misionero adventista tercer trimestre en ingles

Mission MAGAZINE
A D V E N T I S T YOUTH AND ADULT QUARTER 3
2011
WE s T- c E N T R A L A f R i c A D ivisiON

www.AdventistMission.org

featuring:
The Troublemaker|one single book
1


Co n t e n t s

On the Cover: Timothee Ngba is chaplain at Cosendai Adventist University in Cameroon.

CAMErOON
4 The Dream Wouldn’t Die | July 2

6 From Harasser to Helper | July 9

8 A Change of Heart | July 16

10 God’s Surprising School | July 23

12 A Second Chance | July 30

14 The Troublemaker | August 6

GHANA
16 One Single Book | August 13

18 God’s Alone | August 20

20 God Is My Father | August 27

22 The Faithful Sabbathkeeper | September 3

24 From Everywhere to Everywhere | September 10

26 Blessed Disappointment | September 17

rESOurCES
28 Thirteenth Sabbath Program | September 24

30 Your Offerings at Work

31 resources l r i g ht s r e s e r v e d .
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©2011

Dear Sabbath School Leader,
This quarter features the West- in small villages farm or herd cattle
Central Africa Division, which for a livelihood, and many can barely
includes 22 countries that stretch from feed their families. Life for them is a
the west coast of Africa to the border struggle, and they yearn for a better
of Sudan, and from Mauritania, Mali, future for their children.
Niger, and Chad in the north to the The people of Africa understand
Republic of Congo in the south. that the secret to a better future lies in
More than 863,000 Adventists live in education. If their children can get an
this region, or one Adventist for every education, they have a good chance
390 people. They worship in more than to rise above poverty and subsistence
7,000 companies and churches scattered living and to reach for their dreams.
across western Africa. The Adventist Church in Africa
Much of the northern region of works hard to provide schools for every
West-Central African Division is level so that children have a chance
desert or semi-desert, while thick to learn and grow, and families can
jungles span the interior of other better themselves. Adventist teachers
countries. Modern cities, mostly in hundreds of Adventist primary and
located along the sea, are home to secondary schools in the region bring
millions of people. Millions more live hope and a brighter future to those
in mud-and-thatch huts or simple willing to learn.
cement-block houses in sparsely And by the thousands African
populated villages scattered across youth are striving for a university
the land. Most of the people who live education, stretching both secular
and religious institutions’ capacities.
Two division-supervised universities
in the West-Central Africa Division
have seen such growth strain their
Opportunities resources. Part of our Thirteenth
Sabbath Offering this quarter will
This quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath help provide needed buildings on
Offering will help provide their campuses so that they can
 science building at Cosendai
a minister to even more students.
Adventist University in Cameroon

 church to serve Valley View
a

University in Ghana and the Yours for the kingdom,
neighboring community

CHILDREN’S PROJECT: school

supplies for children to give out Charlotte Ishkanian
as an evangelistic tool throughout Editor, Mission
the division.
3

c A M E R O O N

the Dream WoulDn’t Die
Backgr oun d©iS t ockph ot o.com/Ton y Oquias
July 2 | Myriam and Emily

M yriam worked hard to support
herself and keep up her studies
at a state university in Cameroon. It is
wouldn’t die. She wanted to study in
an environment in which her faith
would be strengthened and she could be
difficult for students in Africa to study trained to lead and serve.
without financial help, but Myriam was
determined to get a degree and make Stumbling Block or Stepping-stone
her life count for God. Myriam completed two years of study
When she had become an Adventist at the state university before she was
just a few years earlier, her life had forced to drop out of school for lack
become more difficult. Her father of funds. She worked at whatever jobs
wasn’t a Christian, and he objected she could find, and lived frugally so
to her new faith. Myriam knew she she could save every possible cent. But
couldn’t ask her family for support. Her after one year of hard work she had
only hope was God. managed to save only US$80. Every day
she had prayed that God would make a
A New University way for her to continue her education.
From the first time Myriam had heard She knew that she had to trust God
of Cosendai [koh-SEN-dai] Adventist to provide a way for her. In spite of
University, she dreamed of studying the obstacles, she applied to Cosendai
there. The school was just starting; its Adventist University and was accepted.
students and teachers were pioneers. Myriam couldn’t wait to tell Emily, her
advenTisT mission Euro-Asia Division

Classes were held on the campus of best friend. Myriam knew that Emily
an Adventist secondary school several wanted to study to become a teacher. But
hours’ journey from the capital city she had no money for school fees either,
of Cameroon. Myriam wondered and her family couldn’t afford to help
how she could ever afford to study her. Myriam wished she could think of
there, especially when she couldn’t some way for Emily to go with her to
even afford to pay her school fees at Cosendai. In her excitement Myriam
the state university. But the dream offered to pay Emily’s enrollment fees if
4

she would agree to enroll at Cosendai rest.” Myriam didn’t have $200, but she

C AMEROON
with her. Immediately Emily applied trusted that God would provide.
for admission. A few days later some church
members gave Myriam some money
God Shall Supply they had collected for her. And her
Soon Myriam realized that her father gave her a small amount as
impulsive invitation was unwise. She well. Myriam counted the money and
had barely enough money to pay her discovered it was $200. Myriam thanked
own enrollment. Where would she get God and begged His forgiveness for ever
the money to pay Emily’s fees, too? And doubting Him. Before the girls left for
where would she ever get the $700 she’d Cosendai, another church member gave
need for her semester’s tuition? But Myriam an additional $90. Myriam’s
Myriam wanted so much for Emily to heart surged with praise.
attend school with her. She begged God
to provide the money she would need. Rewarding Faith
Emily, too, was concerned about how The girls found places to stay at the
they would pay their tuition. Finally she school and paid their enrollment fees
found the courage to ask Myriam, “How and the first month’s tuition. Their home
much money do you have for school?” church sent them a small amount each
“I have some,” Myriam answered month, and during school holidays the
evasively. But Emily was not satisfied girls sold books door-to-door to earn
with Myriam’s answer and asked again. their school fees. Still, they fell behind
“We will have $200,” Myriam said in their payments. Then Myriam became
thoughtfully. “And God will provide the sick during school break and couldn’t
work for several weeks. But God had
blessed her with almost as much in the
first weeks of the break as she would have
earned in several more weeks.
Fast FaCts Myriam took a job cleaning the guest
rooms at the college. She sings praises
Cameroon lies on the Atlantic Ocean

very near the equator. It has a tropical to God as she scrubs floors, cleans
climate. bathrooms, and makes beds. “You are
my strength and my joy, Jesus,” her
Many kinds of wildlife live in the
 sweet voice sings. And she means it
jungles and on the plains of Cameroon, with all her heart.
including monkeys, chimpanzees,
gorillas, antelopes, lions, elephants,
Myriam recently graduated from her
and many species of birds and snakes. nursing course at Cosendai. She knows
God has answered her prayers in a

Most people in Cameroon speak a
 special way. Myriam encourages Emily
local dialect, but the official languages to trust God to do the same for her as
are English and French.
she completes her last year of school. 
Watch the Adventist Mission DVD for

more information on Cameroon and its
Myriam Djia praises God for His goodness as she serves
unique challenges and opportunities. Him in southern Cameroon. 5

c A M E R O O N

From harasser to helper
July 9 | Jean

[Ask a young man to present this first-person report.]

M y name is Jean [pronounced John],
and I am from Senegal, a small
country on the western coast of Africa.
My friends stood in the street and called
out insults at the people who were
entering the church. So I joined them.
When I was 15 I saw people setting Several years later I was living
up benches in the open area of our with my uncle so I could attend
village. I asked a man what was school, and I found myself attending
happening, and he told me that some meetings sponsored by the very people
people were holding meetings. “They I had insulted as a child. I found the
will tell stories about God that you’ve Adventist message compelling.
never heard before,” he said. “You
should come.” Standing Strong
I was curious about the meetings, so School holidays came, and I went
I attended. The man was right; I heard home to visit my parents. One day
wonderful stories about God and Jesus. I was sitting outside watching some
Then I learned that the meetings were young people knocking on doors and
sponsored by Seventh-day Adventists. inviting people to meetings. When
they saw me, they invited me to attend,
Young Hecklers too. You can imagine how surprised I
I remember my first encounter with was to learn that they were Seventh-

Adventists. I was 7 years old, and my day Adventists. The young people
family lived in another village. One day invited me to join them for Bible
I was tagging along with some other studies, and I decided to go with them.
boys in the village when they stopped I attended all the meetings, and even
in front of a building with a sign out after the evangelistic meetings ended, I
front that said “Seventh-day Adventist continued studying the Bible with my
Church.” I had no idea what “Seventh- new Adventist friends. I realized that
day Adventist” meant. I thought maybe these people whom I had insulted when
the church had been built in seven days. I was a little boy were God’s special
6

people. I surrendered my life to Christ learned of my situation, and they raised

C AMEROON
and asked to be baptized. money to send me to the Adventist
My mother was unhappy that I was high school. I was thrilled to continue
joining a different church from the my studies in a school in which Sabbath
family. And my friends—the same boys was never an issue.
who had harassed the Adventists when I completed my secondary school
we were younger—said I was crazy. But I studies and decided to study to be a
had made up my mind. I was determined nurse. I had seen a notice about a new
to follow Christ and be baptized, even Adventist university called Cosendai
when one of the other boys who was [koh-SEN-dai], in the country of
preparing to be baptized with me Cameroon. I decided to apply to study
changed his mind after his parents there, even though it was really far from
threatened to kill him if he joined the my home in Senegal. I started making
Adventist Church. plans. I figured it would take me about
10 days’ travel by bus to reach the
New Life and New Challenges school, but I was determined to go.
Vacation ended, and I returned to my Again, when the church members
uncle’s home to begin another semester learned of my decision, they supported
of studies. But when I refused to attend me and encouraged me to go to this
Saturday classes, the principal expelled new school. Then a church member
me from the school. I worried about bought me a plane ticket so I could fly
how I would continue my education. to Cameroon in a few hours instead of
Then the church members in town spending nearly two weeks traveling
over several countries by bus.

Giving Back to God
I am studying at Cosendai Adventist
University now. It’s a sacrifice, for I
MissiOn POst cannot see my family. But my church
Cosendai Adventist University is
 there is helping me with money for
located in the heart of Cameroon, school fees. I look forward to returning
about four hours from the capital to Senegal to work as a nurse in the
city, Yaoundé. Adventist clinic in my village. I want
 university is new and is
The to serve God and give back to my
using the campus of an Adventist community, just as Jesus did.
secondary school until the This university is new, and the
buildings for the university can students share a campus with a high
be completed. The church in school. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth

Cameroon and the university need Sabbath Offering will help to build a
our help. Part of our Thirteenth
Sabbath Offering this quarter will medical laboratory, where nursing and
help the university build a science medical technology students can get
building so that students can learn hands-on training in our fields. Thank
better and prepare to serve God. you for helping young people in Africa
advance their studies to serve God.  7

c A M E R O O N

a Change oF heart
July 16 | Isaiah Backgr oun d©iS t ockph ot o.com/Ton y Oquias

I saiah* tensed at the sound of his
parents’ angry voices. They were
arguing again. Mother wanted Isaiah
television. His sister wasn’t happy with
this, but she felt it was best not to force
Isaiah to go to church.
to attend church with her on Sabbath, Then Isaiah’s older cousin Thierry
and Father wanted him to help on the [THEE-ree] came to live with Isaiah’s
farm that day. sister and brother-in-law. Isaiah admired
To keep peace in the family, Isaiah Thierry and wanted to be like him. One
usually attended church with his father day Isaiah saw his cousin leave home
on Sunday. This worried his mother with his Bible. “Where are you going?”
so much that she decided to send him Isaiah asked.
to the Adventist boarding school
at Cosendai [koh-SEN-dai], not far “I’m Going With You!”
from their home. Isaiah was only 11 “To Bible class,” Thierry answered.
and didn’t know what to think about “I’m getting ready to be baptized.” Isaiah
being away from home. When his ran after his cousin and walked with
mother explained that he would live him to the church. If Thierry enjoyed
with his sister and her husband on the studying the Bible, Isaiah wanted to
school campus, Isaiah felt relieved. He study, too. He might even enjoy it! “I’m
wouldn’t be all alone. going with you!” he said.
The pastor welcomed the young
Young Rebel people to the class. Isaiah listened

At Cosendai Isaiah discovered that carefully to the discussion and realized
nearly everyone, including his sister that he had been wasting a lot of time
and brother-in-law, attended church watching television when he could have
on Saturday. Isaiah was torn between been learning about God. At the end
attending worship services with his of the study the pastor asked Isaiah to
family and the threat that his actions pray. Isaiah’s mouth went dry, and he
would displease his father. Sometimes swallowed hard. He had never prayed
he pretended to go to church but in public before. The words stumbled
8 returned to his sister’s house to watch uncomfortably from his mouth. When

he finished, Isaiah felt a strange again,” Isaiah says. “I want him to

C AMEROON
happiness inside him. He’d tasted know that I respect him, even though
something good, and he wanted more I have chosen to follow God in the
of it. In fact, he wanted to prepare for Adventist Church.
baptism, too. “I want my father to know that I’ve
changed a lot since coming to this
What About Father? school. No one needs to force me to go
Then Isaiah thought of his father. to church on Sabbath. Now I go three
What would he say when he learned that times a week. I want to follow God all
Isaiah wanted to become an Adventist? the way,” he adds with a smile. “Studying
But his resolve strengthened; he knew at Cosendai has brought me to know
he had to take a stand for what he had my Savior. I praise God for what He has
learned was the truth in Jesus, no matter done for me at this school.”
what. Isaiah would continue attending This quarter part of the Thirteenth
the baptismal classes with his cousin. Sabbath Offering will help build a
Isaiah continued taking Bible studies medical laboratory classroom block at
with Thierry, and the day approached the Cosendai Adventist University,
when he and his cousin would be which will help strengthen the new
baptized together. As they walked back university’s nursing and medical
home together, Isaiah felt such a joy in technician program. Thank you for
his heart. Even his father’s objections helping the university to grow stronger
wouldn’t deter him! But when he and the young people of Cameroon to
stepped into his sister’s home he found receive a God-centered education. 
his father sitting in the front room.
“Is it true that you are going to join the *Isaiah’s name is Esaie [eh-sah-ee], the French
Adventist Church?” Isaiah’s father asked. version of Isaiah. It has been changed for ease
Isaiah shifted uncomfortably. “Yes,” of presentation.
he answered quietly.
Father’s chair scraped on the floor as Fast FaCts
he stood. He gathered his things and
Most people living outside the

left without a word. larger cities are subsistence farmers;
On Sabbath the congregation they eat what they grow. The
celebrated the large baptism. Isaiah most common foods include maize
smiled, thinking that a few months earlier (corn), cassava (a root vegetable
he wouldn’t have dreamed of this day. that when cooked tastes a lot
like potatoes), peanuts (called
groundnuts), yams, and plantains (a
Isaiah’s Desire form of banana).
Isaiah has not seen his father since

he was baptized. His mother and sister Grains and starchy roots are often

struggle to keep Isaiah, now 15 years cooked and mashed and served
with a spicy sauce made from
old, in school. Recently Isaiah received vegetables. Meat and rice are
$10 from his father, a sign of hope luxuries that most people living in
that he and his father can mend their villages have only seldom, even if
relationship. “I want to visit my father they raise cattle or goats. 9

c A M E R O O N

goD’s surprising sChool
July 23 | Ama

[Ask a young woman to present this first-person report.]

I am Ama,* from Cameroon. People in
Cameroon speak French or English. I
speak French.
A New Adventure
The journey took us over rough dirt
roads and through countryside I’d never
I wanted to study nursing, but visited before. Finally, long after dark,
we couldn’t find a French-speaking I arrived at Nanga, the city closest to
university in Cameroon that has a the university. The school was a short
school of nursing. It appeared that I distance from the town, so I found two
would have to study in another country. motorcycle taxis to take my baggage and
me to the school. They roared down
A French-Speaking School the muddy dirt roads and soon arrived
Then someone told us about Cosendai on the campus, stopping in front of the
[koh-SEN-dai] Adventist University, women’s dormitory. A student on duty
four hours outside the capital city of showed me to my room, and I collapsed,
Cameroon. The school teaches in French exhausted, onto the thin mattress.
and has a school of nursing. Looking around at the aging building, I
We knew nothing about Adventists hoped I wouldn’t be disappointed.
or what the name means, so we called The next morning I walked around
the school to see if the university the campus to see the school in the
would accept a student who’s not an daylight. The buildings were old, and I
Adventist. The woman who answered had hoped for something nicer. Then

said the school accepts all faiths. I wandered up a dirt road and found
I was excited, for at last I could a huge construction site. The sign
pursue my dream. I was accepted to indicated that this site would be the
study and eagerly waited for school to new university campus. One day this will
begin. I packed my bags, said goodbye to be a fine school, I thought to myself. But
my family, and with great anticipation I for now, we’ll have to make do with the
boarded the bus that would take me to a old campus. I learned that the university
new adventure. campus was sharing a secondary school
10

campus until the new campus buildings my sister, who is a lecturer at another

C AMEROON
are completed. university, has asked me to save my old
Other things surprised me, too. Sabbath School quarterlies for her. She
Classes start as early as 7:00 in the enjoys studying them.
morning, and some go until 10:00 at I’m in my second year at Cosendai,
night. And all students on campus are and my life has changed so much. I feel
expected to attend chapel three times that I’m much closer to God than I ever
a week, on Tuesday, Friday evening, was, and I know more about myself, too. I
and Saturday morning, as well as enjoy learning more about God every day.
daily worships in the dormitory. I’m a I live off campus this year, so I’m no
member of a Christian church, but we longer required to attend every chapel
seldom go to church. So this was really service. But I don’t want to miss them,
different for me. for I learn so much. Someday, when the
time is right, I may become an Adventist.
Learning to Worship In the meantime, I’m just grateful for
I reluctantly went to the first chapel everything that God has given me
service. The music was inspiring, and the through Cosendai Adventist University.
speaker’s talk was compelling. I found
myself looking forward to chapel services. Your mission offerings help
I had come to the school knowing support Adventist education around
nothing about Adventists, but I quickly the world. This quarter part of the
learned. Someone explained to me that Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help
God set aside Saturday—the Sabbath, build the new campus at Cosendai
they call it—as a holy day to spend Adventist University. 
with the Creator. At first this seemed
strange, but it soon became a beautiful *Ama is short for Amougou and is used here for ease
teaching to me. The most important of pronunciation.
lesson I learned was that at Cosendai
the Bible is not a decoration on a shelf; MissiOn POst
it’s the textbook of life, the road map
to salvation. I began taking my Bible to Cameroon has about 108,400

Adventists. Its population is about 19
chapel with me so that I could follow million. That means that one person
along during worship services. out of every 175 is an Adventist.
In my year at Cosendai I’ve become
familiar with the Bible, something that I That is a good number, but it means

hadn’t expected to learn at university! that a lot of people still need to hear
that God loves them and to be shown
how to accept Jesus as their Savior.
A Changed Life

My mother likes to hear about what  that the believers in Cameroon
Pray
I’m learning in school, so when I go will share their faith with everyone
they know. Pray that the teachers in
home I take my Bible so I can share Adventist schools and universities will
what I’m learning. Sometimes I find reach out to students and their families
Mom quietly reading my Bible. And who don’t yet know God’s love.
11

c A M E R O O N

a seConD ChanCe
July 30 | Crescent Assana

[Ask a teenager or young adult man to present this first person story.]

M y friends and I staggered from
the disco. We were young and
rebellious; we thought we were so
friends’ bodies lying motionless in the
night. I blinked away the images and
forced myself to look at the television.
cool. We stumbled to the car that my
friend had taken without his father’s A Ray of Hope
permission. The engine roared to life, On the screen a man was talking—
and we squealed away from the disco. It preaching, I realized. What did it
was late at night, and we were tired. matter? I sunk lower into the sofa
When the car drifted into the and tried to relax my clenched fists.
opposite lane, my friend laughed and Somehow, the man’s words pierced the
jerked the wheel. Suddenly a blinding darkness that enveloped me. I sat up and
crash shattered the night. listened. I don’t know how long I sat
there staring at the man, but gradually I
Escape From Death realized that my muscles were no longer
Stunned, I struggled out of the mangled tied in knots. I felt myself softening.
car. I turned to help my friends, but even The pastor on the screen urged
in my drunken stupor I realized that they his listeners to give themselves to
were dead. My mind went numb, and I God before it was too late. My heart
barely remember getting home. quickened. Too late. It was too late for

The house was quiet when I entered, my friends, and almost too late for me. I
and I slumped onto the sofa. I turned could have been crumpled inside the car
on the television to keep my mind off with my friends. I had come so close.
what had happened. I flipped through I remembered my parents’ warnings
the channels looking for something to that I was making wrong choices,
distract me from the scenes that kept choosing friends who were not a good
flashing inside my head: our drunken influence on me. But I had refused to
foolishness, the explosive crash and listen. It was too late for my friends, but
crumpled metal, and worst of all my it wasn’t too late for me!
12

As the speaker on the television Once I would have rebelled against

C AMEROON
began praying, a sudden sob escaped my these rules, but now I understand that
lips. My heart cried out to God, Please they are for my own good and help me
take me, change me! focus on my studies and become the
person God wants me to be.
School never used to be important,
Somehow, the man’s words pierced the darkness but now I want to study to show God
that enveloped me. I sat up and listened. how thankful I am that He gave me a
second chance to live a life worth living.
When I return home on vacation, I
Morning dawned, but I still couldn’t want to find my old friends and tell
shake the realization that I had come so them what God has done for me. I’m
close to death and yet survived. I knew not sure how they will respond, but I
my parents were right, and I decided to want them to know that I’m not the
change. I wanted to stop drinking, stop person they once knew, that God has
wasting time and money at discos. made me a new person. I hope they will
I told my mother what had happened allow God to change their lives as well.
the night before. Then I told her that He is always willing and is all-powerful
I’d given my life to God and wanted and able. My life is proof of this. 
Him to change me. Relief flooded her
face, but I could see the concern. I knew Crescent Assana, 17, is from Central African
that my parents knew that I wouldn’t be Republic. He is studying at Cosendai Adventist
able to change without God. Secondary School in Cameroon.

A Second Chance at Life
A few weeks later my mother told
me that she’d met a young man who
had really impressed her. He was from Fast FaCts
an Adventist university in Cameroon,
 school at which Crescent
The
several hours away from my home studies now shares its facilities with
and my former friends. “This young Cosendai Adventist University.
man told me that the university also Classes often run late into the night
has a secondary school,” Mother said. to accommodate both the secondary
“If you attend that school you will be school and the university.
surrounded by Christian influence.”
 new campus at Cosendai is
The
I knew she was right. I needed to partially completed. But funds aren’t
start over. I agreed to enroll in the available to build all the needed
secondary school at Cosendai [koh- classrooms. Part of this quarter’s

SEN-dai]. Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will
My life changed immediately after I help build a much needed medical
arrived at the school. We have worship lab so that students in the schools
of nursing, pharmacology, and other
every morning, which makes faith grow medical areas will have the proper
stronger. And we have lots of rules. facilities in which to learn.
13

c A M E R O O N

the troublemaker Backgr oun d©iS t ockph ot o.com/Ton y Oquias
August 6 | Desirè Ndibi

[Ask a man to present this first-person report.]

T he little group of believers sang
a song as they walked toward the
river just outside the small village in
it look festive. How disappointed I
was when I returned to the river just
before sundown the evening before to
western Cameroon. As they neared the find the stones knocked over and the
river, a wild-eyed woman ran toward palm fronds and flowers pulled out of
them brandishing a cutlass. “Get out of the ground.
here!” she shouted. “This place belongs The woman’s shouts brought me back
to my ancestors, and you’ll not practice to the present. Was it safe to go ahead
your witchcraft here!” She waved the with the baptism? Or would this woman
cutlass above her head for emphasis. injure someone as she was threatening to
do? I wondered. I scanned the faces
Fearful Threats of those who had come to be baptized
The group of Adventists stopped, into the Adventist Church. I knew that
fearing what the woman might do. I they would be disappointed if we had to
stepped in front of the believers and postpone the baptism.
walked toward the woman. “The river
doesn’t belong to one person,” I told Stepping Forward in Faith
her gently. “And we aren’t practicing A crowd was forming to see who
witchcraft. We’re here to baptize some was shrieking. In spite of the woman’s

new believers.” threats I decided that we must go
I realized that this woman must ahead with the baptism. I prayed and
have been the one who had destroyed then stepped to the water’s edge. The
the baptismal area that I had arranged baptismal candidates lined up on the
the day before. I had piled rocks in shore just out of reach of the woman’s
the swift-flowing river to provide a cutlass. The singing resumed as the
quiet pond in which to perform the woman continued shouting insults at us.
baptism. Then I’d covered the path Then she splashed into the water and
with palm fronds and flowers to make raised the cutlass above her head. Once
14

more I spoke to her. “Your ancestors did her heart,” I prayed, not knowing how

C AMEROON
not make this river,” I said. “God made she would react to my prayer. When the
it when He created the world. And He prayer ended, we stood, and the pastor
has commanded His children to share holding the woman’s cutlass gave it
His love with everyone.” back to her. An uneasy silence spread
The woman stopped shouting and through the crowd. Would the woman
looked at me. I felt God’s power urging again become agitated? Would she try to
me to continue with the baptism. As attack us?
I stepped into the water, the woman
dropped her cutlass. I picked it up and Surprising Apology
gave it to an elder standing on the “Please forgive me for what I have
shore. The woman stood silent in the done,” she said quietly.
water as if she was frozen in place. Surprised at her response, I asked,
One by one I baptized the new “May I visit you?”
believers as the woman and the villagers “Yes,” she said.
watched. When the last one was I learned that the woman’s name
baptized, we all walked up the hill a was Hada. A local elder and I began
short way. A church elder saw that the visiting Hada, and soon she began
woman who had threatened us seemed attending the church. One day not
to be rooted in the water, so he carefully too long after we first met at the river,
helped her out of the river. Hada walked into the same river to
When the church members knelt celebrate her own baptism.
to pray, the troublemaker knelt too. Hada didn’t go alone that day.
“Please be with this woman and change Others with whom she had shared her
new faith walked with her. They, too,
wanted to join God’s family by baptism.
Hada had found God’s love and shared
it freely with everyone she met.
The church in that little village has
MissiOn POst grown to more than 40 members. They
have shared God’s love with people in
 the 19 million people who live
Of a nearby village, where now another
in Cameroon, about 108,400 are
Seventh-day Adventists. That means company has been started.
that one person out of every 175 is an God turned a threat into a
Adventist. While this is a good ratio, blessing and a woman’s hard heart
some parts of Cameroon have hardly into one softened by His love. Our
been touched with the message of mission offerings help establish new
Christ’s soon coming. congregations of believers in difficult

 evangelists and Global Mission
Lay places in Africa and around the world.
pioneers serve in isolated areas where Thank you for giving so others can see
the Adventist message has not yet God’s hand in their lives. 
reached. Pray that God will sustain
them and protect them from those
who resist Christ’s love. Desirè Ndibi is studying theology at Cosendai
Adventist University in Cameroon.
15

G H A N A

one single book Backgr oun d©iS t ockph ot o.com/Hect or J os eph L uman g
August 13 | Oliver Eshun


I was the troublemaker. I disobeyed my
parents and teachers and questioned
every authority. My mom feared that
understand. But I kept reading. I saw
references to the Bible in it, so I found
a Bible and looked up each reference. I
my behavior would be a negative realized that this book taught the Bible.
influence on my siblings. I was smart,
but I refused to study and sometimes My Quest for Truth
even refused to go to school. My family The book mentioned the Sabbath. I’d
wasn’t religious, but my parents had never heard of the Sabbath before, but
strict standards. They tried everything I realized it must be important. Then in
to make me obey, but nothing worked. school I overheard a boy talking about
the Sabbath. When he finished talking,
The Man With the Book I asked him, “Do you attend church on
One day my mother traveled by bus the Sabbath?” He said he did. “I want to
to a far city to buy goods to sell in her attend church with you,” I told him.
little shop. A man stood up and began The boy’s church was a charismatic
talking about a book he was selling. The church, but I didn’t know the difference.
book was The Great Controversy. He said So I joined the church. My parents
that this book had changed thousands of might have objected, but they saw me
lives. Mother bought the book. It was a changing into the boy they had hoped

sacrifice for her, but she was desperate. I’d become. So they said nothing.
She wanted that book for me. Then I began finding things in the
When she returned home, she gave church that didn’t agree with what I was
me the book. I love reading, and the reading in the Bible. I asked the church
title made me curious. What’s this great leaders about them, but they didn’t have
controversy? I wondered. I went to my good answers. Then one elder accused
room and started reading. me of being a Seventh-day Adventist.
The book’s ideas were totally new I didn’t know anything about
to me, and some things were hard to Seventh-day Adventists, but I sensed
16

that this church had the answers I was in the village, and soon all doubt was
looking for. I met an Adventist man, gone. I wanted to be baptized.
and I peppered him with questions. My parents were surprised at my
He answered them all from the Bible, decision to become an Adventist,
and I began visiting him often. We had but they had seen my life change and
some long and heated discussions as we didn’t disapprove. My younger brother
dug into the Bible together. He knew began attending church and became an
that the only authority I would accept Adventist too.
was the Bible. I wasn’t interested in I taught school for two years but

GhANA
attending any church until I knew the never received my government salary.
truth from the Bible first. I think my I didn’t understand why God wasn’t
friend understood this, and he didn’t helping me go to college. But when I
urge me to attend church. quit teaching to enter college, my salary
came through. With help I graduated
God’s Master Plan with a teaching degree.
I finished high school and took After graduation I did a year of
a job teaching elementary school required civil service by working at
in a small village to save money for Valley View University, the Adventist
college. When I arrived in the village, university in Ghana. This helped
I discovered that the school I was to cement my faith.
teach at was an Adventist school! I
began attending the Adventist church That One Book
I shudder when I think of where I
would be if my mother hadn’t given me
that book when I was a teen. I was on
the wrong track and headed for trouble.
Fast FaCts But God used a book—one simple
Ghana lies on the Atlantic Ocean
 book—to turn my life around and set
between Côte d’Ivoire (coht duh- me on the path of life. Before I read the
VWAH, or Ivory Coast) and Togo. book, I was a nuisance to my family.
Ghana was the first country in Africa After I discovered the truth in this book,
to gain independence from colonial I became so excited about my faith that I
rule. The country led other nations in
became a different kind of “nuisance.” It’s
their fight for independence.
still my mission to tell my family about
 people of Ghana belong to more
The God’s great plan of salvation.
than 100 different ethnic people and The Adventist Church has a huge
language groups. The people have publishing work around the world.

worked hard to live together in peace. Our mission offerings help support the
Watch the Adventist Mission DVD
 publishing work so that people such
for more information on the special as I can experience God’s love. Thank
challenges and opportunities for you for your offerings. Thank God for
sharing God’s love in Ghana. His salvation! 
17

G H A N A

goD’s alone Backgr oun d©iS t ockph ot o.com/Hect or J os eph L uman g
August 20 | Samuel Dorgbetor


I grew up in a pagan home and a pagan
village in Ghana. Everyone I knew
worshipped idols and sacrificed animals
because I believed as because I didn’t
like being different from the other
children. I thought of running off on
to the gods to ask for protection and Sabbaths to attend church, but my
to honor them when we harvested our parents made us work with them in the
crops. We feared that if we didn’t do garden on the weekends.
these things, the gods would be angry I watched the kids at school.
and cause sickness or trouble for us. Not all of them were Christians, or
We assumed that any bad thing that even Adventists. I noticed that the
happened to us—even a headache— Adventist children were honest and
was because we had offended a god. kind. But even more important to me
was that not a single Adventist child
The New School died while attending that school. That
The nearest school was several seemed extraordinary to me, for many
miles from my home, so I couldn’t children died in my idol-worshipping
attend. Then when I was 10 years village. In my mind it was Jesus who
old, an Adventist school opened in kept the Christian children from dying.
a village nearby. At last I was able to I began listening more carefully in
go to school! I quickly learned to read Bible class. The more I learned about
Jesus, the less interested I was in the

and write, and soon I became a leader
among my peers. But most important, I idols my parents worshipped.
was learning about Jesus.
The school required students to A Change of Allegiance
attend church, but my parents wouldn’t When I started junior high school
allow me to go because they feared I went to live in the village where
that something bad would happen to the school was located. At last I
the family if the gods became angry. I could go to church! I had forsaken
wanted to go to church, not so much the idols my parents worshipped, and
18

before long I accepted Jesus as my Answering God’s Call
Savior and was baptized. The church gave me opportunities
I didn’t tell my parents, for I feared to learn leadership skills, and when
what they would say. I didn’t want to I graduated from high school I was
go home and have to explain why I church treasurer and had become a lay
wouldn’t work on Sabbaths. So I made preacher. I love sharing God’s love with
excuses to stay at school. But my parents others and know that God has called me
urged me to return home. Finally I could to be a pastor.
avoid it no longer; I went home. That’s I’m now studying theology at

GhANA
when I learned that my parents knew Valley View University, the Adventist
that I had become a Christian. university in southern Ghana. My
My father told me that if I didn’t parents can’t help me pay my tuition
work on the farm on weekends I because there are many other children
couldn’t take food back to school with in the family who need to go to
me. But my mother brought me food school. God has provided help through
when she came to the market. When scholarships and a job on campus. I
my father refused to pay my school fees, know that He has called me to do His
I took jobs to pay my own fees. By God’s work and will see me through.
help I managed to finish school. Although my parents haven’t become
Adventists, they respect my faith. They
know that the education I have received
in Adventist schools has made me who I
am. But only Jesus has made me whose I
am—I am His alone.
MissiOn POst Please pray with me that my family
will experience a salvation through
 People of Ghana belong to many Christ and a loving relationship with
different religions. About 24 percent,
or one person in four, follows
God such as I now enjoy. God has
traditional beliefs that may include blessed me so abundantly in sending me
ancestor worship and witchcraft. to Adventist schools. I want to serve
About 20 percent, or one person in Him the rest of my life and teach others
five, follows the Muslim religion, that they, too, can have the blessings He
and almost as many are Protestant has given to me. I’m eager to go to work
Christians. Some Christian churches
among my people and teach those who
mix faith in God with faith in
traditional religions. live in darkness about the wonderful
light of God’s love, Jesus.
 Almost 350,000 Seventh-day Your mission offerings have helped

Adventists live in Ghana. That’s establish many schools in Ghana.
one Adventist for every 69 people.
This quarter part of your Thirteenth
Pray that Adventists in Ghana
will be able to help their friends Sabbath Offering will help Valley View
and neighbors understand that it’s University build a church where all can
important to worship only God and come to learn about Christ and worship
not idols or ancestors. Him. Thank you. 
19

G H A N A

goD is my Father
Backgr oun d©iS t ockph ot o.com/Hect or J os eph L uman g
August 27 | Foday Sellu


F oday,” my school counselor said,
“your mother is dead.” The news
stunned me. What will happen to us now?
The next morning when the school
secretary gave me the forms to fill out to
take my exams, I realized that someone
I wondered. My stepfather wasn’t a had paid my exam fees. I took the exams
Christian, and I knew that he wouldn’t and scored high. Maybe there’s still hope
help us to continue our studies. that I can go to university, I thought.
I would soon graduate from high Then war broke out in my country,
school and was looking forward to going and once more it seemed that I wouldn’t
on to study in a university. Suddenly my be able to continue my education. I
hopes for the future were dead as well. gave God my dream and trusted Him to
I returned to work in the school garden work things out.
as tears burned my eyes. The agriculture I was asked to be Sabbath School
teacher saw that I was crying. “What’s superintendent and help the teachers
wrong?” he asked. prepare their weekly lessons. The
assignment drove me to study my
Experiencing God’s Care Bible more deeply and spend more
I told him that my mother had died time with God. I also discovered
and that I had no money to pay the a love for teaching. When at last
fees to take my final exams so I could I began my university studies, I
majored in education. Soon I’d be

graduate. “Go see the school principal,”
he suggested. “He can help you.” The able to help my brothers and sisters
teacher’s words gave me hope. But this with their education.
wasn’t an Adventist school, and I was
an Adventist. I went to see the principal God Leads
and found the school chaplain with I finished university and prayed for
him. I explained my problem. a job. I felt God calling me to teach at
“Come back tomorrow,” the principal the parochial school I had attended, to
said. give back to the school that had helped
20

me. But how could I keep the Sabbath “If you really want me to serve you as
in a school that held classes and other a pastor, let the church mission invite
activities that day? I asked God to help me to study to become a pastor.” A
me know what to do. short while later the mission president
I was able to schedule my classes so I’d called to offer me a scholarship to study
be free on Sabbaths. Then I learned that theology at Valley View University.
the school’s parent-teacher conferences After praying with my fiancé about
were scheduled for Sabbath. I went to it, we decided to marry and enroll in
the principal and asked to be excused classes at Valley View.

GhANA
from the parent-teacher program on But even with financial help to
Sabbath. To my surprise, he readily pay my tuition it’s difficult to earn
agreed to allow me to go to church enough to pay my wife’s tuition, buy
instead of the teacher’s meetings. What books and food, and pay rent. We’ve
an answer to prayer! From that time on learned to place all these needs
no activity in which I was involved was before God’s throne, and He’s blessed
scheduled on Sabbath. us. We rarely know where the help
will come from, but we know that
God Always Provides God will send it.
I felt God calling me to pastoral
ministry. At first I resisted the idea, but Serving God Back Home
the thought kept ringing in my ears. Recently five of us traveled back
Finally, I knelt down and asked God, to Sierra Leone to hold evangelistic
meetings in three towns. My wife and
I went to my hometown, Bo, where we
preached, prayed, and visited with people.
MissiOn POst In the two months our team was in Sierra
Leone, 530 people became Seventh-day
Almost 350,000 Adventists live and
 Adventists. And we were privileged to
worship in Ghana. That’s about one establish a new church in Bo.
Adventist for every 69 people. The As we’ve seen how God has led
church supports many elementary
schools, some high schools, and us in the past, we have no fear for
a large university—Valley View the future. We know that God will
University, located just outside of the reveal His plans for our lives each
capital city, Accra. step of the way. And we thank God
for providing Valley View University
 university has grown rapidly in
The
the past few years. Everywhere on
where we have received a solid
campus new buildings are going up to Christian preparation for a lifetime

house classrooms, dormitories, a new of service. Your offerings help make
cafeteria, and offices. The one building this school and its ministry possible.
that’s missing on campus is a church. Thank you! 
 of this quarter’s Thirteenth
Part When Foday and his wife complete their studies at
Sabbath Offering will help build a Valley View University, they will return to Sierra
church in the heart of the campus. Leone to serve God.
21

G H A N A

the FaithFul sabbathkeeper
Backgr oun d©iS t ockph ot o.com/Hect or J os eph L uman g
September 3 | Deborah Odai

D eborah cringed as her father’s
voice grew louder. “If you join that
church, there will be no more money
school, but warned her not to let
Adventists sway her faith. Deborah
was sure that she would find answers
for your school fees!” She’d expected to her questions about God and the
him to be unhappy with her decision Sabbath at this school.
to become an Adventist, but it was Deborah attended prayer and worship
still difficult to hear her beloved father services on campus. During a Week of
speak harshly to her. Spiritual Emphasis, Deborah felt God
calling her to stand up for what she
Deborah had always been curious knew was right. She hesitated, for she
about spiritual things and loved reading wanted to study more before taking such
her Bible to learn what God had to a stand.
say to her. Then one day a young man But she felt no peace. “I knew that I
moved into one of the rooms Deborah’s had to make a choice,” Deborah said,
family rents to people. He offered “even if my father disowned me.” After
Deborah some Bible study guides. As reading the story of Daniel, Deborah
she read them, she learned about the spoke with the university president
Sabbath. She asked her father why they about her situation. He agreed to talk
worship on Sunday. He explained that with her father.
Christians worship on Sunday to honor Father agreed to continue paying
Jesus’ resurrection. Deborah wasn’t so Deborah’s school fees. But when

sure, and she continued searching the Deborah was baptized, her father
Bible for answers. changed his mind and refused to
continue supporting her.
Deborah’s New School
After high school Deborah’s parents Faithful in Spite of Challenges
sent her to study at Valley View Deborah remains faithful to her
University, a Seventh-day Adventist commitment to God. She leaves home
school. They were impressed with early on Sabbath morning to attend
22 the high Christian standards of the worship services and spends the rest of

the day at the university so she won’t be Encouraging Others
asked to break the Sabbath. Her parents Deborah’s younger sister is also an
have agreed to support her education Adventist, but she struggles to remain
if she gives up her new beliefs. But faithful to her commitment in the face
Deborah refuses to give in. “I must be of her parents’ objections. Deborah
faithful to what God has shown me,” quietly encourages her sister to stay
she insists. strong in Jesus. “If our father is home on
Rather than create additional Sabbath morning, my sister stays home
problems by asking her mother to from church just to keep from upsetting

GhANA
prepare only clean food, Deborah him. I pray that someday she will realize
often goes hungry. “It’s a small thing the importance of standing up for what
compared to what God has done for she believes,” Deborah says.
me,” she says quietly. Deborah continues her studies toward
And in a difficult moment, God gave a degree in international development
Deborah a dream that has encouraged at Valley View University. She works
her to remain true to her convictions when she can to help pay her school
in spite of difficulties. In the dream she fees. But it’s difficult to find work that
was walking in the dark. Suddenly she doesn’t require working on Sabbaths. So
saw a bright light and heard a voice when she’s able, she works as a literature
urging her to stay faithful to God and evangelist. “I can share my faith with
His truths. Remembering this dream has others and keep the Sabbath at the
helped Deborah to remain faithful and same time,” she says.
to patiently endure the tests of her faith
that she faces at home every day. Appeal
Our mission offerings help support
schools of all sizes around the world,
and this quarter part of our Thirteenth
Fast FaCts Sabbath Offering will help build a
church on the campus of Valley View
Ghana has about 24 million people and
 University. Currently students and staff
is one of the most densely populated
countries in Africa. About half of the worship in several congregations spread
people in Ghana farm for a living. out across the campus. They meet
in lecture halls, classrooms, and the
 official language of Ghana is
The cafeteria. A church will help unite the
English, but most of Ghana’s people student body and enable students and
also speak an African language. The
most widely spoken African language in staff to invite their friends to worship
Ghana is Akan, which is spoken by the in a setting they are accustomed

Ashanti people of central Ghana. to. Students and staff members are
passionate about introducing others to
 Ashanti people are known for
The the precious Jesus they love and the
their carving ability and the beautifully
woven kente cloth, which is made on
faith they hold dear. Let’s help make
looms and features bright golden yellow, this possible with a large offering on
brown, dark red, and black. Thirteenth Sabbath. 
23

G H A N A

From everyWhere to everyWhere Backgr oun d©iS t ockph ot o.com/Hect or J os eph L uman g
September 10 | Phillip and Grace Maiyo

[Ask three people to present this interview-style report.]

Narrator: Missionaries don’t come from When I quit attending Sunday
just one country or even one continent. School some people were angry. But one
They come from everywhere and go family wanted to know why I had left. I
everywhere. Like a giant spiderweb, explained the Sabbath to them and gave
God’s servants criss-cross the world them the Bible verses I had learned. In
taking their talents and education time they joined the Adventist Church.
where they are needed the most. These were my first converts, and I
Dr. Phillip and Grace Maiyo [MAY- became excited about sharing my faith
yoh] are from Kenya, in eastern Africa. with others.
They’ve been called to serve at Valley Phillip is a lifelong Adventist. We
View University in western Africa. Dr. married and went to college. We had no
Maiyo is the university’s information idea how God would use our skills, but
technology director and teaches business we trusted His leading.
and computer science. Grace teaches
health and nutrition. The couple has Phillip: We’ve served God at Valley
three children who are studying in the View University for six years now. We
Philippines and in Kenya. both teach, and we both have several
Grace, please tell us a bit about what other assignments that keep us really
brought you to this place in your life. busy. But we make time to minister
to those on campus as well. Lots of

Grace: I didn’t grow up Adventist. Then students have personal or financial
I met two sisters in school who were problems. We can’t solve all their
Adventists. They talked about God and problems, but we can listen and pray
showed me in the Bible that the Sabbath with them. We want them to know that
is God’s plan. I became interested and we care and that God cares. We see
wanted to attend their church. But there each student as our mission field.
was no Adventist church in our little Our work at Valley View has many
town, so I joined them for worship on facets. Grace teaches health and
24 Sabbaths in their home. nutrition classes. Then she takes her

students into the communities to teach system and the Internet for the school.
the local people. In this way the students He and his team are developing software
are learning to serve God and improve for the school’s academic programs,
people’s lives through better health and and he’s leading a team to set up online
nutrition. Grace even gets the church classrooms and training teachers how
elders to go with her to translate and to use these systems. We are doing all
facilitate health demonstrations. She we can to help bring the university into
has done so many things to increase the twenty-first century. He’s saved
awareness of the importance of health the university thousands of dollars by
and nutrition in our lives. overseeing much of the work himself. It

GhANA
keeps him busy, but that’s our ministry.
Grace: Besides teaching computer and We also have a radio studio on
business courses, Phillip is busy managing campus, and Phillip makes presentations
the computer services at the school. for broadcasts.
That’s a huge challenge, for some of the
equipment is old, and our Internet is Phillip: Missionaries are used to
quite limited for a school of more than working hard, and sometimes we are
3,000 students. But he’s doing the best he overwhelmed with the work that
can to help the university grow through presents itself to us. It’s important work,
technology in ways they’re just beginning and it advances the university and its
to understand. ministry. I’m so occupied with keeping
Phillip has installed the fiber-optic the computer systems running and with
teaching faculty members how to use
the systems that I seldom get outside the
campus to minister in the community.
So I focus my ministry on helping others
MissiOn POst
make the most of their ministries.
Missionaries do many different types
 When we finished our education, we
of work. Some are administrators, weren’t sure what the Lord wanted us
teachers, or specialists in technical to do. But He has led us to serve Him
fields. Others are medical personnel—
here at Valley View University. My
doctors, nurses, anesthesiologists,
dentists, ophthalmologists. They take parents dedicated me to God as a child,
their experience and training to regions and God has used me to serve Him in
of the world where it is needed most. unexpected ways.
Missionaries work hard! They do
 Narrator: Your mission offerings help
far more than their job description
indicates. support missionaries who come from
everywhere and go everywhere. Teachers,

 Adventist Church has about 1,000
The medical professionals, administrators,
missionaries scattered around the world. and frontline workers benefit from the
They come from dozens of countries mission offerings you give every week in
and do scores of different jobs. But they
all have a passion to see God’s work Sabbath School. Thank you and God
finished soon so they can go home to be bless you as you continue to give so that
with Jesus. others may go. 
25

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