MissionYOUTH & ADULT 2018 • QUARTER 1 • INTER-AMERICAN DIVISION

AdventistMission.org Contents

On the Cover: Raquel Marrero Torres, 52, helps organize the Church Without Walls for homeless people in Puerto Rico. Read more on page 4.

PUERTO RICO 20 Surprises With God | March 3 4 Church Without Walls | Jan. 6 TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO 6 Blue Jeans | Jan. 13 22 A Scrappy Dog | March 10 BELIZE JAMAICA 8 Britain’s Queen and Heaven’s King | Jan. 20 24 Sewing for Jesus | March 17 10 Finding Their First Love | Jan. 27 26 Adopted by God | March 24 12 Top Chef Gives Up All | Feb. 3 14 Wife’s Prayer Answered | Feb. 10 RESOURCES | March 31 16 No Stale Food | Feb. 17 28 Thirteenth Sabbath Program 30 Future Thirteenth Sabbath Projects MEXICO 31 Leader’s Resources 18 A Second Chance | Feb. 24 32 Map = stories of special interest to teenagers Your Offerings at Work

Three years ago, part of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering helped repair the Good Samaritan Inn, a homeless shelter, and expand it into a free health clinic, in Kingston, Jamaica. Read about a homeless man who found God through the Good Samaritan Inn on page 26. Inter-American Division Inter-American ission

M © 2018 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® • All rights reserved 12501 Old Columbia Pike, dventist

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

This quarter we feature the Inter- In Mexico, Southeast American Division, which includes countries Adventist Hospital will and territories in the Caribbean Sea, Central expand with a new seven-story building America, and the northern part of South offering health services and disease America. The region is home to nearly prevention classes to the city of Villahermosa 300 million people and has a Seventh-day and the surrounding community. Adventist membership of 3.7 million. That’s You can watch a six-minute video a ratio of one Adventist for every 81 people. about the projects at the link: bit.ly/iad- This quarter’s three Thirteenth Sabbath projects-2018. projects are in Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and Mexico and have one thing in common: a Special Features goal to make further inroads in sharing the If you want to make your Sabbath gospel in their communities. School class come alive in a new way this In Puerto Rico, the funds will help quarter, visit our Facebook page at the construct a multi-purpose facility that will link: facebook.com/missionquarterlies. accommodate 1,000 people for religious Every week, we post additional photos and and missional activities on the campus of activities to go with each mission story. You Antillean Adventist University. could show the photos on PowerPoint, your In Trinidad, the University of the computer, or a mobile device while you read Southern Caribbean will receive its first the mission story, or you could print the church building, replacing an auditorium photos to decorate your Sabbath School where people now gather for worship room or church bulletin board. services. The University Church will have This adult and youth Mission quarterly seating for 1,700 people and be furnished contains just a sample of the thrilling with facilities for Sabbath School, children mission stories that we have collected from ministries, a media ministry, a welfare the Inter-American Division. For more ministry, mission outreach, a training center, great stories, visit bit.ly/iad-archive, which and a fellowship hall. will take you to all the division stories. At this link, you can also search for stories by country and theme. Opportunities You can download the PDF version of the Mission quarterly at bit.ly/adultmission, The Thirteenth Sabbath Offering and Mission Spotlight videos at bit.ly/ this quarter will help build: missionspotlight. Check out the Leader’s Resources  Center of evangelism, Antillean Adventist on page 31 in this quarterly for helpful University, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico sources of additional information to  University church building, enhance your mission presentations University of the Southern Caribbean, throughout the quarter. Maracas, Trinidad If you have found especially effective  Seven-story community center, ways to share mission stories, please let Southeast Adventist Hospital, me know at [email protected]. Villahermosa, Mexico org. Thank you for encouraging church members to be mission-minded! AdventistMission.org 3 Church Without Walls PUERTO RICO | January 6 Raquel Marrero Torres, 52

are seeking to share Jesus’ love in their communities in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory measuring just 100 miles by 35 miles (160 kilometers by 55 kilometers) in the Caribbean Sea. Some churches organize weekly meals on their premises, and others send members to clean and repair homes during the week. Raquel’s church group used to meet once a month in a park in Mayaguez, a city on Puerto Rico’s west coast that is home to Antillean Adventist University. group of church members gathered But a city-organized event forced them to in a Puerto Rican park at 5 a.m. A relocate to the city square for one Sabbath Sabbath to pray, read the Bible, and eat in 2012. As they ate, one church member a light breakfast. Little did they expect to noticed several homeless people in the be watched by homeless people when they square and invited them to join the meal. were ejected from their usual spot one “From that day on, he decided to return Sabbath and forced to meet in the city’s and feed the homeless by himself every central square instead. Sabbath,” Raquel said. The one-off move, however, changed The man, a small business owner in his the meetings permanently. Their monthly fifties, took hot cereal, sandwiches, fresh gathering has transformed into a weekly fruit, and juice to the central square every worship and breakfast for the homeless. Sabbath for several months. Then he told Last Easter, a pastor led a special Raquel, “I want you to go. I don’t want to communion service with grape juice, just give them food. I also want them to bread, and foot washing. hear about God.” “We call it the Church Without Walls,” Raquel, an active leader in her

Inter-American Division Inter-American said Raquel Marrero Torres, the 52-year- congregation, agreed to accompany him

ission old university math teacher who organizes the next Sabbath. M the meal. Early Sabbath morning, she opened the The Church Without Walls is one of Bible and read to about 35 men and women. dventist A the ways that Seventh-day Adventists Raquel went regularly after that, and 4 she took over the task of organizing the ill or have other needs during the week. meals in early 2017. Some attendees are no longer homeless These days, 65 to 70 people show up at after receiving apartments from the city. 7 a.m. every Sabbath to hear the Word Church members helped them move into of God and eat breakfast. The guests their new homes and to furnish them. sit in chairs set up by the volunteers as The breakfast program is funded by they sing and listen to a pastor share a donations from church members and 20-minute message. The pastor recently others. A student volunteer has a mother

led the group through the Discover Bible who works at a major international RICO PUERTO studies, and 40 people who completed company, and the company donated the course were taken by chartered backpacks filled with shampoo, soap, bus to a nearby Adventist church for a toothpaste, and towels to present to the graduation ceremony. female attendees on the Mother’s Day Raquel is astonished that most holiday and to the men on Father’s Day. attendees arrive by 7 a.m., even though At Easter, the volunteers organized they knew that the breakfast will start 45 a first communion service on the city minutes later. square. Communion dishes and tables “We started by giving food to the were brought from the church, and the homeless, but now we have people who pastor explained the ritual. Many people come because they want to hear God’s wept as they washed each other’s feet. word,” she said. “They sit there and open “To them, washing their feet was like their Bibles and sing. It’s amazing.” God washing away their sins,” Raquel The weekly gathering has become a said. “It was the first time that they had family reunion. had that experience. It was beautiful.” “We laugh and cry,” Raquel said. “We Raquel is unaware of anyone being have people who have passed away since baptized because of the program, but she is we started the meetings, and we have confident that the Holy Spirit is working wept for them. It’s like a family.” on people’s hearts. Many of the attendees have Raquel’s “We know that the seeds will grow,” she cellphone number and call her if they fall said. “We know that they love God.” Among the program’s volunteers are students from Antillean Adventist Mission Post University, which will receive part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering.  The Puerto Rican Constitution grants The funds will help open a center of its people freedom of religion. Seventy percent of the population identify as influence and evangelism center at the Catholic, with 25 percent being Protestant. university. Thank you for giving to the  The Puerto Rican Union Conference has mission offering.  310 churches and a membership of 32,875. By Andrew McChesney With a total population of 3,415,000, this means there is one member for every 104 people in Puerto Rico. Watch a short YouTube video with Raquel at the link: bit.ly/raquel-torres AdventistMission.org 5 PUERTO RICO | January 13

Blue Jeans

Kermyt Torres Castellano, 39

[Ask a man to read this first-person testimony.] the likely result of a poor lifestyle. The doctor removed nine feet (three meters) y father grew up in a Seventh-day of intestines. MAdventist home in Puerto Rico, While recovering from the surgery, but he left the church when someone my father suffered respiratory failure and criticized his fiancée for wearing blue could not breathe. In 45 seconds, his life jeans to church. passed before his eyes like a movie. He saw My father was 19 years old at the time, his sins and the many times that he had and he showed up on Sabbath with my rejected Jesus’ attempts to reach him. He future mother, who belonged to a Sunday- was overcome with fear about the future. keeping denomination. My father grew At that moment, he felt two big hands furious when someone told my mother that reach down from above, and he heard a she wasn’t dressed appropriately, and he voice say in his ear, “Don’t worry. You are abandoned his faith. in my hands.” He immediately began to I grew up in the home of a police officer. breathe again. My father was a big, muscular SWAT After leaving the hospital, my father officer, and he thought he was Superman. gave his life to Jesus and returned to the He liked to fight, smoke, and drink. He Adventist Church. But he was worried told my younger brother and me, “Only about his two sons. He prayed, “You have the strongest survive on the street. You saved me, but what about my sons?”

Inter-American Division Inter-American need to be strong to survive.” At the time, I was a 27-year-old

ission The years passed, and my parents truck driver who smoked, drank, and M separated. When my father was 45, he was addicted to cocaine and heroin. was hospitalized in serious condition. The My brother worshipped the devil. He dventist A doctor said his intestines were rotting, wore black clothes and painted his lips, 6 fingernails, and eyes black. He had 32 piercings on his face. He painted the walls Fast Facts and ceiling of his bedroom black and listened to heavy metal music as he slept.  Christopher Columbus discovered Puerto Rico in 1493, one year after he My father tried to give us Bible studies, discovered the Americas. He named it but we weren’t interested. He grew San Juan Bautista after John the Baptist. increasingly frustrated as we rebuffed  The food of Puerto Rico is spicy and is his efforts to introduce us to Jesus. He a mixture of Spanish, America, British, changed his approach, however, after

and African influences. RICO PUERTO reading Isaiah 49:25, where the Lord  Although Puerto Rico is a territory of the says, “For I will contend with him who United States, it competes individually contends with you, and I will save your in the Olympics each year and has won children” (NKJV). nine medals total. Six medals were won My father put his sons in God’s hands. in boxing, one in athletics, one in tennis, and one in wrestling. I didn’t know God, and I didn’t know that my father was praying for me. But  The streets in Puerto Rico are paved an odd thing happened to me a short with blue cobblestones. time later. On a Friday, I met with my  Puerto Rico is home to the largest living friends, and we spent the weekend going reptile in the world—the leatherback from club to club, partying, like we did sea turtle. every weekend. When I returned home on Monday, I felt a loathing for my lifestyle, and I to joke that we would go to clubs and longed for a better life. I prayed at 11 a.m., drink together when I grew up. But now “Lord, you need to do something with my we go to church together. life because I’m going to die on the street If Jesus can do this for us, He can do of Puerto Rico or I’m going to contract a this for anyone. disease from a girl.” I don’t know what Jesus did in me, but Kermyt Torres Castellano has the next morning I felt different. I lost all served as a pastor for seven years and desire for tobacco, alcohol, and drugs. I is now studying for his master’s degree just wanted to serve Christ. I never used in theology at Antillean Adventist those substances again. University in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. Ten years later, I’m a 39-year-old Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Adventist pastor in Puerto Rico. I’m Offering will help the university build a married to a wonderful Adventist woman, center of influence and evangelism center and we have five children. My brother is to reach out to the local community.  serving God at an Adventist church in the By Kermyt Torres Castellano, as told to Andrew McChesney U.S. city of Boston, and I had the privilege of baptizing my mother five years ago. Read a story about Kermyt’s experience at My father, who remarried, remains a Antillean Adventist University on page 6 of faithful Adventist in Puerto Rico. the Children’s Mission quarterly or online at A long time ago, my father and I used the link: bit.ly/rice-and-beans AdventistMission.org 7 Britain’s Queen and Heaven’s King BELIZE | January 20 Leticia August, 60

“That’s not what the Bible teaches!” The Adventists were speaking about the gift of tongues. They read from the book of Acts that everyone understood in their own language what the disciples preached. Leticia had been raised to believe that he most exciting day in the young life speaking in tongues produced gibberish Tof Leticia [pronounced: let-EESIA] that no one could understand. was when her mother sent her from Finally, Leticia burst out of her room Guatemala to live with her grandmother and told the Adventists, “What you are in neighboring Belize. Her parents were teaching is not right.” She tried to show staunch Sunday-keepers, and Leticia them her way of thinking. was tired of being told that she couldn’t Through the discussion, Leticia began behave like the other girls. to study the Bible with the Adventists. “When I moved, I said, ‘Yes this is it!’” Then she attended their church and Leticia said. decided to be baptized. She started going to dances and parties. But her relatives dismissed the She felt like free at last. But she worried Adventist Church as a cult and told her, almost every day, “What will happen to “If you ever decide to be baptized, forget me if I die tonight?” that you have a family here.”

Inter-American Division Inter-American After some time, a couple of Adventists Her baptism was a real struggle, and

ission started visiting Leticia’s home and giving she did not show up on the day she M Bible studies to her uncle, who also lived was supposed to be baptized. She went there. Leticia, who was 17, eavesdropped partying instead and decided that she dventist A from her room and thought indignantly, wouldn’t be baptized. 8 members because you never know what Fast Facts is happening in their lives,” Leticia said. “Get to know them and love them.”  English is the official language of Leticia soon returned to her mother Belize, and Belizean Kriol (Creole) is the unofficial language, although in Guatemala. Even that move was Spanish is the second-most common blessed by God, she said. Shortly after spoken language. her arrival, she met her future husband,  Although Belize is independent, Britain’s and they were married. Leticia went on queen is still the symbolic head of state to become a nurse and to plant three and holds the title “Queen of Belize.” churches in Guatemala and Belize with  Although Belize City is the largest city, her husband. Together, the couple has led the capital of Belize is Belmopan after a about 1,000 people to baptism. hurricane nearly destroyed Belize City Leticia’s husband has since passed away, BELIZE in 1961. but she remains an active 60-year-old  The National Assembly building in church member in Belize, where she now Belmopan is designed to resemble lives. In 2016, Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II a Mayan temple. named her a Member of the Most Excellent  Guatemala still claims Belize as Order of the British Empire in recognition Guatemalan territory, based in part on of her community service. the Anglo-Guatemalan Treaty of 1859. “Somebody submitted my name,”  Before Belize became independent, it Leticia said, modestly. “But really what was known as British Honduras. inspires me to move forward is not the  There are no fast food chains like awards of people. I always imagine that McDonald’s, KFC, and Burger King God is saying, ‘Go, do this for Me.’ We in Belize. are His servants. He says, ‘Do it.’ I want to hear Him say one day, ‘Well done, good “But the Lord did not leave me until I and faithful servant.’ went to ask for baptism,” she said. “The “I know that God called me for a pastor asked, ‘Are you sure?’ I was sure, purpose,” she said. “It has been 43 years and from that moment to now I am since I was called to the church, and His sure that I made the right choice. Praise loves grows deeper and deeper every day.” God for His mercy and for giving me a Belize received part of the 2015 second chance.” Thirteenth Sabbath Offering to build a Leticia’s relatives were furious. They campground for evangelistic meetings pressured her to renounce her faith by and church conferences. Thank you for putting pork or lard in the food so she supporting Belize and other countries in couldn’t eat it. Leticia lived on cookies the Inter-American Division with your and milk for weeks. She only ate a full mission offering.  meal on Sabbaths when church members By Andrew McChesney invited her to their homes for lunch. “That when I learned that you should Watch a short YouTube video of Leticia always open your door to newly baptized singing at the link: bit.ly/leticia-august AdventistMission.org 9 Finding Their First Love BELIZE | January 27 James Pescascio, 62, and Louise Pescascio, 65

at an evangelistic series in the United States, but she didn’t think much about it until she returned to Belize and opened a small hotel. She began to study the Bible carefully. After reading about tithe, she started returning 10 percent of her income to God. After reading about sexual morality, she turned away unmarried couples who wanted rooms. Then she searched for information about the right day of ames and Louise grew up as childhood worship. She wanted to keep going to friends in the Central American J church on Sunday, but she also wanted to country of Belize. obey the Bible. As adults, they immigrated to the United “I searched the Bible for evidence that States to work. Louise operated various it was all right to keep Sunday,” she said businesses in California for 30 years. James in her home in Dangriga Town. “But worked as an engineer for Motorola in the more I studied, the more the Lord California, Texas, and Illinois. showed me that the Sabbath was the true As they neared retirement age, they day of worship.” both moved back to Belize, renewed Then Louise read Hebrews 4:4-11, acquaintances, and discovered that they which says that “God rested on the both were single. James soon asked Louise seventh day” and makes the appeal, “If out on a date. Louise had one question. you will hear His voice, do not harden “Who is first in your life?” she your hearts” (NKJV). asked James. “When I read that, I stopped and I “God,” he replied. said, ‘I have been asking God to show me

Inter-American Division Inter-American “Good, then we can talk,” she said. if I can continue worshipping on Sunday

ission Louise was eager to tell James what she and here it is!’” Louise said. “Now I had M was learning about the Sabbath. James had the proof.” news of his own. The two began to talk. The knowledge presented a dilemma. dventist A Louise first heard about the Sabbath Hotels are open seven days a week, and 10 Louise didn’t know what to do. She placed Bibles and copies of Ellen White’s Mission Post “Steps to Christ” in every room. She stopped doing laundry and other routine  According to the latest national work on Sabbath. But she didn’t know if census, 40.1 percent of Belizeans are Roman Catholics and 31.8 percent that was enough. are Protestants. James, who was getting reacquainted with Louise after so many years, also didn’t know  Belize has 92 churches and 40 companies with 43,500 members. what to do. But he said that it was important With a total population of 388,000, 11 to pray and to listen for God’s voice. percent of Belizeans are Adventist. He told Louise that he once had been invited by his brother to go on a road  The Adventist message was introduced into Belize (then British Honduras) trip from California to Belize. The night through Adventist publications. Around BELIZE before their departure, he had stopped by 1885, Mrs. E. Gauterau, from Honduras, a friend’s house and expressed discomfort who had been converted while in about going. California, distributed publications in both counties. “Don’t go,” the friend said. “Listen to that internal voice.” But James felt obligated to go because he had promised his brother. Later that Sabbath and grew increasingly convinced evening, his car refused to start, and he that they needed to leave the hotel had to be towed to his brother’s house. business. But how? “But I still didn’t want to listen to that “Then God did a very wonderful thing voice that said, ‘Don’t go on this trip,’” for us,” Louise said. James said. One day, Louise mentioned casually to a The brothers left in the morning. U.S. business client that she hadn’t taken Partway through Mexico, a tire blew as a vacation in 20 years and really could James was behind the wheel. The vehicle use a break. The very next day, the client rolled over, and the brother was thrown offered to take over the hotel. out. James suffered serious injuries to his Louise and James have been baptized face and arms, and he spent two days in a and are now leaders of the local Adventist Mexican hospital. Days later, in Belize, he church. They praise God for giving them started seeing double and had to rush back the Sabbath as a day of rest and worship to the United States for eye surgery. every week. The accident prompted a turn-around “What happened with our business was in James’ life. nothing short of a miracle,” Louise said.  “I started going back to church and turned back to God,” he said. “I realized By Andrew McChesney that if I had listened to the voice, I wouldn’t have had that trouble.” Watch short videos of the couple sharing James and Louise realized that they their faith on YouTube. James is at the link: both were seeking God’s will and decided bit.ly/james-pescascia, and Louise is at the to get married. They went to church every link: bit.ly/louise-pescascia AdventistMission.org 11 Top Chef Gives Up All BELIZE | February 3 Mercedes Ruiz, 54

sake, my God, for Your city and Your people are called by Your name” (Daniel 9:19; NKJV). One Sunday afternoon after the triple church services, Mercedes saw several flyers scattered on the sidewalk. She picked one up and saw that it advertised a Seventh-day Adventist evangelistic series that opened that very night. She went to the meeting—and didn’t miss a night afterward. On Sabbath, she took a vacation day from work and went forward when the preacher asked who ercedes Ruiz was a busy woman. wished to be baptized. M Six days a week, she worked Her supervisor was upset when she as a chef for the Radisson hotel and announced on Monday that she would no prepared meals for first-class passengers on longer work on Saturdays. American Airlines. On Sundays, she went “You didn’t have a problem before with to church—and not just one church but Saturday,” the supervisor said. “Did you three different churches. murder someone or commit some other Mercedes, a native Mayan living in the crime? Why do you have to do this?” Central American country of Belize, longed “I believe that this is the day of the to grow closer to God. But she felt empty Lord,” Mercedes replied. “I want to get inside even after the three church services. closer to Him.” She turned to the Bible and started to Without the supervisor’s support, study Daniel. Reaching chapter 9, she Mercedes decided that she had to resign. noticed that Daniel fasted and prayed as a She wrote a resignation letter and handed servant of God. it to the company director, who was above “Lord,” Mercedes prayed, “if Daniel can her supervisor. do it, You can help me do it, too.” The director read the letter, crumbled it

Inter-American Division Inter-American She fasted and prayed. Every day, she up into a wad, and threw it into the trash.

ission repeated the lengthy prayer of Daniel in “Let’s pretend that you never gave this M Daniel 9, which concludes with the plea, to me,” he said. “I’m going to give you “O Lord, hear! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, Saturdays off, and I’m going to give you dventist A listen and act! Do not delay for Your own a raise.” 12 by her home on a Friday evening, Fast Facts Mercedes thought, “If this Bible study is good enough for me, I want to share it  Belize has the lowest population density in Central America, with only with someone else.” So, she invited her 39 people per square mile, or 15 people neighbors to attend. She raised a tent in per square kilometer. her front yard, placed chairs inside, and prepared delicious refreshments. She set  The Belize Rainforest is home to more than 500 species of orchid. up a table for the pastor at the front of the tent.  Belize’s black howler monkeys are one of the top 10 loudest animals in the world. The pastor was surprised to see a crowd of people waiting for him on Friday  Cashew trees are found in the forests in evening. When the Bible study ended,

Belize. Cashews are a seed that grows BELIZE out of a fruit called a cashew apple. The the pastor announced that another Bible cashew apple is edible, but the skin study would be held the next Friday night. around the cashew itself is toxic and It was Mercedes turned to be surprised. must be removed before eating. She thought that the Bible study was only for one night. The supervisor was furious upon The crowd grew with each subsequent learning that Mercedes no longer had to Bible study. There was no Adventist work on Saturdays. She ordered Mercedes church in the town, so Mercedes turned to do extra work and gave her tight her home into a house-church where her deadlines to complete the tasks. Mercedes neighbors could worship on Sabbath. cried out to God to give her strength. Sixteen people were baptized through the One day, Mercedes arrived at work to Bible studies. Mercedes helped plant the learn that the supervisor was dead. The town’s first standalone Adventist church a supervisor, who was married with children, year later. had gone to the seashore with another But she wanted to do still more, and man the previous evening. Their romantic she especially longed to reach her native rendezvous had been shattered by armed Mayan people with the gospel. So, robbers fleeing a crime scene. In making she became a Global Mission pioneer, their getaway, the robbers had shot dead a missionary who plants churches in the couple and stolen their car. unentered regions. Mercedes now Peace returned to Mercedes’ workplace. leads a growing Maya congregation in “I enjoyed every Sabbath and my Belize’s capital, Belmopan. “That’s how workdays as well,” she said. I got involved in missionary work,” said But that was just the beginning Mercedes, 54. “I love to do missionary of Mercedes’ story. A few years later, work. It’s a life of commitment, and I am Mercedes found herself alone after her happily doing it.”  husband died and her adult children moved By Andrew McChesney out. She recommitted her life to Jesus and asked the pastor for a Bible study. Watch a short YouTube video of Mercedes When the pastor promised to stop at the link: bit.ly/mercedes-ruiz AdventistMission.org 13 Wife’s Prayer Answered BELIZE | February 10 Olga Chee, 39, and Johnny Chee, 70

Behind their house lived an Adventist couple. The wife came to the fence and talked and prayed with Olga. She twice invited Olga and her three children to church, and that was when Olga asked Johnny if he would go with them. Finally, Olga wound up at a liberal Sunday church, and Johnny fell in love with the church members. They attended the church for nearly five years. But then Olga and Johnny began to feel once again that something was lacking in he first time that Olga Chee asked their lives. They prayed to God for help. Ther husband, Johnny, if he would go A few days later, a relative called with her to the Seventh-day Adventist Johnny, who owned several small church, he replied sharply, “I’ll go with businesses, to ask for help with a pizza you to any church except that one!” restaurant on the other side of the country. Johnny thought the Adventist Church After he left, Olga prayed, “God, if it was a cult, and he rejected a second is Your will for us to move, please give request from Olga a few weeks later. me a sign. Let the sign be that I don’t Olga and Johnny were looking for take anything from the house except the a church in Orange Walk, a town of children and the clothes on my back.” She 15,000 people in the Central American didn’t tell anyone about her prayer. country of Belize. Neither was particularly Four weeks passed, and Johnny called religious, but Olga had been overcome Olga to announce that she and the with a desire to go to church. children were moving. The couple went with friends to a “Don’t worry,” he said. “You will have conservative Sunday church several everything: a home, school for the children, times, but something didn’t feel right. and all the furniture. You will have

Inter-American Division Inter-American “Whenever we came out of church, our everything you need except electricity.”

ission lives were still the same,” Olga said. It sounded like the answer to her prayer, M “We gambled with our friends, and my so Olga moved with the children. She husband drank. I felt an emptiness that I found a church belonging to the same dventist A didn’t understand.” denomination as in her old town. A Bible 14 verse at the front of the church caught her attention. It read: “Today, if you will Fast Facts hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15; NKJV).  Belizean cuisine is a blend of all the different cultures in the country—it Olga read the verse every Sunday for six is similar to both Mexican/Central months. After that, Johnny finished his American and Jamaican/Anglo- pizza work, and the family moved back to Caribbean cuisines. Orange Walk. Olga and Johnny returned  The national flower is the black to their old church, but something didn’t orchid, and the national bird is the seem right. keel-billed toucan. One morning, Olga turned on the radio  More than 400 species of fish live in and heard Adventist evangelist Doug the waters of Belize’s 185-mile-long Batchelor speaking about the Sabbath. (300-kilometer-long) barrier reef. BELIZE “For some reason, my heart lit up as he  Belize has the only jaguar reserve in spoke,” Olga said. “Then I remembered the world, known as Cockscomb Basin Wildlife sanctuary. the Bible verse about not hardening my heart. I knew that I had to act.” Olga found Johnny working in a In the morning when Olga got up to go restaurant that he had opened recently. to work, Johnny said, “You know what? “What do you think about the I’m totally convinced that we need to Sabbath?” she asked. worship God on the Sabbath.” Johnny angrily yelled at her, “I don’t Olga was shocked! She asked her want to hear anything about the Sabbath! husband to explain why he had changed Sabbath can be a Wednesday, a Friday, or his mind. He told her that he had turned any other day. It doesn’t matter.” on the television after she had gone to Olga backed off. “If we are going to bed. He had ended up watching a program argue about this, then it is not from God,” with Doug Batchelor. she said. “Let’s leave it for now.” “Doug Batchelor was preaching about That afternoon, Olga knelt in the the Ten Commandments and how people restaurant kitchen and said, “God, if it is were being misled about the Fourth Your will to keep the Sabbath, make my Commandment,” Johnny said. “That led husband come with me to church. You me to start a deeper research into the created the family, and You don’t want to Bible that night.” break up my family.” Olga and Johnny went to the Olga went to bed at 9 o’clock that Adventist church the next Sabbath and night. When she got up to use the have never looked back.  bathroom at 1 a.m., she noticed that By Andrew McChesney Johnny was sitting in front of the computer and had an open Bible on the Watch short videos of Olga and Johnny table. He was searching for something. on YouTube. Watch Olga at the link: bit. Johnny didn’t say a word, and Olga went ly/olga-chee, and Johnny at the link: bit.ly/ back to bed. johnny-chee AdventistMission.org 15 BELIZE | February 17 No Stale Food

Sadie McKenzie, 63

“If you leave me, God is going to make me happy without you,” she said. Marcus didn’t say another word and rolled over to sleep. The next day, Marcus grumbled about adie [pronounced: SAY-dee] worried the trials that he thought he would face Swhat her husband, Marcus, would say with an Adventist wife. “I don’t want to when he found out that she wanted to be eat stale food on Saturdays,” he said. “I baptized at an evangelistic series in Belize. don’t want to eat food made on Friday.” She had attended the meetings every Sadie said, “If you don’t want stale night, but Marcus had refused to go. She food, I will make you food that will keep.” knew he wouldn’t like her decision because The answer didn’t satisfy him. “If you it meant she would stop dancing, drinking, go through with this, I’ll beat you the and going to parties with him. next time I see you,” he said. Sadie waited until Thursday night, two Sadie was scared, and she asked people days before her baptism, to break the news. at the evangelistic meetings to pray for She knew just when she wanted to make her. She also prayed for God’s protection. the announcement. Marcus always stretched Marcus wasn’t home when she returned out an arm after lying down in bed, and from her baptism on Sabbath. But her Sadie always rested her head against it. So, heart began to pound when he walked in Sadie waited until her head was comfortably the front door. She was sure that he was resting on his arm before speaking. going to beat her. “I’m going to be baptized on Sabbath,” Instead, Marcus hugged her and said, she said, softly. “So, you’re a new woman now.” He Marcus immediately yanked away his quickly added, “I will never go to the arm, and his face darkened with anger. Adventist Church as long as I live.”

Inter-American Division Inter-American “I’ll leave you,” he said. “If you “That’s your choice,” Sadie replied.

ission get baptized, you’ll have to live with “God gives everyone freedom to choose. M the Adventists.” But when you get to the end of the road, He raged for a while, and Sadie listened don’t blame me. I showed you the way.” dventist A until he paused. Then she spoke. Life went on as normal after the 16 “I’m not going to church because Fast Facts people will say I came because of the earthquake,” he said.  More than half the population of “Don’t worry about what people think,” Belize are bilingual, and a large proportion are multilingual. Sadie said. “A lot of people will not be in heaven because they worried about what  Belize’s economy depends on the export people thought.” of petroleum and agricultural items such as sugar and bananas, although tourism Marcus went to church. is expanding rapidly. A short time later, an evangelistic series was held in the village, and Sadie invited her husband to go. But he drank instead. baptism except Marcus complained about The second night he was drunk again. On his Sabbath meals. He wanted Sadie to the third night, she told him, “If you go BELIZE cook for him on Saturday and accused with your friends instead of me, it means her of disobeying him. He refused to eat you love them more than me. If that’s your the food that she prepared and instead decision, you can stay with them.” went to a bar near the Adventist church Marcus attended the meetings and went to eat. He also drank there while she forward for the altar call. Sadie didn’t dare was in church and greeted her with a hope that he would be baptized until she drunken hug when she walked past on saw him come out of the water. “I wept,” her way home. she said. “I couldn’t believe it.” Sadie prayed for God to touch her Sadie and Marcus became faithful husband’s heart. She began ironing his church leaders in Belize. Sadie, who is best clothes every Friday so he would have now 63, has led six evangelistic campaigns something to wear to church. that resulted in more than 50 baptisms. One Friday, Marcus agreed to go to Hundreds more have joined the church church the next day. But that night he through her and Marcus’ influence. went to the movies and then a bar. Shortly after he returned home, a Part of the 2015 Thirteenth Sabbath powerful earthquake shook the house. Offering went to build a campground Marcus was terrified, and he fell to the where the Adventist Church can hold floor. “God,” he cried out. “Spare my life regular evangelistic meetings in Belize. and give me a second chance.” Thank you for your mission offering.  Sadie spoke sternly to her husband. “Just like when the earthquake comes By Andrew McChesney and no one knows it’s coming, Jesus also will come,” she said. “You won’t be prepared.” Read Sadie’s conversation story on page The house shook for what seemed like 24 of the Children’s Mission quarterly, an eternity, and Marcus cried the whole which can be downloaded at the link: time. A neighbor saw him crying through bit.ly/childrensmission the house’s open door. When the earthquake stopped, Watch a short video of Sadie at the link: Marcus began to have second thoughts. bit.ly/sadie-mckenzie AdventistMission.org 17 A Second Chance MEXICO | February 24 Ezequiel Perez Gongora, 34

[Ask a man to read this first-person testimony.] On the fourth day in bed, the hospital chaplain came to see me. It was pastor started to drink after getting married Richard Perez. He recognized me I at the age of 20, and then I started to immediately and greeted me by name. smoke. Soon I was an alcoholic and a “This is the time that you need God,” chain smoker. I loved going to parties. he told me. My wife was baptized after attending an He took his guitar and sang two songs. evangelistic series by a pastor named Richard After that, he read the Bible to me. At Perez at a Seventh-day Adventist church that moment, I realized that God truly near my home in the Mexican state of loved me. Tabasco. But I refused to get baptized. Twice. Before leaving, the pastor asked the My lifestyle took a toll on my body after nurses to worship with me on Sabbath, 13 years, and my back began to ache badly. which they did. I went to the local medical services, and I felt terrible. The pain was intense, and they gave me medicine that didn’t help. my temperature remained high. The next day, I went to the Southeast On the seventh day, the doctor came

Inter-American Division Inter-American Adventist Hospital. Doctors ran a battery into my room with a worried expression

ission of X-rays, blood tests, and other exams, but on his face. He told me that we needed to M they couldn’t find anything wrong. have a private talk, so I asked my wife to My back pain worsened, and I leave the room. dventist A developed a high temperature. “You have all the symptoms of AIDS,” 18 woke up,Iwas backinmyroom.My wife get baptized and givemylifetoYou.” set in.Iprayed,“Ifyoulet melive,Iwill in theoperatingroomas theanesthetic my wastedlife. togivemeachanceredeem with God for thenextday. Iprayedagain.pleaded “Only amiraclecansaveyou.” and asubsequenttestfoundtumor. five days. fluid andsaidImightbeablegohomein The doctorinsertedtubestodrainthe tissues thatlinethelungsandchest. effusion, abuild-upoffluidbetweenthe because mytestresultswerenegative. you have.” AIDS. ThebadnewsisIdon’t knowwhat newsisyoudon’tsaid. “Thegood have the room. I askedHimtohelpmenothaveAIDS. foranotherchance, and cried. IaskedGod because Iwantedtopray. Iprayedand you needGod.” pastor. Hehadsaid,“Thisisthetimethat maybe thiswasthereasonformyillness. myself. Iknewthathadlivedbadly, and on. Icouldn’t answerher. Iwasn’t sure wife returned.Sheaskedwhatwasgoing going totakeatest.” the doctorsaid.“Justtoconfirmthis,I’m The surgerylasted sixhours.WhenI On thedayofoperation, Iwasleft An emergencysurgerywasscheduled “I havetowarnyou,”thedoctorsaid. But Ifeltasbadbeforeafterfivedays, Another testshowedthatIhadpleural hadanswered myprayer I knewthatGod newsandbadnews,”he “I havegood After awhile,thedoctorreturnedto I askedmywifetostepoutoftheroom Then Irememberedthewordsof After thetest,doctorleftandmy for yourmission offering. services tothecommunity. Thankyou a buildingthatwilloffernew health Villahermosa, Mexico, expandwith Southeast AdventistHospital in Sabbath Offeringwillhelp the serve Himfortherestofmylife. serve astheheaddeaconatchurch. and baptized. NowIworkasacustodian another evangelisticseries,andIwas Three weeksafterthat,thechurchheld another chance. hadgivenme I wasconvincedthatGod and daughterswerewaitingtotalkme. By EzequielPerezGongora, astoldtoAndrewMcChesney Fast Facts       Part ofthisquarter’s Thirteenth forsecondchances!Iwill Praise God After 21days,Ifinallyleftthehospital. of anyNorthAmericannation. themostautomobiles Mexico produces of silver. Mexico istheworld’s largestproducer country intheworld. Mexico isthelargestSpanish-speaking sitting onacactus,eatingsnake. on theplacewheretheysawaneagle Tenochtitlan (today’s Mexico City) Aztec settledandbuilttheircapitalcity, snake inthebeak.Alegendsays an eaglestandingonacactuswith The emblemontheMexicanshows than 120speciesofcactusgrowthere. the largestpeninsulainworld.More Mexico iscalledBajaCaliforniaand The peninsulatothewestofmainland 123 millionpeopleliveinMexico.  19 AdventistMission.org MEXICO Surprises With God MEXICO | March 3 Laura del Carmen Flores Dias, 23

aura’s life has been filled with her that Adventist universities offered Lsurprises in Mexico. Bible classes. She began to dream about When she was 10 years old, she went becoming a Bible teacher. to a friend’s house expecting a big party. Laura made a deal with God. She Instead, she wound up at a small-group prayed, “If You let me study at an Bible study. She liked the Bible studies Adventist university, I will become a high so much that she attended for a year and school Bible teacher. But if You don’t let then started going to the Seventh-day me study, I will work now, get married, and Adventist church on Sabbath. study later.” When she asked to be baptized after God answered her prayer to go to school. the church conducted an evangelistic She was accepted into an Adventist series, the church members replied with university even though she only had excuses. They said that she needed more enough to pay for half the tuition of the Bible studies, that her parents were not first semester. She worked as a housekeeper Adventists, and that she was only 11. to earn extra money. The next semester, But in the end, she was baptized. she received a full scholarship, and four

Inter-American Division Inter-American When Laura finished high school, she years later she graduated with a degree in

ission wanted to enter an Adventist university family science and without any debt. M but lacked the money for the tuition. Seeing how God had answered her Her desire to learn from Adventist prayer, Laura decided to keep her promise dventist A teachers only grew when her pastor told to become a high school Bible teacher. But 20 her fulltuition, sosheprayed,“I’llgo to was difficult to findajobthatwouldcover which university tochoose.Sheknew it about wanted anindicationfrom God evangelist topayforhertuition. back thatsheshouldwork asaliterature to twoAdventistuniversities.Bothwrote and againshehadnomoneyfortuition. she neededtogetamaster’s degreefirst, Fast Facts       Laura didn’t mind working, butshe Laura sentlettersseekingascholarship lives ontheline. Mexico), competitorsstillputtheir (whichwasinventedin and rodeo dangerous sports,likebullfighting game wereonceputtodeath.Insome ancient times,losersofaritualball Mexicans takesportsseriously. In spotted offtheYucatan coast. in theoceansandcansometimesby manta rays,andmanateesarecommon colorful birds,suchasparrots.Whales, various typesoflizards,monkeys,and southern Mexico,youcanencounter and hugeiguanas.Inthejunglesof In Mexico,therearejaguars,pumas, than 1millionpeopleeveryyear. World HeritageSite,visited bymore Chitzen ItzaisaMayanpyramidand largest inNorthAmerica. and calledPicoOrizaba.Itisthethird that is18,491feet(5,636meters)high The highestpeakinMexicoisavolcano ranging fromtropicaltodesert. Mexico hasavarietyofclimates, Mexican artistsofthe20thcentury. Frida Kahloisoneofthemostfamous mission offering. to thecommunity. Thankyouforyour building thatwilloffernew healthservices hometown ofVillahermosa expandwitha day Adventisthospitalin Laura’s Sabbath Offeringwillhelp theSeventh- trust Him.” you needbutevenmorethanthatif said. “Hewillprovidenotonlywhat to trustGod. have moneyforanAdventisteducationis surprises, andshelikesitthatway. overcome alltrials.” to thosewholoveHimtheability them withGod’s willgive help.God she said.“Butwealwayscanovercome love Him”(NKJV) which theLordhaspromisedtothosewho approved, hewillreceivethecrownoflife endures temptation;forwhenhehasbeen which says,“Blessed isthemanwho teaching theBibletohighschoolstudents. Navojoa Universityandlookingforwardto pooled theirmoneytocoverthecost. classmates heardaboutherplight,they travel totheuniversity, butwhenher you canenrollanytime,”thelettersaid. University. “We haveajobforyou,and letter fromAdventist-ownedNavojoa undergraduate degree,Laurareceiveda the universitywhereYou givemeajob.” By AndrewMcChesney Part ofthisquarter’s Thirteenth istheownerofeverything,”she“God Her advicetootherstudentswhodon’t Laura’s lifehasbeenfilledwith “We havemanytrialsasyoungpeople,” Her favoriteBibleverseisJames1:12, Laura isnowagraduatestudentat Laura didn’t havethemoneyto Four daysaftergraduatingwithher

 21 AdventistMission.org MEXICO TRINIDAD & TOBAGO | March 10 A Scrappy Dog

Shanelle Octave, 22

We went to his side of the street, prayed, and approached the next house. I knocked on the door and received an immediate response: the fierce yapping of a small [Ask a young woman to read this first- dog. Dog owners don’t like it when their hand testimony.] pets bark loudly, and they usually refuse to buy books. Sure enough, the woman who ozens of students from the opened the door didn’t look happy to see DUniversity of the Southern us. The scruffy dog at her feet also wasn’t Caribbean in Trinidad and Tobago happy, and it continued to bark. go door to door selling books every I tried to pay no attention to the dog summer to pay tuition fees. Many of and held out a health book called Plants those students work in the Caribbean, That Heal. As I spoke, it struck me that but I joined a group of 10 students this woman was about to reject me who flew to Canada. because her dog wouldn’t be quiet. So, I I arrived in Ponoka, a town in the said to the dog, “Scruffy, what’s wrong? province of Alberta, and was paired up Why are you making so much noise? Is it with a student from Romania who spoke because I am a stranger?” little English. We each took one side of the The woman immediately asked, “Have street on a rainy Friday. After several hours, you been to my home before?” I could see the frustration in his eyes. The question confused me. “No,” I said. “Do you need help?” I asked as we “I have never been to this house before.” headed to our last street for the day. “Then how did you know about He shook his head. We prayed and set Scruffy?” she asked. out to finish the street. I told her that I didn’t know her dog. At the first house, a man slammed the The woman invited us in. “Scruffy was

Inter-American Division Inter-American door in the Romanian student’s face. For the name that I gave my previous dog,”

ission some reason, I found it funny and laughed. she said. “He died right on the spot where M Then I saw how sad my companion you were standing.” looked, so I apologized and said, “Let’s do Her words surprised me, and I expressed dventist A one door together.” sympathy over her loss. 22 I wasbornon theislandofSaintLucia, where Iwasfrom. WhenItoldherthat is yourname?” I’mShanelle.Whatare youdoingtoday? home. Iturnedtohimandsaid,“Sir, how the book’s price,herhusbandcame told heraboutthebook. edition ofEllenWhite’s StepstoChrist.I the book,PeaceAboveStorm,aretitled out intherain.Ismiledandpulled Fast Facts      The womanhuggedmeand asked “That’s myfather’s name!”Isaid. “Why ‘noway?’”thewoman asked. “No way!”Isaid. “John,” hesaid. Just whenthewomanwasaskingabout The womanaskedwhatweweredoing Trinidad andTobago. and limbodancingalloriginatedin Calypso music,steeldrumbands, after anothercountry:PortofSpain. country whosecapitalcityisnamed Trinidad andTobago istheonly vaccine forthevirus. 1933, leadingtothedevelopmentofa rabies byvampirebatstohumansin Pawan discovered thetransmissionof Trinidadian physician JosephLennox soccer’s World Cup. the smallestcountryevertoqualifyfor In 2006,Trinidad andTobago became by 5meters),orthesizeofatruck. measures 10feetby16(3meters be foundatSpeyside,Tobago, and it world’s largestpieceofbraincoralcan Trinidad Scorpion “ButchT.” The Scorpion, theDouglah,and Trinidad—the Trinidad Moruga peppers intheworldcomefrom Three ofthetopfivehottestchili supporting mission! its firstchurchbuilding. Thank youfor Offering willhelptheuniversity built of thisquarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Caribbean inTrinidad andTobago. Part major attheUniversityof theSouthern reached onelifeforJesus. My goalwasmetforthatday. Ihad stopped canvassingrightthenandthere. them withmydaughter.” you fortheawesomebooks.Iwillshare out, “Istillthinkyou’reanangel!Thank woman cameoutofherhouseandcalled was God.” you, butinsteadyousoldtwobooks.” how didyoudoit?Shewasabouttoreject partner wasamazedandsaid,“Shanelle, book tightlyagainstherchest. Above theStorm.Thewomanheld Bible promisebesidemynameinPeace asked metoautographthem.Iaddeda was justShanelle. smile. Areyousurearen’t anangel?” as myhusband’s. Andyouhaveapleasant go next,andyourfather’s nameisthesame you arefromtheveryislandwhereIplanto said. “You called mydogScruffybyname, my door, butyouhavetobemyangel,”she island asshelookedforherpurse. Lucia onournextvacation,”shesaid. she burstintotears.“We’re goingtoSaint By ShanelleOctave Shanelle Octave,22,isanaccounting I wassohappythatcouldhave As wecontinueddownthestreet, I gavehimthemoneyandsaid,“It As weleftthehouse,myRomanian The womanboughtbothbooksand I smiledandsaidwasquitesurethat “I don’t usuallytalkwithsalespeopleat She askedmetotellheraboutthe  23 AdventistMission.org TRINIDAD & TABAGO Sewing for Jesus JAMAICA | March 17 Mavis Burrell Spencer, 66

Fourth Commandment to “remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy” applies to all Christians today. Things began to change after a family friend invited her to weekly Bible studies. The friend, an Adventist business owner, had prayed regularly with her husband before he died, and Mavis had turned down his earlier invitations to attend church, saying she was too busy. But then he invited her to the small-group Bible studies and called her every week to avis Burrell Spencer wasn’t sure remind her to come. Mwhat to do with her husband’s Mavis was astonished to discover how high-end tailoring business when he little she knew about the Bible. died a decade ago. “Everything began to open up to me Her husband had established three, in the Bible,” Mavis said. “I said at one flourishing tailor shops in Jamaica, lesson, ‘I didn’t know all these things were including a main outlet with 25 in the Bible!’” employees in a shopping center in the In addition to the Sabbath truth, she island’s capital, Kingston. didn’t realize that Jesus was coming soon Mavis saw that she was at a crossroads, and would take the righteous home. She and she ultimately decided to run the was amazed by the Bible’s description of business by herself. the New Earth. Ten years later, Mavis found herself “The more that was explained to me, the at a crossroads again. She wanted to be more that I wanted to hear,” Mavis said. baptized into the Seventh-day Adventist But she continued to operate her tailor Church, and Saturday was her busiest day shops on Sabbath. Then one evening as at work. She prayed earnestly about what she drove home from the Bible study, she

Inter-American Division Inter-American to do. felt like a voice was telling her, “You can

ission Mavis, who had attended a Sunday run, but you can’t hide.” M church on and off, first heard about the Mavis began to pray earnestly about seventh-day Sabbath from Adventist dventist the Sabbath. A friends. But she didn’t know that the “I was not fully accepting what I was 24 the shopping centerwasquietonSundays. difficult tofind parkingonSaturdays, but where hermain shopwaslocatedmade it Sunday. Bigcrowdsat the shoppingcenter started topraiseherdecision toworkon Saturdays, theybeganto prosper. Clients Him togive10ofthemme.” hills belongtoHim,soitisnothingfor heaven tellsmethat1,000cattleonthe why areyouclosing?”saidanotherone. about theshopsbeingclosed. open onSundays. Saturdays.” Instead,theshopswouldbe Establishment willbeclosedon “Effective January7,Spencer’s Tailoring doors ofherthreeshopsthatread, decision. Shepostedanoticeonthe matter whathappened.” away fromHimbutIcouldn’t hide,no Lord wassayingtomethatIrunning learning,” shesaid.“Ibelievethatthe Fast Facts     Even thoughhershopswere closedon Mavis repliedpatiently, “MyFatherin day,“Saturday isthemostproductive so “How couldyoudothis?”saidone. Several clientscomplainedangrily Mavis wasbaptizedonJanuary7. In December2016,shemadeher the world,UsainBolt. Jamaica ishometo thefastestmanin largest naturalharborintheworld. Jamaica’s KingstonHarboris theseventh- are indigenous. species ofexoticorchid, 73which Jamaica ishometomorethan the Winter Olympics country tosendabobsleddingteam In 1988,Jamaicawas thefirsttropical 200 By AndrewMcChesney can doeverything.” Him, youhavenothing.With Him,you is thesourceoflife,”shesaid. “Without Christ whostrengthensme”(NKJV). 4:13, whichsays,“Icantoallthingsthrough it alltotheLord.” lose. You onlyhavetogainwhenyougive Sabbath, shesaid,“You havenothingto owners thinkingaboutkeepingthe one ofthemispreparingforbaptism. attend thesmall-groupBiblestudies,and over herbusiness. now asenseofcalmandunityhascome employees usedtoargueandcompete,but and loveforoneanother. Shesaidher customers andtogivethestaffstrength toblessthe morning. SheasksGod with herstaffbeforeopeningevery have neverbeensohappyinallmylife.” that peoplearesolovingandkind.I “Everyone rushedatme.Ican’t believe church onSabbath. that shereceivedwhenfirstwentto long rememberthewarmreception gained anewfamilyatchurch.Shewill Mavis said,istherealitythatshehas not havingtowrestleforparking.” convenient tocomeonSunday. Theylike week oronSaturdayhavefounditmore lot ofpeoplewhousuallycameduringthe the link:bit.ly/mavis-spencer “Keep youreyesonJesusbecauseHe Her favoriteBibleverseisPhilippians Asked whatadviceshehasforbusiness She alsohasinvitedemployeesto These days,Mavis,whois66,prays “It waslikeagateopened,”shesaid. Even moreimportantthanmoney, “My salesaregoingup,”Mavissaid.“A Watch ashortYouTube videoofMavis at  25 AdventistMission.org JAMAICA JAMAICA | March 24 Adopted by God

Raglan Waite, 50

Today’s story is from Raglan Waite, the brother so he could find me if he wished. 50-year-old caretaker of the Good Samaritan One day I was watching a soccer match Inn, a Seventh-day Adventist center that and one of the high school teachers assists the homeless in Kingston, Jamaica. touched my shoulder. He said, “Are you Raglan? We are brothers.” grew up in a children’s home and was I was so happy! I adopted into a Sunday-keeping home Carl was seven years older than me, and at age of six. My adopted parents died he wanted to take me home. when I was 17, and I had little food to I packed up my few belongings and eat. Desperate to find a way to survive, I moved to my new home. I saw my mother began looking for my biological parents. for the first time. She suffered a mental I returned to the children’s home, and I illness and didn’t seem to recognize me. learned the name of my biological mother. But I was glad to finally meet her. But no one would tell me where she lived. My brother was a Seventh-day Next, I went to the local Poor Relief Adventist, and he invited me to go to Department, a government agency church with him on Sabbath. responsible for identifying and assisting Church members helped me a lot. the destitute. The woman working I could not read well, and they taught there told me that my mother and other me to read and write with the Adult members of my biological family were Sabbath School Bible Study Guide. They

Inter-American Division Inter-American on the list of people receiving assistance. helped me attend a summer course at the

ission She even said my biological brother was Adventist university, where I learned how M at my high school. She declined to give to give Bible studies. additional information, citing privacy By the age of 22, I was married, had a dventist A concerns. But she promised to contact my child, and was working at a gas station in 26 stayed with relatives in another town as I stayed withrelatives inanothertownas I set upabusiness withapartner. Mywife island toJamaica’s capital,Kingston,and worshipped athome. I continuedtokeeptheSabbath, but leader, Iwalkedawayfromthechurch. remarried. Afteradisputewithchurch when Iwas36.divorcedandgot reclaimed 50formerchurchmembers. outreach. That’s howpoorwewere.We to formerchurchmembersasawayof School studyguidesanddistributedthem presence. We toreoutpagesfromSabbath that oncehadastrongAdventist a branchSabbathSchoolinruralarea church. Churchleadersaskedmetoopen was anordainedelderandactiveinthe the touristresortofMontegoBay. Ialso Fast Facts     Three years ago, I moved across the Three yearsago,Imoved across the My personallifebegantofallapart nine JamaicansisAdventist. Oneinevery after theChurchofGod. are thesecond-largestdenomination population ofJamaica,andAdventists Protestants makeup70percentofthe head ofstate. Queen ElizabethIIremainsqueenand remained partoftheCommonwealth,so the UnitedKingdomin1962but Jamaica achievedindependencefrom English-based Creole. most peoplespeakJamaicanPatois,an island intheCaribbean,although Jamaica isthelargestEnglish-speaking every year. million internationaltouristsvisiting relies ontourism,withmorethan1 About aquarterofJamaica’s economy like Raglan. Samaritan Innreachout topeople and dentalcenterforthe homeless. expand itsworktoinclude afreemedical Samaritan InninKingston, Jamaica,and Offering wenttorenovatetheGood be adopted— andreadopted—byGod. reconciled withmysecondwife. own officeandlivingquartershere.Ihave SamaritanInn.Ihavemy of theGood and Iwasrebaptized. attending theAdventistChurchagain, started cleaningtheyard.ThenIbegan compelled togivesomethingback.So,I Samaritan Innregularly, andIfelt Church andrunbychurchmembers. was ownedbytheSeventh-dayAdventist SamaritanInn I learnedthattheGood and gavemeachangeofclothing.Soon Inn werekindtome,andtheyfedme give youameal.” Samaritan Inn, andtheywill the Good He toldme,“Goto and findsomefood. could takeabath,getchangeofclothes, another homelessmanaboutwhereI on thestreetforthreemonths. my wifeandotherrelativesforhelp.Islept home, andpridekeptmefromturningto to findanotherjob.Eventually, Ilostmy and Ihadanargument,struggled But thebusinesscollapsedaftermypartner tried togetthebusinessupandrunning. By RaglanWaite, astoldtoAndrewMcChesney Thank youforhelpingthe Good Part ofthe2015ThirteenthSabbath to It wastoughonthestreet.isgood Today, Iam50yearsoldandthecaretaker I startedcomingtotheGood Samaritan The peopleattheGood I said,“Iwanttogothere!” One day, Isatinapark,talkingwith  27 AdventistMission.org JAMAICA 28

Adventist Mission Inter-American Division changed their business model. They changed their businessmodel. trouble when theywerebaptizedand the capitalof Jamaica.Theyraninto operate acateringcompany inKingston, special youngmarriedcouple fromBelize. American Division.Today wewillmeeta which areallcountriesin theInter- Jamaica, Trinidad andTobago, andBelize, met peoplefromPuertoRico,Mexico, Interviewer: Thisquarterwehave bit.ly/junior-roberts] You canalsoviewashortYouTube videoofJuniorandStephanieRoberts atthelink: Practice sothatparticipantscanfeelcomfortableadding inflectionwhereappropriate. enough withthematerialthattheydonothavetoreadeverythingfromscript. [Note: Participantsdon’t needtomemorizetheirparts,buttheyshouldbefamiliar of aQ&Ainterview. Participants: Interviewerandayoungmanwomantopresentthestoryinformat Junior andStephanieRoberts ownand        Congregational Song Thirteenth SabbathProgram Closing Prayer Closing Song Welcome Program Offering Prayer Catering for Christ Superintendent orSabbathSchoolteacher “Catering forChrist” Seventh-day AdventistHymnal,No.573 “I’ll GoWhereYou Want MetoGo” downloaded at:bit.ly/childrensmission). Children’s Missionquarterly, whichcanbe in HisHands”Spanish(seepage31the children tosing“He’s GottheWholeWorld While theofferingisbeingtaken,ask Seventh-day AdventistHymnal,No.579 “’Tis LoveThatMakesUsHappy” Junior: We bothworked atamajormeat Interviewer: Howdidyou meet? Stephanie: AndIam27. Junior: Iam28. you firsttellusyourages? nights andSaturdays. turned downlucrativecontractsonFriday stopped servinglobsterandliquor, and Let’s startwithsomebackground.Could and alcohol company in Jamaica. I was a client told us that he wanted a seafood chef, and I created recipes using shrimp, wedding worth 1 million Jamaican dollars, lobster, and other seafood. or U.S.$7,700. He named all the types Stephanie: I worked as assistant manager of seafood that he wanted and said the in the wine and spirits department. I reception would be held on January 2. personally loved wine. I looked at the calendar and saw that January 2 fell on a Saturday. We had to Interviewer: How did you learn about the walk away. Seventh-day Adventist Church? One of the first regular contracts Junior: Three years ago, an Adventist that we lost was with an affluent friend invited me to small-group Bible businesswoman. We catered her evening studies in his home. I found the Bible meals several times a week so she wouldn’t studies interesting, and I invited Steph to have to cook for her family of four. But join me. But she wasn’t interested. after we were baptized, we told her that Stephanie: I was busy and didn’t want we would no longer serve her favorite to make the time. But when I started dishes with lobster and pork. attending the Bible studies with Junior On our last visit, this woman defrosted a year later, I was stunned with what we a precooked ham and said, “This is not read. I asked, “This is in the Bible?” I saw a ham you have to cook. Could you just that the Sabbath was mentioned often, slice it for me?” and I realized that Saturday was the right I think it was a test. I left the ham on day of worship. the counter and opened the Bible on my One day, I sensed the Holy Spirit saying cellphone to teach her what the Bible to me, “It’s time,” and I decided to give says about touching the carcass of an my life to God. Even though I ate pork unclean animal. But she didn’t want to and shrimp, and loved wine, it wasn’t hear it when she returned to the kitchen. hard for me to let them go. I thought, “I She cut me off and said, “Your choices are have to be accountable now that I know impeding my lifestyle.” what is right.” I don’t think wine is more Stephanie: God worked things out in a important than salvation. funny way. Eighteen months later, this Junior: Steph and I also wanted to make woman asked us to return for a family sure that our relationship was right with party on a Friday afternoon. She told us God. We were married in September 2015 that we would not be asked to compromise and got baptized together one month later. our values with food. She also was mindful about the Sabbath. When sunset drew Interviewer: What happened to your near and we prepared to tell her that we catering business? needed to leave, she said, “I know. Your Stephanie: We were told that we would hour has come. You may go.” not survive because most catering events Surprisingly, she also told us that happen on Friday night and Saturday. The she had started to go to church on best clients also tend to order exquisite Sundays. We are praying that she will seafood and alcohol. We actually took a accept the Sabbath. big cut in income when we got baptized. Interviewer: How do you survive in the Junior: Right after getting baptized, a catering industry? AdventistMission.org 29 30

Adventist Mission Inter-American Division Seventh-day Adventiststospeakmore Junior: Iwouldliketoencourage made thatdecisiontoserveGod?” “Where wouldIbeatthispointifhadn’t transformation inme.Ioftenthink, hasbeenworkinga know thatGod holistic life.Ifeelmorewhole. Stephanie: Ifeelthathaveamore decision today? Interviewee: Areyouhappywithyour into theSabbath. down onFridaysowecantransition Sunday throughThursdayandslow setting asidetheSabbath.We work dinners thanlargeparties. and havemoreofficepartiessmall try toestablishlong-termrelationships for, andourincomeismorestable.We the kindofclientelethatwearelooking moral compassbefore.Nowweknow off nowthanbefore.We didn’t havea Junior: Ourcateringcompanyisbetter that wewereabletogivesomeaway! were neverhungry. We hadsomuchfood We andwe neveraskedanyoneforfood, fromothersandwantedtoshare. of food Theyhadreceivedpackages bring usfood. happened. Relativesandfriendsbeganto wage forawhile,butsurprisingthing income wentwaybelowtheaverage had tosurviveonalmostnothing.Our Stephanie: Foracoupleofmonths,we   

There isnostressorburdenabout Ebeye Mission School,MarshalIslands, U.S.A. Mamawi Atosketan NativeSchool,Alberta, Canada New LifeCenter, HolbrookSDAIndianSchool,Arizona,U.S.A Future Thirteenth SabbathProjects NORTH AMERICAN DIVISION coming soon! newsthatJesusis can learnthegood people intheInter-American Division Thirteenth SabbathOfferingsomore soon coming.Let’s giveagenerous about thereasonforourhopeinJesus’ and shouldalwaysbereadytotellothers ashamed ofbeingSeventh-dayAdventists Interviewee: We shouldneverbe more, morepeoplewouldknowJesus. to speakoutmore.Ifwewouldjustshare shared theirfaith.So,Iencouragepeople to learnabouttheSabbathiftheyhad why. Iwouldn’t havehadtowait10years home earlyonFridaysandneversaid classmates wereAdventists.Theywent realized thattwoofmyhighschool openly abouttheirfaith.Ionlyrecently Junior Roberts, 28, and Stephanie Roberts, 27 28,andStephanie Roberts, Junior Roberts, [Offering] By AndrewMcChesney YOUTH & ADULT Leader’s Resources Mission Following are sources of information that may be helpful in preparing for the mission segment of Sabbath School. For more information on the cultures and history of the countries featured in EDITORIAL this quarterly, visit your local library or a travel agency, or visit the Andrew McChesney Editor websites listed below. Wendy Trim Editorial Assistant Emily Harding Layout Editor Belize OFFICE OF ADVENTIST MISSION government website bit.ly/BelizeGov Gary Krause Director Lonely Planet bit.ly/LPBelize Rick Kajiura Communication Director Homer Trecartin Study Centers Director Jamaica government website bit.ly/JamaicaGov COMMUNICATION STAFF Wikitravel bit.ly/WikiJamaica Andrew McChesney Editor, Mission Laurie Falvo Projects Manager Kayla Ewert Projects Manager Mexico Ricky Oliveras Video Producer government website bit.ly/MexicoGov Earley Simon Video Producer Visit Mexico bit.ly/MexicoVisit Donna Rodill Editorial Assistant

Puerto Rico Website: AdventistMission.org government website bit.ly/PRGov Mission (ISSN 0190-4108) is produced and Trip Advisor bit.ly/TripAdvisorPR copyrighted © 2018 by the Office of Adventist Mission, General Conference of Seventh-day Trinidad and Tobago Adventists®, 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver government website news.gov.tt Spring, MD 20904, U.S.A. Fodor bit.ly/FodorTT Printed in U.S.A.

Seventh-day Adventist First Quarter 2018 Inter-American Division interamerica.org Volume 107, Number 1 Jamaica Union Conference jmunion.org Puerto Rican Union Conference upasd.org ADVENTIST® and SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST® Caribbean Union Conference bit.ly/CaribUnionC are the registered trademarks of the General Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union Conference asd-umi.org Conference of Seventh-day Adventists®. North Mexican Union Conference adventistasumn.org Permission is granted to reproduce material Southeast Mexican Union Mission unionsureste.org.mx from this quarterly for use in local Sabbath Schools and children’s ministries programs. An offering goal device will help focus attention on world Permission to reproduce any portion of this material for sale, publication in another missions and increase weekly mission giving. Determine a goal for periodical, or other commercial use must your class’s weekly mission offering. Multiply it by 14, allowing a be authorized in writing by the editor at the double goal for the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering. above address. NKJV. Bible texts credited to NKJV are from the Remind your Sabbath School members that their regular weekly New King James Version ® Copyright © 1982 mission offerings will help the missionary work of the world church by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by Permission. All rights reserved. and that one quarter of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will go directly to the projects in the Inter-American Division. On the Twelfth Sabbath, report on mission giving during the quarter. For subscription inquiries, e-mail Veronica Encourage members to double or triple their normal mission giving Ceniceros at Veronica.Ceniceros@pacificpress. com or call 1-800-447-7377 or 1-208-465- on Thirteenth Sabbath. Count the offering and record the amount 2560. Annual subscription rates per edition: AdventistMission.org given at the end of Sabbath School. domestic, U.S.$7.50; international, U.S.$14.50. 31 Inter-American Division

U. S. A. ATLANTIC OCEAN MEXICO Havana THE BAHAMAS CUBA TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS

CAYMAN ISLANDS 1 DOM. REP. BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS HAITI ANGUILLA Mexico City JAMAICA PUERTO RICO ANTIQUA AND BARBUDA 3 VIRGIN ISLANDS BELIZE ST. KITTS AND NEVIS GUADELOUPE MONTSERRAT DOMINICA HONDURAS MARTINIQUE UNION CHURCHES MEMBERSHIP POPULATION GUATEMALA ST. LUCIA ST. VINCENT AND Division 1 144 0 EL SALVADOR NICARAGUA THE GRENADINES Atlantic Caribbean 85 32,344 482,000 NETHERLANDS BARBADOS ARUBA Belize 91 42,814 378,000 ANTILLES GRENADA Caribbean 620 236,257 3,768,000 2 Central Mexican 227 80,179 44,802,526 TRINIDAD Chiapas Mexican 1,113 217,729 6,611,685 AND TOBAGO COSTA RICA Caracas Cuban 325 33,158 11,208,000 PANAMA Dominican 792 313,245 10,630,000 Dutch Caribbean 38 8,970 291,000 East Venezuela 559 160,639 15,787,555 VENEZUELA Georgetown El Salvador 754 198,124 6,408,000 GUYANA Paramaribo French Antilles-Guiana 147 31,763 1,085,000 Bogota Guatemala 896 247,997 16,554,000 Haitian 573 442,913 11,093,000 SURINAMEFRENCH Honduras 459 172,123 8,200,000 GUIANA Inter-Oceanic Mexican 1,509 200,872 30,022,709 COLOMBIA Jamaica 677 296,793 2,732,000 North Colombian 886 100,015 20,811,622 North Mexican 632 148,877 41,393,778 Panama 324 73,459 4,041,000 Puerto Rican 310 32,875 3,415,000 ECUADOR BRAZIL South Central American 511 215,942 11,218,000 South Colombian 716 158,597 27,950,378 PERU Southeast Mexican 516 92,151 5,801,303 West Venezuela 599 153,970 15,241,445 TOTAL 13,360 3,691,950 299,926,000 PACIFIC PROJECTS: 1 Center of evangelism, Antillean Adventist OCEAN University, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico

2 University church building, University of the Southern Caribbean, Maracas, Trinidad

3 Seven-story community center, Southeast Adventist Hospital, Villahermosa, Mexico