisdom He brings the time of God’s good time those prayers and labors reaping after many years of labor; He are bearing an abundant harvest. places together people and circumstances I saw evidences of men and women and in opportune combinations for the mov- young people who speak to God one-on-one, ing of His Spirit on human hearts. We who rely on Him to lead them, who bring cannot know the mind of God, but we every decision before Him. God is going on can discern matters from a human per- before, opening the way, doing amazing, spective, and this perspective reveals incredible things. three factors important for the world Adventist Church— The name of Jesus is powerful. People are learning that simplicity, love, and prayer. praying in that mighty name brings answers: the sick are In India the Lord is using simple means to bring men and healed, miracles are wrought, people on the thin edge of pov- women to accept Jesus Christ. His agents are largely young erty find a resilience and providence for day-to-day existence. people with little or no education who love Him and share India today confronts the Adventist Church with a stu- His love with others. In several cases these young people pendous challenge. Whereas for many years our work seemed employ music: they travel from village to village imparting slow and difficult, now we face a multitude eager to know the joy and peace that Jesus’ presence brings. No budgeted more about Jesus and to welcome Him as a living power in work here and no dependence on props and gadgets—no their lives. How will we, how can we, respond to this mov- pictures or PowerPoint—only the word of simple testimony ing of God’s Spirit? accompanied by the Spirit’s power. I believe the lessons from India need to sink deep into In a setting in which the majority of the hearers are illit- the hearts of Adventists everywhere. I believe the Lord erate, the presentation cuts to the bone, to the rudimentary calls us to simplicity—in faith and trust, in courage, in obe- gospel as the apostle Paul laid it out: “that Christ died for our dience, in lifestyle, in presentation of the gospel. Ellen sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he White, who wrote much in this area and whose counsel we was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (see do well to get back to, advised: “God often uses the sim- 1 Cor. 15:1-5, NIV). For this audience, fine details of the 27 plest means to accomplish the greatest fundamental beliefs, let alone other theological areas that results” (The Desire of Ages, p. 822). exercise some Adventists in developed societies, have no The Lord began His work in simplic- meaning. Simplicity is the keynote as the core of Adventism ity, and He will finish it through sim- is conveyed—our message, mission, and basic lifestyle. ple means. And as God wraps up the A spirit of love permeates the work—love for God and work—and He is doing so in our day— His children and a passion to share His love. Concerns it will be bathed in love and prayer. about salary, fringe benefits, and perks seem minimal among A threefold cord, said the wise these itinerant village workers. Touched by grace, they have man, is not quickly broken (Eccl. become instruments of grace. 4:12). The threefold lesson from Here a practice unique to our fellowship takes on height- India will serve well the entire ened significance—the ordinance of foot washing. Adventists Adventist Church.

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (893) 5 EDITORIAL The End of the Story BY MYRNA TETZ

any times I’ve wondered what would hap- and consumer-type living. He also admitted that he didn’t pen if everyone in the Seventh-day feel very loving much of the time.” * Adventist Church tithed. After listening to Where, he asked, was the genuine caring impetus he a Lee Venden tape, thought would be central to this I now have a new experience of sharing Christian love? Mquestion. What would happen if He loved some I could relate. That was my question. everyone in the Seventh-day In any kind of discussion on love Adventist Church loved? and the reasons for doing what Venden, pastor of the Auburn, people—usually Christians should do, I’ve thought Washington, Seventh-day Adventist about the cross and Christ hanging Church, says that if the church in the ones who had there. Vertically hung from nails, North America had retained 80 per- sweating blood, asking that the whole cent of its children since its incep- a concern for him. ordeal be taken from Him: was He tion, the Adventist population here really liking the experience? Had He would be 8 million, and, based on looked forward to it, greatly anticipat- that ratio, perhaps the world membership would be one billion. ing the joy He would feel from the pain of the piercing? Jumping to conclusions is not a good idea—such as if we Probably not. And, in a crass comparison, I wasn’t really loved, all our children would stay in the church. But when sta- euphoric about dutifully taking food to an older person who tistics tell us that the majority of fifth-generation Adventists had told others that she didn’t like my cooking. But she have no assurance of salvation, we have to wonder about our needed it, and I did it. Anyway. understanding of how best to share God’s love. So I wonder if we have neglected loving deeds because we don’t feel any particular glow from the heavens above or, for everal years ago we moved to a college community that matter, the earth beneath. Or do we wait for those lov- where a sensitive and thoughtful preacher presided. ing feelings to come before we act because we wouldn’t want SOne Sabbath the sermon was about God’s love and to have to level the accusation of hypocrisy on ourselves? our response to it. I waited after church to speak to him because I had a question. here’s a young woman, 17, who doesn’t think “Do you get credit for doing good things when you don’t Adventists are all that loving. She has a vivacious, want to do them?” I had asked, donning a smirk so he’d know Tcaring single mother. And two grandmothers. that I knew that my theology wasn’t quite right. Ignoring my One grandmother will not write to her unless she writes pretext, he said he’d bring me something to read. to her. The other one writes whether or not she ever hears No pastor had ever ministered, personally, to me before. from her. One is not a Christian, and one is an Adventist. I’d been a pastor’s wife. I shouldn’t need anything, should I? Which one is the grandmother who writes faithfully? I’d tell But I knew him well enough to expect a follow-through, so I you the answer, but you either already know or was not particularly surprised when, on Monday morning, you don’t want to know. Pastor Allan Robertson (now pastor of the Kelowna, British My pastor husband purports that real Columbia, Canada, Seventh-day Adventist Church) came to love—Christian love—is altruistic. It has my office with excerpts from two books on the topic of love. nothing to gain and no stipulations. One writer expressed an uneasiness about his lack of self- Christians do loving things because less (agape) love. He explained that he did love some people, they love the Lord, and that’s the but they were usually the attractive ones or the ones who source of their motives. And that, he seemed to have a concern for him. He knew this was the says, is the end of the story. “same old ‘swapout’ marketplace love Erich Fromm and oth- ers had described so well as characteristic of our capitalistic * Keith Miller, A Second Touch, p. 83.

6 (894) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 ADVENTIST LIFE Over Christmas some of our church members’ relatives from other parts of North America came back to visit. One such visitor was asked to have prayer during the worship service. During his prayer he said, “And we request, Your Honor,” then quickly corrected to “Dear

Lord.” REWS There were a few smiles as people rose from C ERRY

prayer. A teenage girl sitting in front of me T turned to her mother and asked, “Is he a GIVE& lawyer?” The mother nodded in the affirmative. —Lucille Landry, Beauvallon, Alberta, Canada LLUSTRATION BY I When our youngest son was 3, his 5-year-old neighbor playmate, Big John, was watching me peel potatoes. “Mrs. Blehm,” he asked, “are those real potatoes?” “Why, of course,” I said. “Why do you ask?” “Well,” he said, “you eat fakey everything else. I thought you might eat fakey potatoes, too.” —Shirley Blehm, Gresham, Oregon

TAKE HATS OFF TO ADVENTIST YOUTH In this feature we pay tribute to outstanding Adventist HELP! HELP! youth (age 18 and under). We welcome your submissions, which must include a photo. We’re running low in some Shortly after he started studying Give & Take categories. We can with the Voice of Prophecy, especially use brief submissions Samuel Ndurya, of Bamba, to: Mombasa, Kenya, had registered 50 others—pastors, middle- Adventist Quotes (profound age adults, and his peers. “He started visiting Sunday schools or spontaneous) of various churches and teaching them the songs, poems, and Adventist Life (anecdotes— Bible verses he had learned,” reports Pastor Eliab Ombworo, a Global Mission pioneer. “Children came to like him, and especially from the world of when their parents wanted to know how he is well versed in adults) the Bible, Samuel just told them to register in the school of Bible prophecy.” Dream Center (church-re- The Adventist Review honors Samuel Ndurya for going the extra mile for God. lated dreams) Look for your Review cap in the mail. Jots & Tittles (church-related tips) FOR THEIR HEALTH Readers’ Exchange (requests for correspondence on a specific JUST IN CASE: Ishaka Adventist Hospital in Bushenyi, Uganda, topic) has just started a health insur- And we can always use ance scheme for the communi- church-related photos and cap- ties around Bushenyi District, tions, short poems, and other with the help of USAID, Health Partners USA, and the Ministry fast-paced items. Send submis- of Health of Uganda. Here Grace sions (which won’t be returned) Mbabazi and Dan Kakunta to Give & Take, Adventist explain the new project to mem- Review, 12501 Old Columbia bers of a village. Driver Isaac Kiiza is at right. Photo by Ingrid Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904; Van Horf. fax: 301-680-6638; e-mail: [email protected].

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (895) 7 COVER STORY

A New Mood in India In society and church the pace of change boggles the mind. ISC D HOTO © P HOTO P BY WILLIAM G. JOHNSSON

UMBAI, INDIA: THIS IS THE MOST You either love India or hate it. We fell in love with difficult report I have ever filed for the India, especially its gentle and hospitable people. Our two Adventist Review, because so much of children were born here; we stayed more than 15 years. what I want to convey lies close to my When we eventually left, a large part of ourselves stayed heart. I am still grasping to process what behind. Mthis trip has revealed. I have been back in India for two weeks. Although I have Noelene and I first came to this city, then known as made earlier visits on behalf of the church, this latest one, Bombay, nearly 40 years ago. We arrived wet behind the coming after a break of seven years, has affected me pro- ears, married just one month, ready to take on India and win foundly, more than any other. it for Christ. And we came by ship. Things have changed, in society and in the church. DAMS E. A ARON A HOTO BY P

BIG EVENTS: The village turns out for dedication of the new prayer hall. Flanking editor William Johnsson are the village mayor (holding gourd instru

8 (896) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 There is a new mood in India.

he Lufthansa flight deposited me right at T 1:00 a.m. It was a wel- come sight to see leaders from the local section (confer- ence), who forfeited their rest to welcome me. Immediately they posed a question: Did I want to go to a hotel or accompany them to

Lonavala, a couple hours’ DAMS

drive away, where church E. A leaders from around India ARON were meeting in council? A That made for an easy HOTO BY

choice. The opportunity to P meet many former students WALL-TO-WALL: More than 300 people pack the prayer halls with others at the windows outside. from my teaching years at Spicer College was too good to pass up. We bundled my bags in the dollar instead (exchange rate: 42 to make a metropolis of 30 million, the van and drove into the night. one). India is a nuclear power, and world’s largest. Past new flyovers and Mumbai presents a picture of a city Mahatma Gandhi seems forgotten. new apartment complexes and new in rapid transition. Wide new roads And now you can drink the water, industrial sites. and potholed back streets, booming available in low-priced bottles. The Ahead loomed the Western Ghats, a construction and wretched hovels, cell old days of boiling or chlorinating or range of mountains that jut up from phones and poverty—you see it all. iodizing are gone, and the scourge of the coastal plain like dragons’ teeth. Many things are different. Instead of Bombay belly or Delhi belly no longer The ascent is steep and tortuous, but ancient clunkers, the streets are haunts the visitor from abroad. the 2,000-foot climb brings you to the choked with new automobiles of a You can’t escape the feel of the new cool air of the Deccan, the plateau variety of makes. Billboards are all in India. With its rapidly expanding tech- that comprises central India. English. Cable TV brings in 70 chan- nology and population of nearly 1 bil- A new four-lane expressway isn’t nels for better or worse. Instead of a lion, this is an economy ready for take- finished, so the old winding road was rupee tip, now you give 10 rupees, and off. Within a few years India should our only course. The old road has been even so you’re likely to be asked for a become a major player on the world divided into one-way traffic, but the scene. huge increase in trucking makes it a The British rulers of India nightmare. We slowly made our way constructed a fine railroad up the mountain, fighting behemoths network, and free India con- groaning, laboring, and belching tinued to build it up. But the clouds of diesel fumes as they fought new consumer economy for every inch of road. Then our for- wants its goods faster than ward progress came to a dead halt on rail can provide, so the roads the steepest grade. For 30 minutes we are incredibly jammed with waited until a passage opened up trucks. The government is between overheated trucks and we racing to build new highways could proceed. linking the major cities, but Sunday driving this is not. Which they are years behind. leads me to pass on a hint to the trav- On and on we sped eler to this colorful, wonderful land: through the night. Past miles you will enjoy your visit much more if of trucks with sleeping dri- you can avoid the roads. New, privately vers lining the sides of the owned airlines provide outstanding highway. Past the satellite domestic service, while air-conditioned city under construction that rail travel is low-priced and fast. ment) and local pastor A.P. Tiru. will join with Mumbai to It was a relief to reach Lonavala. By

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (897) 9 picture of the stamp that the authori- configuration I will be interested to ties are about to issue to mark the cen- see how Spicer will continue to serve tenary of the institution. In this coun- the church and India as our premier try where Christians account for only 2 educational institution. percent of the population and Ad- ventists are but a tiny fraction, this elcome to Delhi, where stamp is a dramatic pointer of chang- the temperature is 48 ing times. Wdegrees,” intoned the jet- Editor Edison Samraj introduced liner’s captain as we landed in the some of their latest publications. Chief nation’s capital. A quick calculation: among them are a set of six four-color 48 degrees Celsius is 118.4 on the

DAMS books on religious instruction for ele- Fahrenheit scale!

E. A mentary school children, a large book For all its changes, India remains a on plants with healing properties, and hot country. And with the frantic ARON A a groundbreaking collection of essays, rush to modernity in the big cities, Maturing of Adventism. The latter, the villages of India seem little differ- HOTO BY

P edited by Samraj himself, pulls together ent in their simple, basic ways of life the thinking of Adventists in various than they were a thousand years ago. DRUMMER BOY: At a remote location the countries in an attempt to get major Here, in these 580,000 hamlets, three village band, led by the drummer, gathers issues facing the world church out on quarters of the people continue in the to welcome us. the table. old paths. Adventist publications of the India the time I checked in and found my I knew relied heavily on foreign writ- room it was 5:30 a.m.; my devotional ers. Books and magazines essentially message was scheduled for 8:00 a.m. reprinted manuscripts and articles Which would allow me one hour of from the West. In the church of the welcome rest. new India all that has changed, and national writers are taking the lead. hen we came to India in The chief reason for my visit to 1960, the total membership the publishing house was to work Wof the old Southern Asia out details for a Telugu edition of Division, comprising India, Pakistan, the Adventist Review. Among our

Ceylon (Sri Lanka), and Burma members the largest number speak LARK (Myanmar), was about 20,000. At Telugu, hence the choice of that C EFF every level the church was led and run language by leaders of the church J by expatriates, and progress was glacial. who requested the Review’s services. HOTO BY Today India alone has 15 times the We hope to begin with the world P number of Adventists than the whole edition in August; editions in Tamil CONCENTRATION: A prayer hall for the village, a region then. National leaders have and Hindi will follow. future for the children. stepped into the ranks and, under the Across town from the publishing blessing of the Lord, have propelled house stands Spicer Memorial College, But a new breeze is blowing across the church into new strength. where I taught for 12 years, and I the hot landscape. Large numbers of I found a group of lively, positive couldn’t resist the invitation for a people are increasingly attracted to leaders at Lonavala. Their openness to quick visit. I found a college grown to the person and teachings of Jesus new ideas and possibilities was refresh- more than 1,100 students and a cam- Christ. There is a readiness to accept ing. The topics under discussion— pus much more built up. Jesus such as I never witnessed in our principles of leadership, insurance (we But the role of Spicer College is 15 years here. have some 200,000 students in changing. All along Spicer has been Christianity came early to the Adventist schools), investment of the church’s only senior college in subcontinent. Tradition has it that resources, and so on—were totally out- India, but suddenly the picture has the apostle Thomas brought the side my sphere of reference from the changed. Lowry Memorial College in gospel to India; the alleged site of his India I had known. the south has expanded to senior sta- burial can be identified near From Lonavala I traveled to Pune tus, a new institution has arisen in Chennai (formerly Madras). In the (formerly Poona) for meetings at the Surat, and in the north both Roorkee eighteenth century William Carey Oriental Watchman Publishing House. and Assam training schools are moving felt called to leave his native Manager Robert Clive showed me a to full college level. With the new England and labor here, and a vast

10 (898) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 missionary movement was born. accident and can no longer find work. Maranatha Volunteers International is From Thomas to Carey to the most He prays in the name of Jesus, promis- lending a hand. This lay ministry of recent times India was deadly slow in ing that if He heals him so he can the Seventh-day Adventist Church embracing the teachings of Jesus. The work again, he will build a house of acts as a coordinator, a facilitator of missionaries are gone now, but some- worship. And God works a miracle. the efforts of the nationals who are the thing is happening. The prayers and Simple men and women, people contractors, builders, and supervisors of the labors of the centuries are bearing who live day and night with but the these prayer halls and, in several cases, fruit; the thousands of graves of earnest bare necessities of life, bear their testi- accompanying schools. workers are blossoming into new life. mony that God is real and answers Invited to attend the dedication of In God’s time He is bringing the har- prayer. And the wind carries their some of these prayer halls, I was deeply vest, and it is marvelous in our eyes. words with a power that is irresistible. moved by the love and appreciation of Recently India received a black the villagers. On eye in the world press because of their limited religious persecution. Christians incomes their have been harried and killed, chances of ever churches destroyed. Several achieving a build- Adventists have been beaten, and ing were remote; we lost four or five churches. now they have a It’s important to note that the simple, solidly Indian constitution specifically built structure guarantees religious liberty, that provides a including preaching and propaga- center for the tion of religion. The government whole commun- is required by law to protect ity—a place

minorities. LARK where all are wel- This is a land with a long her- C come to pray, EFF itage of tolerance of differences. J where the name Violence and persecution are anti- of Jesus can be HOTO BY thetical to the values of India, so P uplifted, and the recent persecution of Christians A SCHOOL, PLEASE: All hands up in thanks for the prayer hall and request where instruction has led to widespread searchings of for a school building. can be given for heart. In particular, the grisly mur- better health, der last January of an expatriate fami- And something else is changing. happier homes, and stronger youth. ly—father and two sons burned alive Along with the hunger and thirsting These dedication ceremonies in in their car by a drunken mob—caused for Jesus, new prayer halls are being most cases were a high point in the an outcry that still reverberates around constructed. They are simple, basic social life of the community. The the land. structures, built by Indians for Indians, sarpanch (mayor), local political fig- A commission set up by the govern- and they are hugely important. ures, and other leaders welcomed us ment concluded that the persecution I know no country where a place of effusively, and the people greeted us of Christians had a political rather worship is so important to the believer with garlands and music. than a religious foundation. Because and to the surrounding community as I was impressed by the hard work, Christians voted for the Congress India. In the eyes of the village, the skill, and professional efficiency of the party, losers in the last national elec- church has no standing and no perma- Indian leaders of this magnificent min- tion, they were singled out for retalia- nence unless and until a house of wor- istry. And also their spirit of sacrifice. tion by political opponents. ship is constructed. In the past nation- For example, Mohan Narayan, con- In the midst of this rapidly changing al workers labored long and hard only struction manager for Maranatha, scene, God is using simple means to to experience the frustration of seeing spends most of his time on the road bring Jesus to the forefront. Prayer is a big their congregation melt away because inspecting scattered building sites, and factor: people are learning that calling on no building accompanied their work. gets back to his wife and children in the name of Jesus brings answers. But in the new India those who feel a Hosur only once each month for a A woman holding her baby faces a burden for their country and have a couple days. desperate situation as a cobra wraps desire for their fellows to hear about Sometimes the work is dangerous. itself around her leg. She cries out to the God who answers prayer have One Friday afternoon as Mohan and a Jesus, and the cobra uncoils itself and hope that, after they work day and local contractor were returning by slithers away. night, a prayer hall will follow. motorcycle from a building project, A man breaks both wrists in a truck As in many other countries, they were accosted by a group of

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (899) 11 drunken men and boys carrying The event was extraordinary. Some lennium. India is tied to agelong ways. machetes and bows and arrows. The 75 people gathered from seven different India is changing. India is still India. men grabbed them and tied them up, nations on a 7,000-foot hilltop to A new mood is blowing across the and discussed cutting off their limbs remember a little school that closed 30 land. India will never change. and burning them after sundown. Later years ago. Some who came were spouses This trip had everything. Mohan realized that the men had mis- and children of alumni who wanted to Church leaders dreaming dreams taken them for individuals who earlier figure out what was so different about and seeing visions. Young people fired had defrauded the villagers of funds to this school that influenced husband, with enthusiasm to tell others about build a school. wife, or parent so greatly. the mighty name of Jesus that brings Mohan thought that they had no The excitement and power of the answers to prayer. Old workers rejoic- chance. “I prayed and thought of my event were palpable. For me the occa- ing to see new companies of people wife and children,” he told me. As sion was made all the more memorable who accept Jesus gathering in new evening drew on, a tall man dressed in by Noelene’s joining me. prayer halls. white suddenly appeared on the road. Friday afternoon we walked the Nostalgia. Faith and vision. Hard Although he did not belong to the long, winding, up-and-down main road work, toil, sacrifice. And prayer— tribal group holding them hostage, he of Mussoorie, stopping at stores and especially prayer. spoke to them authoritatively in their sights we hadn’t seen in Old India language. The mob reluctantly decided more than 30 years. hands will find to release them for a while. “Run!” said Friday evening we all my report incred- the tall man, and Mohan and the con- gathered to reminisce, ible. The sugges- tractor ran to the motorcycle and share, remember friends tion of this escaped to safety. whose lives had ended. ancient land OHNSSON

On another occasion the vehicle in For Sabbath we had J leap-frogging the which Mohan was traveling ran over a planned to sit at Vale- landline commu- OELENE

mine set in the road by antisocial ele- head overlooking the N nication system ments. The jeep rose a couple feet in old school and then to a cellular net- the air but didn’t even blow a tire. roam the campus. But work will boggle HOTO BY While Maranatha is the chief orga- the Sikhs extended P their minds. nization helping to facilitate the build- extraordinary courtesies. SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY: William and Someone who ing ministry, the Quiet Hour is also They shut down all Noelene Johnsson return to Vincent Hill thinks prayer involved in raising funds for the con- activities for the day; after more than 30 years. halls can be con- struction of smaller prayer halls of organized a program in the old chapel, structed from scratch in 30 to 40 days more modest structure. where they honored us with cultural must have gone out in the midday sun, items and gifts and asked us to share the along with mad dogs and Englishmen. he last stop on this trip took me spiritual and moral values that made I am still coming to terms with back to the place where Vincent Hill unique so that their facul- these new realities. But I remember TNoelene and I began life and ty and students could carry on the her- the power of the word of the One who our work together. High above the itage of the school; and then invited us says: “See, I am doing a new thing! baking plains, on the first ridge of the to a dinner with their faculty. Now it springs up; do you not perceive vast Himalayas, Adventists carved a None of us who came back to it?” (Isa. 43:18, NIV). And also this school out of the mountainside in Vincent Hill were pleased that the promise: “In India . . . God has in 1922. We were called to serve there— school was sold in 1969. For years we reserve a firmament of chosen ones Noelene to be in charge of the small carried it in our hearts, grieving that it that will yet shine forth amidst the boys (we had boys from 8 to 18) in the was no more. But in an utterly unex- darkness, revealing clearly to an apos- dorm, and I to be dean of boys and pected turn of events our coming back tate world the transforming power of Bible teacher. “home” brought a sense of fulfillment obedience to His law” (Prophets and Vincent Hill School enrolled only and continuity. Kings, pp. 188, 189). ■ 151 students at its maximum. With the decline in expatriate workers, it was ndia has everything. closed in 1969 and subsequently sold Because India is a kaleidoscope of to the Sikhs. End of story. Iever-changing images, no one picture Not quite. Over the years its spirit captures the whole. For every statement William G. Johnsson is the has been kept alive by a newsletter for one might make about India someone editor of the Adventist alumni and former faculty; now it can give a rejoinder based on their obser- Review. boasts a website. And this year the vations. And both will be right. idea coalesced for a reunion—on site. India is new. India is old. India is hurtling into the new mil-

12 (900) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 BIBLE QUESTIONS ANSWERED Prophecy as Past and ANGEL MANUEL RODRÍGUEZ Future?

ome Adventists are interpreting the time peri- evil power will be successful for a period of time. Daniel 11 ods mentioned in Daniel 12:5-13 literally, as deals with the specific time during which this phenomenon future events. What is your reaction? takes place and points out that it will come to an end after the Some Adventists are enemy breaks the power of “the holy indeed applying Daniel people” (Dan. 12:7). This same event S12:5-13 to future events that will take Some new interpre- is described in Daniel 7:25 and 8:24, place after Michael arises (verse 1). where the same terminology desig- Accordingly, the prophetic periods nates God’s servants. Other connec- mentioned in those verses (the 1260, tations cannot be tions include references to “the 1290, and 1335 days), are taken to be wicked” (Dan. 11:32; 12:10), the literal days still in the future. Using supported from the verbs “to understand” (Dan. 11:33; the historicist method of interpreta- 12:10), “to refine,” “to purify,” and “to tion, Adventists have traditionally book of Daniel. make spotless” (Dan. 11:35; 12:10). taken the time periods to be symbols In Daniel 11:31 and 12:11 the for years. Any attempt to merge futur- word “daily” is used together with the ism and historicism by introducing a double fulfillment of apoc- verb “to abolish/remove.” They both use the phrase “the alyptic prophecies will undermine our system of prophetic abomination that causes desolation” in conjunction with the interpretation. These new proposals cannot be supported from verb “to set up.” There is no ground to argue that these two the context or from the book of Daniel. Here’s why: passages are dealing with different events. By using the same 1. Structure of the vision: The vision introduced in Daniel terminology the writer is telling us that the reference is to the 10 covers Daniel 11:1-12:4, and ends with a conclusion, same event. Therefore, the time periods mentioned in Daniel Daniel 12:5-13. The introduction consists of a conversation 12:11, 12 (1290 days and 1335 days) are to be applied to the between Daniel and two heavenly beings. The conclusion to events described in Daniel 11:31. Daniel 12:7 describes the the vision describes the same conversation between Daniel time of persecution mentioned in chapter 11:32-35. and two heavenly beings. It is a single literary unit. Defining the historical fulfillment of the 1290 days and 2. Location of the time periods: The time periods in Daniel’s the 1335 days is not difficult. First, the 1290 days are associ- prophecies are located at the end of the visions. In Daniel 7 ated with the work of God’s enemy, mentioned elsewhere. the vision is described in verses 1-14; the time period is given Daniel 7 indicates that the control exercised by that reli- in verse 25. The vision of Daniel 8:1-12 is followed by the gious/political power over God’s people came to an end in time period in verse 14. This implies that the time periods in 1798. That date provides the end for the 1290 years; its start- Daniel 12:5-13 are directly related to the vision in Daniel 11. ing point would then be A.D. 508, when the Franks defeated 3. Daniel 7 and the 1260 days: The three and a half the Arian Visigoths. Second, the 1335 days are an extension times/1260-day prophetic period is introduced for the first time of the 1290 days, thus indicating that they start at the same in Daniel 7:25, in a context that is clearly symbolic. There is time. This means that the 1335 years ended in 1843/1844. no reason to interpret the same prophetic period literally in For a more comprehensive treatment of prophetic inter- chapter 12:7. Such an approach invalidates the year/day princi- pretation, I suggest that you study the commentary by ple because of the lack of consistency in its application. William Shea, Daniel 1-7 and Daniel 7-12 (Boise, Idaho: Besides, in Daniel 12:7 the time period during which God’s Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 1996). enemy persecutes the “holy people” perfectly parallels Daniel 7. 4. Linguistic connections between Daniel 11 and 12: The Angel Manuel Rodríguez is an associate director of phrase “the end of the astonishing things/wonders” (Dan. the Biblical Research Institute of the General 12:6) refers back to Daniel 11:36, where the same Hebrew Conference. root, pala, is used to describe the words of the enemy spoken against God (cf. Dan. 8:24). Both passages indicate that this

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (901) 13 FEATURE

A Heart for the Down-and-out An interview with Kim Gangte

On November 26, 1998, J. John Wycliffe and Dittu I went to Mr. L. K. Advani, the union home minister, Abraham interviewed Ms. Kim Gangte, the first Adventist mem- with some of our church leaders. I told him, “You have ber of Parliament of the Lok Sabha (the Indian Parliament’s known me for a number of years and hence you know what lower house). Following are excerpts of that interview: a nationalist-minded person I am. You know how I have been fighting for the poor and the downtrodden. If you have Dittu Abraham: Tell us about yourself. To which tribe do faith and confidence in me, then you have to have confi- you belong? dence in my church. This is the church in which I was Kim: I am a Kuki. This tribe has many subgroups. I am brought up. I was educated in a church-run school. I know from the Gangte subtribe. the missionaries of my denomination, that they get involved DA: Which part of Manipur do you hail from? only in activities such as trying to help the poor and needy I am from Churachandpur in south Manipur, a district of this country.” “I know,” he agreed, and told me that he that borders Mizoram. The Kukis and Mizos have much in too was brought up in Christian schools. Then we asked common. [Southern Asia Division president] Ron Watts to pray for DA: Isn’t Churachandpur the area that has been him. He really appreciated that gesture. extremely tense for some years now? Is that also your par- John Wycliffe: In the United States, the state and the liamentary constituency? church are two separate entities, and people fight to keep Yes. Insurgents have been very active in this area, but the it that way. How would you maintain this principle in problem does exist almost everywhere in the state. I repre- your work as a parliamentarian and politician while sent the Churachandpur constituency in Parliament. remaining loyal to the church? DA: Please tell us about your family and your My view of politics is very simple. It’s loving people, education. appreciating human values, honoring human rights, and I hail from a family of farmers. My parents were evange- serving people. My target is helping the poor and setting an lists to the Kukis. I attended the Adventist Training School example for others. It does not necessarily involve preaching at Jowai in Meghalaya State, India. Then I went to Gwahati from the Bible, but practically applying its instructions. University and completed a degree. I then finished a master’s DA: From what you have said I gather that you are degree in English at Pune University. I have always been referring to the need for religious people in politics, people grateful for the Adventist education I had early in life. who are value-driven. DA: Exactly at a time when the church and our mis- Yes. Religious people should get into politics so that poli- sionaries were facing false accusations of forced conver- tics can be kept clean. Politics today is looked upon as some- sions and of aiding terrorism, news came that you were thing dirty. But if the people who are in politics are clean, elected to Parliament. I guess it was an answer to the politics itself will be clean. Service for the people is the right prayers of all of us. kind of politics.

14 (902) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 elected, are you still close to the people? Poor people come from 5:00 in the morning to visit me. I try to meet and help as many as I can every day. DA: As a member of Parliament these past few months, do you see a role for the church in helping these people? Yes. I have been stating in Parliament that one of the main reasons we have so many insurgents is unemployment. The church can play a big role by intro- ducing some kind of voca- tional training—something like at Spicer Memorial College. I was so impressed with the bakery at Spicer TRENDSETTER: Kim Gangte (left) shares her convictions with Dittu Abraham (center) and J. John run by students. If such pro- Wycliffe (right). grams were introduced in Manipur, we could help a lot of people become self-sup- JW: So would you encourage a send us someone to help us out of this porting by engaging in income-gen- young Christian who is aspiring to chaotic situation.” I prayed and I wept, erating projects. enter politics? not once but a number of times. And DA: Our church will have to Sure. Do you know why I say this? then one day an idea came to my invest in something like that. We Before I ran in the election, I asked mind. I realized that to make a differ- may need to give loans to some and God to guide me and show me His ence, we must have a representative in enable them to gain self-reliance. approval by a sign. If it was His will the policymaking group. Yes, we should help young people to that I should not run, I asked Him to It finally dawned on me that per- get work. That way, slowly, insurgency wipe out the thought of running suading other people to do what I can also be solved. We can help them from my mind. I had come to the want will not work. I now considered and the government will appreciate realization that I should run because entering the election myself. But my our efforts. I had helplessly witnessed a lot of job as a college lecturer was my life- DA: Do you have any favorite ISC bloodshed and human rights viola- line. I was also working as an Bible characters? D

tions. I saw women and children suf- announcer in the All-India Radio, Moses is my role model. I consider HOTO fering. I saw the poor and underprivi- Imphal, and as a correspondent from him the greatest politician because of © P leged oppressed. And I tried in my my state for the Eastern Panorama, a his undying love for the people. HOTO own little way to help them. But very magazine in which I highlighted JW: Thank you, Ms. Gangte. God P often it was like banging my head women and human rights issues. bless you as you “preach” through against a stone wall. Sometimes I It was an exceedingly tough deci- your kind deeds for the upliftment of ACKGROUND wept. Sometimes I shouted. Some- sion. A defeat could have spelled finan- the poor and the downtrodden. ■ B times I got angry. I would go to my cial ruin for me. I prayed as never bedroom and remember how houses before. Finally, just two months before were burned down and innocent peo- the elections, I suddenly resigned from J. John Wycliffe works in Archives and ple chopped to pieces. I did not the college. Many people felt that I Statistics at the General Conference of know what to do. had done something really foolish. “If Seventh-day Adventists in Silver Spring, Then I went into my room. I shut you are not elected, what will you do?” Maryland, and is a Southern Asia the door, knelt down, and just prayed they asked. But deep inside I knew that Division committee member representing to God: “Please send someone to help God would provide for me. Then I Indians living overseas. Dittu Abraham is my people. As You used Moses to lead entered the elections. the editor of the Southern Asia Tidings, the children of Israel out of Egypt, JW: Now that you have been printed in Pune, India.

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (903) 15 STORY Waiting for a

AVisa routine trip proved to be anything but.

BY CHITRA BARNABAS

OM CARTER COULDN’T UNDERSTAND for help. He requested for them to arrange for him to fly it. As director of the General Conference Trust into Accra, the capital of Ghana, so that he could travel Services he had traveled all over the world— through Benin, which is adjacent to Nigeria. Then he many times. Until now he had never faced a would be close enough to enter Nigeria when his visa dilemma quite like this. Carter was scheduled to was finally granted. But the airline politely informed him Ttravel to the Africa-Indian Ocean Division to train represen- that they could not help him in any way because of the tatives from the division for Trust Services. Priscilla Metonou, type of ticket he had. Other alternatives were explored, director of the division Trust Services, had been working tire- but the cost was prohibitive. lessly for more than a year to arrange this meeting. The only course seemed to be to wait in London until the invitation from the Nigerian government came through. The Best-laid Plans The British Embassy apparently did not want to become Carter was able to get an excellent fare for his itinerary, involved in the matter, but they did issue a second passport the only hitch being that it was a nonrefundable ticket. so as to enable him to send the original one to the Nigerian Carter then applied for visas. In a short while visas were Embassy in Washington, D.C. granted for Zimbabwe and Zambia, but nothing came for Carter waited for more than a week in London. But nothing Nigeria. Upon contacting the division office, he was came through—no invitation from the Nigerian government, informed that visas for the United States were slow in being and no visa. To top it all, he received word from the Eastern issued. He was also informed that it would require an offi- Africa Division that the meetings there might be postponed. cial invitation from the government of Nigeria for him to Baffled, Carter pondered why he had faced one roadblock enter the country. The division office foresaw no problem in after another regarding his travel to Nigeria. In 17 years of obtaining such an invitation. traveling for the General Conference this would be the first Believing that it would be smooth sailing as far as his visa time that he would be unable to complete a planned itiner- was concerned, Carter left for London. To escalate the ary. The previous year he had set out for meetings in China process, he decided on having his visa papers worked on at without a visa and had been able to procure one in Hong the offices of the Nigerian High Commission in London. But Kong. But this time nothing seemed to work. this was not to be. The High Commission turned down his petition and advised him to work with its office in The Master’s Plan Washington, D.C. Carter remembers sitting in his hotel room that Saturday Carter wondered what he should do, whom he should night mulling over the impasse he was facing. It suddenly turn to. On an impulse he asked the British Airways office dawned on him that the only viable option would be for

16 (904) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 OGERS R TEVE S HOTO BY P him to return to Washington, D.C. 28, nearly two months after he left for Christ: “We can so far comprehend His Things became still clearer to him London. The surgery was successful, dealings with us, and the motives by when his wife, Janette, called later that and the pathology report indicated which He is actuated, that we may dis- evening. that the cancer had not spread. After cern boundless love and mercy united The news Janette conveyed to him two three-month checkups Carter was to infinite power. We can understand changed the entire course of his life. told that he need not return for a as much of His purposes as it is for our She informed him that his doctor had checkup for a whole year. The doctors good to know; and beyond this we called, stating that biopsies performed informed him that they consider him must still trust the hand that is on him before he left for London were one of their success stories. omnipotent, the heart that is full of positive. They showed that he had Carter in no way feels that he was love” (p. 106). cancer. Carter couldn’t believe what favored by the Lord above others; in Tom Carter now understands why he was hearing. Routine X-rays earlier fact, he wonders at times why his life the visa never came. ■ that year showed no trace of cancer. was preserved when four of his close He began to see the Lord’s hand in his friends succumbed to the disease with- * Garth Brooks, Pat Alger, and Larry Bastian, Unanswered Prayers. dilemma. He realized now that there in three months of his surgery. was a reason that his visa to Nigeria What Carter does believe is that and the invitation from the Nigerian the Lord portrayed His love for him government had not worked out. He through this perplexing experience; rushed back to the United States for that God stood by him and taught Chitra Barnabas is adminis- his surgery. Suddenly it dawned on him him to trust in spite of any outcome trative secretary to the editor that “some of God’s greatest gifts are or consequence. of the Adventist Review. unanswered prayers.” * Carter readily cites one of his Carter underwent surgery on April favorite passages in the book Steps to

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (905) 17 WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES ADRA/Zambia Preparing for Congolese Refugees

BY BETH SCHAEFER, A DVENTIST D EVELOPMENT AND R ELIEF A GENCY NEWS AND INFORMATION OFFICER

hile the world’s wait for transport to Kala, about 100 running,” says Tom Ngenda, ADRA/ eyes are focused on miles [160 kilometers] away,” Ringrose Zambia planner. “The agricultural the tragic situation says. The refugee camp at Kala, near institute is the most established insti- of Kosovar refugees, Kawambwa, will cater to these same tution located between the two camps the Adventist refugees. It is expected that as many as to hold the supplies.” WDevelopment and Relief Agency 100,000 refugees will flee to this area. The institute was established in (ADRA), which is active in Albania ADRA/Zambia is currently part- 1992 with funding from ADRA/South and the former Yugoslavia, has Pacific Division and the also started making plans to Australian Agency for ease the plight of refugees from International Development to the Democratic Republic of decrease malnutrition and the Congo. poverty in an area that had ADRA is prepared to man- 7,000 residents. “Approximately age a transit refugee camp for 22 percent of the refugees who registration and a temporary have entered through the housing site for 50,000 to northern border near Kaputa 100,000 refugees entering are unaccompanied children Zambia, reports Ron Ringrose, and child soldiers,” reports ADRA/Zambia director. Ringrose. “ADRA and the ADRA officials recently met United Nations Children’s Fund with the government of FOR THE CHILDREN: Even before Congolese refugees entered (UNICEF) are currently looking Zambia, the United Nations Zambia, ADRA had a major presence in the country, helping for a person who can care for High Commissioner for children and adults. these children, to provide the Refugees (UNHCR), and counseling, special care, and other participating nongovernmental nering with Medecins Sans Frontieres education they will need.” organizations to prepare final contin- (MSF—“Doctors Without Borders”) Among the other organizations gency plans. of Holland to distribute 35 tons (32 participating in the relief distribution “Since March 4, 27,000 Congolese metric tons) of emergency relief sup- to the refugee camps are UNHCR, refugees have entered Zambia’s north- plies to a camp in Mwange and UNICEF, World Food Program, Red ern region to flee ongoing political another transit center at Kaputa, on Cross, and CARE. Other projects insecurity,” explains Ringrose. He the northern border. The supplies, ADRA/Zambia is running include a adds, “The current daily influx of including medicine, water bladders, US$1 million, three-year child-sur- refugees into Zambia is approximately pumps, and plastic sheeting, were vival project in the Chipata and 150.” It is estimated that as many as donated by MSF. Both of these camps Chadiza districts, a three-year child 200,000 more refugees will cross the are being managed by another non- and primary health project in the border seeking safety. governmental organization. The Nyimba District, a family planning The transit camp that ADRA/ Mwange camp is prepared to provide and anti-AIDS project in Kabwe, and Zambia is preparing for the entering 35,000 refugees with temporary hous- an agriculture training support project refugees is in Nchelenge, approximately ing and supplies. in Chimpembe. ADRA/Zambia is also 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of “ADRA/Zambia’s agricultural insti- completing a US$1 million relief food Pweto on the shores of Lake Mweru. tute in Chimpembe is acting as a sup- project, monitoring and organizing “This camp will be the refugees’ first ply depot for the Mwange camp and the delivery of 3,500 tons (3.175 met- contact point and will be a collection will also be a supply source for the ric tons) of grain in drought- and area for registration as the refugees ADRA camp in Kala once it is up and flood-affected areas of Zambia.

18 (906) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

Adventist Health Managed Care further,” said Wu. Presently the three hospitals in the South China Island Union belong to Adventist Health Care Signs Affiliation Agreement in Taiwan Asia (AHCA) under the jurisdiction of the Northern Asia- Pacific Division. AHCA members include Tokyo and Kobe BY RAY DABROWSKI, DIRECTOR OF THE G ENERAL Adventist hospitals in Japan, Adventist Medical Center in C ONFERENCE C OMMUNICATION D EPARTMENT Okinawa, and Pusan Adventist Hospital in Korea. The A new era in Adventist health care has started in Taiwan three hospitals in the South China Island Union (Hong with the signing of an affiliation agreement between Kong and Taiwan) are Hongkong Adventist Hospital, Tsuen Adventist Health Managed Care and the three Adventist hos- Wan Adventist Hospital, and Taiwan Adventist Hospital. pitals in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Adventist Health Managed Care will provide a The affiliation, formalized in ceremonies on April 28 and patient referral coordinator and service to facilitate med- May 2, will try to meet the needs of the hospitals in the ical referral to Loma Linda University Medical Center, areas of information systems experience sharing, managed- White Memorial Medical Center, Glendale Adventist care contract review services, recruitment services, physi- Medical Center, and Castle Medical Center in the United cian visitation, medical symposium, network patient refer- States. The affiliates will continue to acknowledge the rals, telemedicine, and training. importance of maintenance and enhancement of the “Many companies and organizations recognize how impor- quality image of Seventh-day Adventist health care across tant globalization is,” said James Wu, vice president of Taiwan the Pacific. Adventist Hospital and spokesman for the Seventh-day The Adventist Church’s care system is worldwide, with Adventist Church in Taiwan. “By signing this agreement, we are 161 hospitals. This affiliation agreement inaugurates a in step with the present opportunities.” new dimension of Adventist global outreach in health “This new opportunity improves our reputation even care.—Adventist News Network.

NEWSBREAK

Alleged Vatican Document a Hoax The document is a hoax. The North American Division has received informa- Many Adventists have seen a document that describes 10 tion about the document from many separate and totally ways in which the Roman Catholic Church will evangelize independent sources, and none of the sources agree on Seventh-day Adventists. The document is purportedly from how the document came to be. In one iteration the doc- the Vatican. The following statement was issued by the North ument was discovered in Honduras. In another iteration American Division to church leaders to help them respond to it was discovered on a website. Both of those sources said questions on the issues. the document was originally in Spanish and was trans- lated into English. In a third iteration the document A disinformation campaign has reached many started out in English. The versions of the document also Seventh-day Adventist members. A disinformation cam- differ from each other slightly. paign is one that presents false information to distract or The Inter-American Division has had the greatest disturb a group of people. In this case, the message is flurry of information about the document. The leadership purportedly a document from the Vatican. The fake of Inter-America agrees with us that it is not a valid doc- document describes ways to reach “the most desirable ument from the Vatican. The Inter-American leadership sectarian group,” referring to the Adventist Church. feels that the document may be part of a campaign to The methods of evangelizing Seventh-day Advent- discredit the Adventist Church, especially in Inter- ists include: To make concessions that would bring America, where many Roman Catholic members have Catholic thinking into Adventism, to question the bib- joined the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The docu- lical basis for Adventist doctrines and for Ellen White, ment appeared on one website that had an official link to show the danger to world peace of Adventist posi- with the Inter-American Division’s website. When Inter- tions about the pope and the Sabbath, to reveal how America asked that the link be severed, an additional Adventist leaders have taken ecumenical steps toward article was posted that described Adventist history and the Catholic Church, and to warn Adventists that they the Adventist position “against” Catholics. will be blamed for world evils if they do not unite with For now we can say with clarity that the document Catholics and Protestants. is not what it purports to be, but the campaign of

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (907) 19 WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES Forgive Us Our Debts

BY STEPHEN CHAVEZ, ASSISTANT EDITOR, A DVENTIST R EVIEW

ith the year 2000 less than six months away, an corporations (that is, the taxpayers and stockholders) of increasing number of government, religious, and the largest and richest industrialized nations would have Wentertainment personalities are joining together to pick up the tab. But in all likelihood, the bottom line in an unusual coalition to urge debt relief for 33 of the wouldn’t be affected very much. The governments and world’s poorest countries. industries of the smallest (in terms of gross national prod- A spokesperson for the Jubilee 2000 Coalition, speaking uct) and poorest countries would, perhaps, be able to during the Group of Eight summit in Cologne, Germany, meet their remaining loan obligations. And citizens of recently said that the 52 poorest nations these poor nations may have their stan- in the world owe debts of $370 billion. NEWS COMMENTARY dard of living raised just a bit. Leading industrial countries agreed to But there’s also the real risk that the lower the debt by as much as $100 billion. ones who would benefit most from debt reduction would be Interestingly, part of the momentum for the debt relief corrupt and unscrupulous political and business leaders in movement comes from the biblical concept of the jubilee, in poor, undemocratic, and underdeveloped countries. There’s which debts were supposed to be canceled every 50 years. a real possibility that wasteful and ill-advised business prac- There’s no evidence that the jubilee was ever observed in tices will put these countries back in debt in a few years. the Bible times or since, but with the year 2000 looming, But if debt reduction can give poor nations a chance to maybe this is a good time to give it a try. start over, shouldn’t it be tried? Isn’t that what forgiveness Who would be affected? The governments and is all about?

NEWSBREAK

disinformation against the Adventist Church seems to to change now the examination days for a certain cat- be real. egory of students would disturb it and would create suspicions. . . . To observe all the religious festivals Romania Denies Religious Freedom to Students when scheduling the exams would create serious per- turbations of the system.” Romania’s Ministry of National Education has denied In a May 27 meeting with Dima and Adrian religious freedom to students who could not take an Bocaneanu (president of the Adventist Church in exam on Sabbath, June 5. Romania), the minister of education explained the According to Viorel Dima, general secretary of the Ministry’s opposition to any date changes by saying that country’s National Association for Religious Liberty, the this is a national examination and it is impossible to education ministry is opposed to any suggestion that make exceptions for any reason. would allow students to take the Capacity Examination The Adventist Church in Romania continues to on any other day. The exam is an entrance requirement appeal this decision. If the direct appeal is unsuccessful, for any high school or vocational school. the church intends to seek judicial remedies.—Adventist “We observe that the Ministry of National Education News Network. remains inflexible in its position, in spite of official rec- ommendations coming from the State Secretariat for Brazilian Adventists Warn of Smoking Religious Affairs, the Romanian Presidency, the Hazards in Public March Romanian Senate Commission for Education, the presi- dent of the Romanian Senate, and the president of Approximately 1,000 individuals participated in the Romania,” Dima commented. walk in honor of the Worldwide Day Against Smoking, Some 1,000 Adventists were affected, and the created by the World Health Organization, on May 29 church has been trying to arrange a rescheduling of in Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil. The walk took the exam in September. The education ministry refus- place on Saturday, a more favorable day to mobilize es any date changes, saying that “due to the fact that volunteers. the Capacity Examination is a national examination, In addition to alerting the public to the dangers of

20 (908) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 WORLD NEWS & PERSPECTIVES

Test Your Global 3. The Adventist Media Centre-Middle East will benefit from the new $15 million shortwave radio station to be built Mission IQ in Argenta, Italy. Its Arabic and Farsi programs will draw more correspondence school mail to its headquarters in 1. When civil war erupted in Nicosia on a politically partitioned island nation in the east- the land of the White Nile, ern Mediterranean with a Greek and Turkish population. 10,000 refugees fled south to What nation is this? Nimule on the border with Uganda. A Global Mission A. Cyprus C. Malta pioneer has worked there for three years. Through a mira- B. Rhodes D. Crete cle Martin Tako Abea was able to learn the local Arabic dialect in a week. Among the 60 who now worship Answers: together, three come from a tribe never before reached by 1. C. Sudan.This ethnically divided nation of 28 million the Adventist message. What African country is this? lies south of Egypt. Church membership (6,900) has A. Central African Republic C. Sudan increased 331 percent in 10 years. B. Kenya D. Egypt 2. B. United Kingdom. These new members of the South England Conference join 19,000 in the British 2. Six people baptized on the formerly unentered Isle of Union Conference. Wight made Global Mission history for the Trans-European 3. A. Cyprus is the headquarters of the Middle East Division. Seven times larger than Bermuda, this island Union of the Trans-European Division. The center learned nation is situated not far from the cities of Southampton and that a letter from Egypt cost the equivalent of 20 loaves of Portsmouth. Of what country are these members citizens? bread; from Iraq, 150 liters of petrol. So the center buys A. Denmark C. Iceland stamps locally and encloses them with return mail. B. United Kingdom D. Ireland Compiled by the Global Mission Office of the General Conference of Seventh- day Adventists.

NEWSBREAK cigarettes, participants also invited smokers to attend a attendees to the weekday meetings and more than 1,000 stop-smoking course from May 31 through June 4. persons on Sabbaths. Thirteen area churches participated During the walk there was a parade with floats that in the meetings. The featured evangelists were Michael demonstrated the consequences of the smoking habit. A Hamilton and Stephen McKenzie. sound system denounced the use of cigarettes and pre- sented smoking-related statistics. Middle East Union Reports New Growth The participants, mostly Pathfinders from Greater Florianopolis and students from the Seventh-day Middle East Union officials report 333 baptisms in the Adventist schools, carried banners and posters, and first quarter of 1999, almost as many baptisms as for all of distributed pamphlets warning of the dangers of 1998 (340). Union membership was 9,320 on December smoking. 31, 1998. At the end of the march the Vivacce Choir from the Evangelistic efforts are being planned for the entire Central Seventh-day Adventist Church in Florianopolis union territory, says Roland Fidelia, union communi- presented several songs. Former smokers also told of their cation director. The NeXt Millennium seminar (NET experiences in giving up cigarettes. The Santa Catarina ’98) videos featuring Pastor Dwight Nelson are being Conference Health Department of the Seventh-day translated into Arabic and shown throughout the Adventist Church organized the march. territory.

Countdown to Showdown Winds Down What’s Upcoming

The Countdown to Showdown evangelistic series in July 3 Vacation Witnessing emphasis Tottenham, London, England, ended May 29 with July 17 Home Study International Promotion more than 30 baptisms, reports the British Union Aug. 7 Global Mission Evangelism Conference. Another 15 persons are being prepared for Sept. 4 Lay Evangelism emphasis baptism. Sept. 11 Adventist Review emphasis The four-week tent revival drew between 400 and 500 Sept. 18 Family Togetherness Day

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (909) 21 DEVOTIONAL

Our Candidate Is Winning! What I learned out on the stumps

BY RACHEL E. WHITAKER

INCE I’VE ALWAYS BEEN INTERESTED IN great controversy, where one candidate is challenging the politics, I spent a summer working on the reelec- other for the government of the universe. We must be tion campaign of my United States representative wholeheartedly on one side or the other. The ballot of life (whom I’ll call Fred Brown). Despite glamorous has no spot for an “Undecided” vote. Jesus said, “He who is moments—such as photo opportunities with high- not with me is against me” (Matt. 12:30),* and “Whoever is Slevel government officials—the intense deadline pressure not against us is for us” (Mark 9:40). and the acrimonious partisan debates discouraged me from There are only two choices. If we waver back and forth, pursuing a career in the fast-paced world of election politics. hoping to have the best of both parties’ proposals, we will Nonetheless, I noticed some interesting parallels between find ourselves on the losing side in the end. Fortunately, my job and the Christian life. God has a program we can support with confidence. His God, too, has a cause to promote: the redemption of our policies have never failed! planet. He wants as many people as possible to choose Him as the ruler of their lives, and He has enlisted us to tell the 2. We have to give the job our all. world about His principles of governing. I can think of at My plan at the beginning of my summer job was to work least four ways that working for God is like working on a four days a week so I could have some time off. I soon political campaign: learned that there is no such thing as working part-time on a political campaign. By the end of the summer I was work- 1. We have to be sold on our candidate. ing more than 40 hours a week, plus Sundays and holidays. It’s very difficult to promote a person or a cause you don’t On American Independence Day I marched in two small- believe in. This is especially true in a campaign, where all town parades to represent Congressman Brown. issues are polarized. Everything your candidate does and says I spent one Sunday delivering yard signs to is automatically good; the opponents’ opinions and supporters and another passing out cam- actions are automatically bad, or at least suspect. paign flyers. On the night before our Since I’m the kind of person who likes to look biggest fund-raising din- at both sides of a topic and avoid taking ner I worked until 1:30 dogmatic positions, the unquestioning a.m. to finish prepara- loyalty of some of my coworkers made tions. So much for hav- me uncomfortable. Fortunately, I ing extra free time! agreed with most of Congressman Similarly, when we com- Brown’s views and appreciated his mit ourselves to God’s service, approach to government. Working for a we can’t keep anything back for candidate I didn’t support would have ourselves. “Love the Lord your God with been almost intolerable. all your heart and with all your soul and with The same dichotomy exists in the all your mind and with all your strength,” Jesus

22 (910) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 commanded (Mark 12:30). We give a the Holy Spirit would be with us as as we listened to radio reports of vot- tithe of our money, and one day of our His representative, giving us the ing results on election night. We were time is especially consecrated to God. power and the knowledge we need confident that our candidate would But our whole lives must be dedicated to finish God’s work. The Spirit is come out ahead. And he did! to Him as well. We can’t serve God on the ideal Counselor; He “knows the It’s the same with us as Christians. Sabbath and ourselves the rest of the thoughts of God” (1 Cor. 2:11). Like Although the entire world may seem to week. All our time, abilities, and Thomas, “He will not speak on his be against us, we don’t need to worry resources are His, to be used as He own. . . . He will bring glory to me about the future, because we know what directs. There are no part-time jobs on [Christ] by taking from what is mine the outcome will be. Jesus has already God’s campaign staff. and making it known to you” (John defeated His opponent. Our side has 16:13, 14). Moreover, Jesus promised already won! When the poll results look 3. Our boss hasn’t left us to do the that the Spirit would influence the dismal, Jesus says, “Take heart! I have work alone. world to cast their votes on God’s overcome the world” (John 16:33). The Since Congressman Brown spent side (John 16:8-11). With the Spirit enemy’s mudslinging tactics can’t change most of his time in Washington, D.C., of God as our adviser, our effort is the results in God’s campaign to save fulfilling his duties as a representative, sure to succeed. humanity. When all the returns come in, he was rarely around to direct his cam- we will find that our hard work has not paign staff. Fortunately, his absence did 4. We don’t need to worry about been in vain; our candidate will come not severely hamper the campaign the outcome. out ahead in the end. ■ effort, because his chief of staff (I’ll call Congressman Brown had been pop- her Susan Thomas) worked in his dis- ular during his previous terms in office * All Scripture references in this article are from the New International Version. trict office just a few doors away from and had many supporters in his dis- the campaign headquarters. Thomas trict. Because his opponents were had known Fred Brown since she was a clearly at a disadvantage, none of high school student volunteering on Congressman Brown’s campaign Rachel E. Whitaker lives in his first campaign for the state House of staffers were very worried that we Charlotte, Michigan, and Representatives. After working for him would lose the election. This feeling of works as a proofreader. She for many years, she could almost read assurance made the job far more enjoy- enjoys writing in her spare Congressman Brown’s mind. If we able; cam- time. wanted to know what the congressman paigns are thought on an issue or how he would stressful want an event organized, all we had to enough do was ask Thomas. She even knew the without the words and phrases he liked to use in his fear that all campaign materials! those months ISC

D God, too, it might seem, has left of work might His workers on earth to run His prove futile in the HOTO

© P campaign on their own. But we are final showdown. not really alone. Before He went We did lit- HOTOS

P back to heaven, Jesus promised that tle nail-biting EDUCATION

The Other Adventist School System Home Study International/Griggs University Celebrate 90 Years

BY BILL KNOTT

T AGE 80 THE ELDERLY SCHOOL- the work of gifted administrators to become a vital part of the teacher was in poor health, worn out by church’s worldwide education program. Always careful not to “compassion fatigue.” For decades she had be seen as competing with established Adventist elementary served her community and her church, chal- schools, academies, and colleges, HSI helped tens of thousands lenging thousands of young minds with disci- of families achieve educational goals through correspondence Apline, wit, and the latest teaching methods. Hundreds rose education, guided independent study, and distance learning to call her “blessed,” but many feared she wouldn’t survive who might otherwise never have had access to a Christian and another decade. Her pulse was weak, and, to make matters values-based curriculum. even worse, she was in dire financial straits, unable to meet Hundreds of students who don’t live close enough to many basic expenses. attend Adventist schools still depend on HSI and its range “It was a difficult time,” says Joseph Gurubatham, pres- of services to finish either entire grade levels in K-12 educa- ident of Home Study International, about the 80-year-old tion or to supplement other home-schooling programs. Adventist “schoolteacher” he came to work with in 1989. “From its very beginnings HSI has consistently reminded After decades of spirited service to the Adventist Church students and families that correspondence education can and the community, HSI seemed headed for a diminished never fully replace the impact of a strong Christian teacher role that year as newer, more flexible programs rapidly in a classroom,” Gurubatham says. “We regularly ask poten- answered the pleas of parents for creative home-based tial clients, ‘Have you looked at your local Adventist ele- education. mentary or secondary school?’ But in the absence of that The reorganization launched in 1989 succeeded in arrest- option, we can offer top-quality resources that help families ing HSI’s decline, however. To the wonderment of all, the reach their special educational goals.” elderly “schoolteacher” has not only survived but even “Many factors influence parents to look at home school- thrived, arriving at her ninetieth birthday this summer with ing and to HSI,” he continues. “Increasingly, there seems to renewed energy and vigor, an international focus, and a cur- be a perception, especially in North America, that public riculum increasingly adapted to an online age. schools may no longer be safe–not morally safe, and some- Long regarded as the “other” Adventist school system, times, not even physically safe. Some parents are also con- Home Study International has filled a specialized educational victed that they should be the primary teachers of their chil- niche for many Adventist families since it was founded in dren. They believe that the most successful way to commu- 1909 by one of the church’s leading educators, Professor nicate their values to their kids is to have an additional six Frederick Griggs. Originally serving many isolated church fam- to seven hours a day of contact time.” ilies and the church’s missionary population, HSI grew through “We’re also in an era that increasingly focuses on individ-

24 (912) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 ualizing education to meet the unique districts in Maryland and Virginia, Eastern Europe, as well as providing an needs of each student, from the acade- where administrators have been enthu- umbrella degree that can enlarge a col- mically challenged to the academically siastic about the new service. lege’s two-year program to a full four- gifted,” Gurubatham adds. “Parents The rapid internationalization of year college degree. want their children to be treated as the Seventh-day Adventist Church “We’ve learned to adapt to unique persons, not as products on a conveyor since the 1960s has also created new local conditions without surrendering belt. Home Study International has challenges and opportunities for HSI. the quality of our academic offerings,” found ways to help parents meet that Conversations with the church’s world says Gurubatham with a slow smile. important goal inside a nationally leaders a decade ago resulted in the “Some would say that we have become accredited program.” 1990 creation of Griggs University, an the ADRA of the Adventist educa- The 1990s haven’t been without accredited, degree-granting institution tional system.” challenges for HSI, though. Collaborations with Columbia Explosive growth in Christian Union College in Takoma Park, home-schooling alternatives has Maryland, and Andrews University brought vigorous competitors into in Berrien Springs, Michigan, have the market, causing HSI to reevalu- expanded the collegiate program to ate its curriculum, adapt to new include both external degree pro- technologies, and keep prices for its grams (through which adults pursue products at a minimum. a college degree while living at “There was a perception several home and continuing full employ- years ago that our prices for home- ment) and distance education via schooling materials and tuition Web-based instructional programs. were too high as compared to what The church’s North American theo- was available from other programs,” logical seminary, also at Andrews Gurubatham says. “As one of the University, is exploring new distance oldest, if not the oldest, Christian education opportunities in concert distance-education programs, we with Home Study International and know that we have to provide a Griggs University. superior product at prices people On May 27 of this year Griggs will actually pay. That’s why we’ve University signed a general agree- worked hard to keep our tuition ment with the University of South and materials prices affordable dur- Africa to offer joint degrees in ing the past four years.” many disciplines. “UNISA” is one Joseph Gurubatham “We’re now advertising in more of the largest distance education uni- than 100 publications, including versities in the world. A core seg- home-schooling journals, magazines that offers collegiate courses through a ment of the designated curricula will catering to Christian colleges, and par- mix of print and other media applica- be offered by Griggs, utilizing enting journals. As a direct result, tions. Many of the church’s postsec- Adventist course materials and inquiries about our program have been ondary schools in developing nations Adventist professors. rapidly climbing.” expressed needs for a portable, flexible “A decade ago no one could have Two innovative programs offered by program to educate college-age stu- predicted what we are experiencing Home Study International have also dents and to offer training opportuni- today,” Gurubatham concludes. “The succeeded in enriching the church’s K- ties to established church workers with- Lord obviously knew that this piece of 12 program. The APLE (Alternative out displacing them from their posts. His work would be important to His Programs for Learning Enrichment) Today hundreds of Adventist plans, and He has blessed it abundantly. has provided small Adventist elemen- employees and ministerial students Our challenge is to keep listening—to tary schools and junior and senior around the world are enrolled in the Him, to our church members, and to academies supplemental teaching Griggs program and are completing the wider community as it increasingly materials and support for more than a modules in Adventist educational phi- moves toward values-based and charac- decade, giving many Adventist schools losophy, Adventist history and mis- ter-building education.” ■ critical support while they grow into sion, biblical doctrines, and the

NOTT full-fledged educational institutions. church’s health message, as well as a

K Bill Knott is an associate HSI is also experimenting with Web- range of traditional subjects. Griggs ILL

B editor of the Adventist based distance education at the high University programs have also helped Review. school level. This program has already to fill curricular gaps in emerging col- HOTO BY

P been pilot-tested in three public school lege programs in Africa, Asia, and

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (913) 25 RENÉ EVANS

The More You Know

ast week at the grocery store I watched a little boy and different words look like and now he knows some of them his big sister play a game while they followed their mom also. Anastasia helps Parker check for e-mail from their L around the store. Right away I could tell the boy was grandmother, reads the letters to him, and then sits with him just learning to read. at the computer and helps him type messages back. It gives “What does that say?” his sister asked as she pointed to their mom time to make supper and do other things at home. one of the banners hanging from the ceiling. Every time Anastasia uses what she has learned to keep “Cost Cutter Days,” said the boy. Parker busy for a while, she’s serving God by helping her “Good!” his sister squealed. mom. Last year she helped some by playing with Parker. But She took a box off a shelf and handed it to him. now that she has learned to read she has more ways of keep- “What does this say?” she asked as she pointed to two words. ing him busy. Now she’s an even bigger help. The boy took the box. “Fa . . . fa . . . fa-seal . . .” The Bible says, “How much better to get wisdom than ISC

“Facial,” his sister corrected. “Facial tissue. That’s OK gold, to choose understanding rather than silver!” (Prov. D

Those were hard ones. What about this?” She took something 16:16, NIV). That’s because the more you know, the more HOTO

else out of the grocery cart and handed it to her brother. you will be able to help others. Your studying will help you © P They played this game the whole time I followed them serve better in God’s family. HOTO down the aisles of the grocery P store. Most of the time the boy got the words right. But when he came across a word he didn’t know, such as “facial,” he looked Family Time at it again and repeated it to him- ☛ self several times. He studied it to With your family’s help, make an acrostic out of the word STUDY. make sure he would know it the Use each letter to start a word that describes something someone in next time he saw it. A few min- your family knows how to do that can be used to serve others. (Example: utes later his mom asked him to S =☛ sing) go back an aisle and pick up Help your family members know what they do best. Sit in a circle, something she had missed. and have each person name something that the person on their right Because he could read, he was knows a lot about or does really well. After you’ve gone around the circle able to get her just what she once,☛ switch directions and try it again. asked for. How can you use the things you just named to serve others? How Anastasia just finished first can those skills help God’s family? (Hint: Even learning a new song can be grade, and she knows a few things used☛ to encourage someone.) about studying. Reading home- Read a Bible story in Acts 2:42-47 about how God’s family served work and spelling sentences each other. What did those believers need to know or be able to do to serve weren’t as much fun as playing a each☛ other like that? How could you have served if you had been there? game in the grocery store, but all Ask the adults in your family the most important thing they’ve that studying has made a reader learned. Why? How have they used this to help God’s family? What do they out of her, too. Now she can keep wish☛ they knew or could do to serve others better? her little brother, Parker, busy by Make up a song to thank Jesus for the mind He gave you. When reading to him, especially in the you pray, thank Him that you can learn new things. car. She shows Parker what ✁

26 (914) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 FAITH ALIVE! Knowing for Sure CALVIN B. ROCK

respect Ellen White, but I have noticed that people have always believed in the Second Coming, but I am seem to be able to find something in her writings to resigned to the fact that Christ may not actually come support whatever position they wish. This is espe- Iin my day. My problem is that I don’t know what to cially true with respect to the tell coworkers and acquaintances subject of the nature of who insist that such thoughts are IChrist. Are these real contradic- nothing but fictitious dreams. Do I tions and if so do they not dimin- argue with them or simply ignore ish Ellen White as a prophet? The signs foretell their snide and cynical remarks? There are, in Ellen White’s writ- You should, in my opinion, con- ings, statements that are seemingly His soon return. fess to your doubting friends that contradictory. An example with you do not know that Jesus is com- respect to the topic you mention is: ing in your lifetime—because you “His human nature was created. . . . don’t. What you do know is that the It was human, identical with our own” (Selected Messages, signs of the times foretell His soon return. Soon, however, is book 3, p. 129) versus, “Let every human being be warned relative to both God’s estimate of time as well as the com- from the ground of making Christ altogether human, such pletion of all the signs, at least two of which are yet to an one as ourselves” (The Seventh-day Adventist Bible come—the gospel into all the world and the full outpouring Commentary, vol. 5, p. 1129). of the latter rain upon the church. What are we to make of these and other such seemingly What we Christians have is not verifiable knowledge. We clashing points of view or emphasis? have faith, and we have hope: faith in the immutable coun- I conclude that since Ellen White, for the most part, sels and unfailing prophecies of God’s Word and, because of wrote without conscious need to clarify her statements of that, hope that He will return in our day. prior decades, it is not surprising that apparent discrepancies Of course, while we cannot prove the Second Coming, occasionally occur within her voluminous record of speech- we have voluminous evidence in nature, the fulfillment of es, letters, articles, and books. I further conclude that in other prophecies, the harmony of Scripture, and the habit- such instances her enduring position is best derived and in changing influences of the Bible upon lives (including one’s some cases only derived by a comparative weighing of her own) to cite as substantiation for our hope. total counsel on the issue under consideration. Accepting But if all that fails to convince your friends, tell them the view of the vastly superior number of mentionings is that hope in the Second Coming has given uncommon logically preferable to deciding in favor of positions based focus and happiness to your life and tell them that its corol- upon isolated or singular quotes requiring tortuous exegesis. lary teachings—i.e., the Sabbath, tithing, health reform— Furthermore, since Ellen White neither claimed nor have brought you immeasurable blessings, one of which is achieved inerrancy and since she did mature spiritually over longevity itself (six to eight years for the average Adventist, the decades of her ministry, and since even in Scripture according to Loma Linda University studies). Then let them there are verses that speak differently (i.e., Matt. 27:44 and know that you would rather live with an endless hope than Luke 23:39-43), and since in no case do these occurrences die with a hopeless end and that if this is dreaming, then oppose essential truth, they do not lessen her impact or may you dream on. authenticity. Finally, it is helpful to remember that Ellen White’s views on faith and doctrine are not the first word: the Bible is. Nor Calvin B. Rock is a general vice president of the are they the last word: continued revelation in the church General Conference. He holds doctoral degrees in guarantees that. Diligently studied, however, they are a clear Ministry and Christian ethics. and potent word and demand not only our solemn respect but our aggressive investigation and wholehearted acceptance.

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (915) 27 ADVENTIST WORLD RADIO A Story That ANDREA STEELE Cannot Be Told

triding through the sunlit forest on his pletely? He decided that the best course to follow was way to visit a favorite Christian congrega- careful, prayerful Bible study, to bring the members to tion, Pastor T* was still caught up in the a fuller understanding of the Bible, and to introduce excitement of his new understanding of them to the Sabbath of the Lord. the Bible and the joy of his recent bap- He was delighted at the warm reception. The peo- Stism into the Adventist Church—as a result of lis- ple said they had missed him and had wondered where tening to programs broadcast in his language on he had been. They had asked the denominational Adventist World Radio (AWR). leaders where he was, but they had only replied, “He The baptism itself was a miracle. In his country in went to work in the north,” and did not reveal that he Asia, where a public baptism in a large city would had become an Adventist. A time of happy fellowship have brought down the wrath of government authori- with old friends ensued. ties, Pastor T’s baptism was public. A picnic organized That evening, as they studied the Bible, the leader at the beach with food, games, and swimming was the of the group said, “After you left, the leaders of our venue for his baptism along with many others. One by church came to us to encourage us in the faith. They one, each person swam up to Pastor L, the speaker on gave us a radio and told us to listen only to a certain the AWR broadcast, and he baptized them there in the Christian broadcast. Then one night we accidentally wind and waves and sun, in plain view of anyone tuned to the Voice of Hope program from the watching—if they were watching closely. Adventist Church. We like that program so much. Months before, Pastor T had heard the Voice of Everyone now listens to it, and we have learned Hope on AWR. At that time he was a leader in a about the seventh-day Sabbath. Do you know any- Sundaykeeping denomination. Amazed at the message thing about it?” he heard, he began to study his Bible as he listened, With joy lighting his face, Pastor T said that he and soon became convinced about the seventh-day did know about the Voice of Hope. He told them he Sabbath. had become a Sabbathkeeper, a Seventh-day After his baptism Pastor T had the opportunity to Adventist, and he was delighted to share his new dis- travel to a neighboring country for a lay-training coveries with them. Full of extra excitement now, the program conducted by Pastor L. At the end of the group studied and talked through the night. The next training Pastor T willingly took the assignment to day was Sabbath, and they worshiped together. The supervise Adventist work in a district in the southern whole group of 18 families accepted the faith. Today part of his country. He visited some of the congrega- more than 100 people now worship on Sabbath in tions that he had formerly visited for the other that village. denomination, and he worked to organize ISC Sabbathkeeping house churches. * Names used in this article are pseudonyms. AWR broadcasts to many D

places where, for political or religious liberty reasons, it would be difficult or dan- HOTO His stride slowed as he left the forest and

gerous for believers and program producers if their names and locations were © P approached the next village. He asked himself how known. HOTO he would share his new faith with these church mem- P Andrea Steele is director of public relations and listener services bers. Would they accept? Would they reject him com- for Adventist World Radio.

28 (916) ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 English/Bible teacher, Korea SDA Language Bible teacher, Korea SDA Language Institutes, Institutes, Seoul, Korea, of Indianapolis, Indiana. Seoul, Korea, of Metairie, Louisiana. Jaclyn Jung, to serve as English language Denise Remon, to serve as English/Bible teacher, Korea SDA Language Institutes, Seoul, teacher, English Language Centers, Golianovo, Korea, of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Russia, of Oconto Falls, Wisconsin. Sanjay Naria Khurchandani, to serve as Dos Santos, to serve as assistant food con- physician/pediatric resident, Guam SDA Clinic, troller, ADRA/Bolivia, La Paz, Bolivia, of Tamuning, Guam, of Oak Park, Illinois. Riverside, California. Veda Nicole Knight, to serve as English/ Annie Eun Myung Sohn, to serve as Bible teacher, Korea SDA Language Institutes, English/Bible teacher, Korea SDA Language Seoul, Korea, of Belle Glade, Florida. Institutes, Seoul, Korea, of Redmond, Washington. Jill Allison LaFever, to serve as dental Tanya Marie Spilovoy, to serve as English hygienist, Yaounde Dental Clinic, Yaounde, language teacher, San Yu International Language Cameroon, of Donna, Texas. Institute, China, of Bismarck, North Dakota. Carol Jean Marino, to serve as English/Bible David Alan Wedel, to serve as English lan- They Still Go teacher, Korea SDA Language Institutes, Seoul, guage teacher, Euro-Asia Division, Moscow, Korea, of Palisade, Colorado. Russia, of Colton, California. Adventist Volunteer Service Christina Vitto Mendoza, to serve as Lloyd Dean Wenzel, to serve as dentist, The following persons left their homes English/Bible teacher, English Language Centers, Guam SDA Clinic, Tamuning, Guam, and Almaty, Kazakhstan, of Chunkee, Mississippi. Sharon Joyce Wenzel, of Montrose, Colorado. in 1998 to volunteer their time to assist in Jennifer Lynn Mueller, to serve as English/ Kimberly Kay Whidden, to serve as English/ mission work in other countries for short- Bible teacher, Korea SDA Language Institutes, Science teacher, Guam Adventist Academy, term service. Most of them have returned Seoul, Korea, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Talofofo, Guam, of Walla Walla, Washington. home, but because of limited space and Pamela Joan Nickel, to serve as David Andrew Zabaleta, to serve as English/ other delays, their names are just being teacher/girls’ dean, Davis Indian Industrial Bible teacher, Korea SDA Language Institutes, College, Paruima Village, Guyana, of St. Seoul, Korea, of White Plains, New York. published. We want them to know how Thomas, Ontario, Canada. much we appreciate their ministry. Christopher Lynn Patchen, to serve as Regular Missionary Service English/Bible teacher, Korea SDA Language The following persons left for regular Neil Stewart Brantley, to serve as English lan- Institutes, Seoul, Korea, of Startup, Washington. missionary service in 1998. Please guage teacher, Montemorelos University, Nuevo Andrew Phillips, to serve as English/Bible Leon, Mexico, of Berrien Springs, Michigan. teacher, Korea SDA Language Institutes, Seoul, remember them in your prayers. Kenneth Scott Brown, to serve as education Korea, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Douglas Clayville, returning to serve as asso- teacher, Pakistan Adventist Seminary, Punjab, Julia Anne Pope, to serve as computer appli- ciate secretary, Southern Asia-Pacific Division, Pakistan, and Marion Hazel Brown, of Yucaipa, cations director, ADRA/Haiti, Port-au-Prince, Silang, Cavite, Philippines, Susan Clayville, California. Haiti, of Springfield, Virginia. and three children. Lucy Aimee Caesar, to serve as teacher, Joseph John Pour, Jr., to serve as English/ LaRonda Rene Forsey, returning to serve as Seychelles Mission, Seychelles, Indian Ocean, of Bible teacher, English Language Centers, English teacher, Maxwell Adventist Academy, Mount Vernon, New York. Kyrgyzstan, of Coupeville, Washington. Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa, David Forsey, and Forrest Alan Davis, to serve as English/ Mark Richard Raedisch, to serve as English/ two children. Bible teacher, Korea SDA Language Institutes, Seoul, Korea, of Gresham, Oregon. Everton George Dawkins, to serve as English/Bible teacher, Korea SDA Language Institutes, Seoul, Korea, of Miami, Florida. Michael and Jamie Delay, to serve as ele- mentary teachers, Ekamai International School, Bangkok, Thailand, of Collegedale, Tennessee. Carolyn Patricia Douglas, to serve as English/Bible teacher, Japan English Schools, Yokohama, Japan, of Garland, Texas. Brigett Michelle Dunn, to serve as elemen- tary teacher, Ekamai International School, Bangkok, Thailand, of Arden, North Carolina. Esther Jemima Edwards, to serve as English/ Bible teacher, Korea SDA Language Institutes, Seoul, Korea, of Brooklyn, New York. Raymond C. Gager II, to serve as teacher/ evangelist, Korea SDA Language Institutes, Seoul, Korea, of Berrien Springs, Michigan. William Edward Hawthorne, to serve as teacher/technical advisor, Davis Indian Industrial College, Paruima Village, Guyana, of Vernon, Alabama. Tosco-Gabriella Henry, to serve as English/ Bible teacher, San Yu English Bible Center, Pintung City, Taiwan, of Collegedale, Tennessee. Clarence Eugene Hodges, Jr., to serve as

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (917) 29 REFLECTIONS Selling My Soul BY DAN SERNS for Chocolate

was in Korea teaching English conversation and Bible. centered life. And here I was selling my witness for $7.50 One day I received notification that a package from and a box of smashed candy. the United States had arrived. I knew my way to the How had he known? He saw right through my heart. My post office (I’d been in Korea messed-up priorities were on public view about eight months), so I headed to the people in line. The apostle Peter Iout to fetch my treasure. Soon I was denied Jesus too, but only when it was standing in line anticipating the familiar life-threatening. I had done it for candy routine—wait, hand your notice to the and far less than 30 pieces of silver. clerk, who gave your package to the cus- Without answering, I paid the clerk, toms inspector, who opened the package took my box, and headed home. I tried a to approve the contents. If there was a candy, but it tasted rotten. Was it because fee, you paid the clerk. it was smashed or because my grand ambi- ISC

Mom had remembered my favorite D tion of coming to Korea to witness for dessert, Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs! My Jesus had been found to be not so grand? HOTO

mouth began to water. Then I watched © P I knew how Peter felt after he denied the inspector smash the eggs one by one Jesus when he looked into His eyes and HOTO to make sure they didn’t conceal anything. P saw only pity and forgiveness. That day I The now-damaged box made its way cried tears of repentance. I saw myself as I to the clerk, who looked at me and said in Korean, “That really was, and it wasn’t a beautiful sight. But that day I also will be $7.50, Korean money.” I was furious. What began as found forgiveness and cleansing in my Saviour’s arms. Mom’s thoughtfulness had turned into destruction and high- My last four months in Korea were more productive than way robbery. my first eight. I think one reason was that humbling experi- Assessing the situation, I played the dumb American, not ence in a post office, and the mercy of God in spite of it all. understanding Korean. “What?” I said loudly in English. I’m thankful God doesn’t call just the righteous to be His “Can’t you give me my box that’s already messed up?” The ambassadors. He calls us in spite of ourselves, not because of clerk didn’t understand. ourselves. He calls us so we can tell others what a wonder- “May I help?” a smiling Korean businessman behind me ful, caring, forgiving Friend we have in Jesus. asked politely, in perfect English. The last thing I wanted “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. was someone to translate while I tried to evade paying for Not many of you were wise by human standards. . . . But the smashed box. God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; “Yes! These people opened my box of candy, smashed God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. half of it, and now they want me to pay. They ought to give He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised it to me, since they damaged it,” I replied. things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that The businessman spoke to the clerk in Korean. Turning are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him to me, he said, “You’ll need to pay the customs fee anyway.” that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom “Why? What if I walked away and left them with the from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemp- smashed candy?” tion. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let him who boasts boast in “You’ll need to pay the customs fee anyway. That’s the the Lord’” (1 Cor. 1:26-31, NIV). ■ law.” His kind voice frustrated me. “What a stupid law!” Dan Serns was a student missionary in Korea. He Looking into my eyes, he asked, “Are you here on mis- currently pastors two churches in Kansas City, sionary work?” Kansas. I wished a hole would open and swallow me. Yes, I was there to teach about Jesus and show how to live the Christ-

ADVENTIST REVIEW, JULY 8, 1999 (919) 31