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MISSIONA D V E N T I S T YOUTH AND ADULT

MAGAZINE 2008 2008QUARTER 1

E U R O - A S I A D I V I S I O N

featuring:

SEEKING HUNGRY HEARTS pg 16

Free at Last! pg 22

C O N T E N T S

On the Cover: Russian church members wish you soo-BOHT-nyem dihn-YOHM, Happy Sabbath. © 2007 iStockphoto.com/boulatov.

RUSSIA 4 God’s Willing Hands | January 5

6 God’s Weak Vessel | January 12

8 The Camping Trip | January 19

10 Breaking the Cycle | January 26

MOLDOVA12 Free Indeed! | February 2

14 A Rainbow of Love | February 9

16 Seeking Hungry Hearts | February 16

18 One More Door | February 23

CENTRAL ASIA20 The Godfather’s Son | March 1

22 Free At Last| March 8

24 No Greater Glory | March 15

26 Maria’s Missionary Family | March 22

RESOURCES28 Thirteenth Sabbath Program | March 29

31 Resources

32 Map and Projects

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= stories about teens

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Welcome to the new mission quarterly. Adventist Mission for Youth and Adults still contains the inspiring stories you expect, but they now come in a vibrant new package. We hope you will enjoy it.

Euro-Asia Division This quarter we focus on the Euro-

Asia Division, which stretches almost halfway around the world, from Western Europe to Eastern Asia and from the polar regions of the Arctic Ocean to the predominantly Muslim republics in the south. It includes the countries of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russian Federation, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan. These countries were part of the former Soviet Union which, for 70 years, restricted freedom, especially freedom of religion. When Communism fell, the people in these countries rejoiced in the hope of new freedoms and greater individual prosperity. But for most of the people the promise of prosperity has turned to ashes. Instead the nations are mired in inflation and unemployment, and individuals struggle as hard today as 15 years ago to meet their basic needs.

During the early years following the collapse of Communism, people flooded to Christian evangelistic meetings, and many have become dedicated Christians. But others turned their attention to material gain, hoping for the prosperity of the European countries around them. Today it is as difficult to attract large crowds to evangelistic meetings in Euro-Asia as it is in Western Europe.

Membership figures vary widely among the countries of this division. Divisionwide, one person in every 1,640 is a Seventh-day Adventist. Moldova has the highest ratio, where one person out of every 340 is an Adventist. In the Southern Union, which includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, the ratio is one Adventist to almost 9,000.

Believers struggle to attract people to Jesus; they struggle to finish churches that were started years ago, and some still struggle to save enough money to begin building their longed-for church. Yet at the same time believers enthusiastically share their faith. In southwestern Russia, near the Black Sea, church members are on fire to share their faith through prayer groups, organized literature distribution, and mass distribution of church newsletters. They have seen that some people are hungry for Jesus, and they are determined to find them.

This quarter let’s join hands and pray for the believers in the Euro-Asia Division, that they will follow God’s leading and conquer their territory for Christ.

O P P O R T U N I T I E S

This quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help:ÿ build churches in Belarus,

Moldova, and Russiaÿ complete a community center in

Kazakhstan

Dear Sabbath School Leader,

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When Communism fell in the former Soviet Union, thousands

flocked to evangelistic meetings to hear messages of hope in Jesus that they had been denied for generations. But in time interest in religion waned as people turned to wealth, fame, and materialism in search of happiness. Today evangelism is as difficult in Russia as in much of Western Europe, but church members continue to share their faith in different ways. In Krasnodar [KRAS-no-dar], a city near the Black Sea in southwestern Russia, members use literature to call people’s attention to God’s message. But they don’t stop there.

The PlanPastors invite church members to

write the names of people for whom they are praying in a prayer book at church. Every week these people are prayed for by name, and each week members receive specially developed tracts to share with those people for whom they are praying and working. Each tract contains a short hope-filled devotional on one aspect of faith.

On the fourth Sabbath of the month, everyone can have a part by sharing

copies of the church’s missionary newspaper with friends and colleagues.

Some members give the newspapers out at work or in their apartment complexes. Children and youth give out newspapers on the streets or in shops. And when they find someone who is interested in reading more about the church, the members offer to bring them one of the tracts and invite them to sign up for Bible lessons.

Often while giving out literature, church members find people with special needs. They take their address and put them in touch with someone who can help meet their needs for food or medical care or clothing or just a friend to talk to. “We want to be the hands of God,” one woman said. “Whatever needs God shows us, we want meet the need in His name.”

And they are, sometimes in unexpected ways.

Goat ThiefOne member owns a goat farm. One

day she noticed that her goats were disappearing. She discovered a man carrying one of her goats away from its pen and stopped him. The man said that his family was hungry, and if he sold the goat, he could buy bread for them.

GOD’SOD’S WILLINGILLING HANDSANDS

K R A S N O D A R , R U S S I A

January 5

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The woman asked the man to put the goat back into its pen while she prepared food for his family. She tucked in some missionary tracts as well. The man’s family read the tracts and wanted to know more. The man stopped stealing goats and now works as a goat herder for the Adventist woman. And his family attends the Adventist church.

Priest and Pastor Share the PulpitAnother family lives near an Orthodox

priest. They visited the priest’s family and shared literature with them. Sometimes the families discussed biblical topics together. The literature aroused an interest in Adventist teachings, and the priest invited his neighbors to worship in his home.

The Adventists introduced the priest to their pastor, and in time the priest’s family visited the Adventist church and began keeping the Sabbath.

The pastor invited the priest to join him in holding evangelistic meetings in a town that had neither an Orthodox church nor an Adventist church. The priest agreed, and the two men visited every home in the town and invited people to join them in a celebration marking the 130th anniversary of the translation of the Bible.

During the program the priest declared that Adventists are truthful Christians and called the people to study the Bible

with them. Today small group meetings are being held in this town. And the Orthodox priest and his family help distribute the Adventist tracts and newspapers in their area.

The MagicianThree siblings were looking for an

apartment to rent. They prayed that God would lead them to one. One day Alla, one of the sisters, met an old woman who offered to rent them an apartment. “Please come now and look at it,” she insisted.

After the three moved into the apartment, they discovered that their landlady was a magician who spoke to the spirits. The three young people prayed for the woman, but they were afraid to speak to her about her alliance with the devil. Instead they left some Bible tracts on the table where she would find them. The woman picked up the brightly colored tracts and read them. One of the tracts dealt with the devil’s skillful lies. While reading it, the landlady read the truth about the magic that she practiced.

Later when a friend asked the landlady to tell her fortune, the landlady refused and suggested that her friend read the tract on the devil’s lies. The landlady has asked the young people for more tracts and books about God.

The members in Krasnodar have shared more than 200,000 pieces of literature with friends and colleagues. Our mission offerings help these people and millions of others to be God’s hands to those in need. Thank you for joining hands with others to support mission in Russia and throughout the world. ¸

F A S T F A C T S

ÿ Krasnodar lies near the Black Sea, it is a popular resort area for people living throughout Europe and Siberia to relax and regain their health.

ÿ The churches in this region have caught the vision to reach these visitors for Christ.

In time interest in religion waned as people turned to wealth, fame, and materialism in

search of happiness.

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Life was difficult for Olga and her mother, a single parent. When Olga

was 5, they moved to an area near the Black Sea, where Olga’s grandmother lived.

Mother sought peace of mind in church, but again and again she was disappointed to discover that the church she was attending did not follow the Ten Commandments, which she had memorized as a child. She visited many churches, only to find that they did not teach according to the Bible.

When Olga was 9 years old, Mother found the Seventh-day Adventist church, and she soon realized that these people taught and followed the entire Bible, not just part of it. Mother joined the church, and Olga went with her.

Teenage RebelBut Olga did not like the church.

The little congregation had only three children near Olga’s age. And sometimes the children reminded Olga that she did not have a father.

Olga turned to her aunt Galena for friendship. Galena was a little older than Olga and had no time for God. The more

Olga spent time with Galena, the less she wanted to go to church with her mother.

Galena and Olga often went to discos that catered to teens. There Olga met friends who did not care that she did not have a father. In time she lost all interest in religion.

Olga’s mother begged her to stay home on Friday evenings, but Olga wanted to go dancing. To avoid facing her mother, she would take her dancing clothes to school so she would not have to return home before she and Galena went out that evening.

The AccidentOne Friday morning Olga packed her

dancing clothes and hurried out the door to school. She was thinking about that evening’s activities as she crossed the road. Suddenly a car careened around the corner, striking Olga and throwing her into the windshield.

Olga lay on the street unconscious. Blood covered her face. The driver of a van saw the accident and stopped. Olga regained consciousness as someone lifted her into a vehicle that took her to the

GOD’S OD’S WEAK EAK VESSELESSEL

K R A S N O D A R , R U S S I A

January 12 | Told to Mission by Olga Gagloeva

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hospital. She heard bits of conversation as she floated in and out of consciousness. “Lucky to be alive,” a nurse said as she wiped blood from Olga’s face.

Olga’s doctor told her that her cuts and bruises would heal quickly, but that she had a serious concussion and would have to remain in the hospital for several days. She had to lie still in bed and could not read or move about.

Hours seemed like days, and days like weeks as Olga grew increasingly bored and lonely. When she was allowed visitors, several members of her mother’s church visited her. It was so good to talk to people again! One church member gave her a book to read. Although Olga could not read it then, she kept it to read when the doctor said it was safe to read once more.

But when her visitors left, Olga was again bored and lonely. In her quiet room she did something she had never really done before—she prayed. As she prayed, she realized that God had saved her life. While grateful for this, Olga still had no interest in attending church.

At last Olga was released from the hospital and allowed to return home.

Her mother begged her to go to church and thank God for saving her life. “I’ll go sometime,” Olga promised. But when she was well enough to go out, she went dancing instead. For three months she avoided going to the church.

Then one Friday evening her mother invited her to attend a young people’s meeting being held in the pastor’s home. Olga decided to go, and to her surprise, she enjoyed it. The next day Olga went to church with her mother. She discovered that the church had grown, and now many youth attended the church. Best of all, they welcomed Olga and loved her.

Olga began reading her Bible again and became involved in her youth Sabbath School class and with Pathfinders. Eventually she committed her life to Christ and decided to be baptized.

In time she began teaching the youth class, even though she was younger than some of the students. Olga discovered a deep happiness she had never known before. Her joy grew when her aunt Galena began attending the church and gave her life to Christ. Then Olga’s grandmother, who had always disliked the Adventist church and had called her mother crazy for attending, began attending church. She too was baptized.

“Even though I refused to follow God,” Olga says, “He saved me from death and led me to Him. I am so happy to share my faith with other teenagers like me, to help them come to God too.” ¸

Olga Gagleova, 19, serves as communication and Pathfi nder director, Kubano-Chernomorskaya Conference, Russia, while studying public relations.

F A S T F A C T S

ÿ Krasnodar, Olga’s home, lies near the Black Sea in southwestern Russia, a major tourist area where thousands of Russians and Europeans spend summer holidays.

ÿ Churches in Olga’s region of southern Russia actively distribute hope-filled literature to introduce people to Christ.

Olga lay on the street unconscious. Blood covered her face. The driver of a van saw the

accident and stopped.

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Pathfinder Clubs were introduced into the Euro-Asia Division only within

the past few years. But Pathfinders are learning that there are many ways to worship God.

Recently the Pathfinder Club in Zaoksky [zah-OHK-skee], Russia, went camping near a tiny village. They did not go to learn camping skills, but to share their faith. The little village they camped near has only 15 houses. Most of the people who live there are elderly women who have no one to help them. No bus provides transportation to the area, so people must walk quite a distance to the nearest store. Most of the villagers plant gardens to provide food for the long, cold winter months.

Once a week a truck brings bread that the villagers can buy. The truck’s arrival on Saturday morning has become the highlight of the week, a chance for the villagers to catch up on news while they wait for the bread truck to arrive.

A Time to Share This camping trip was the Pathfinders’

second visit to the little village.

During their first camping experience, the Pathfinders visited people in the settlement, sharing their faith and making friends. They were excited to return to the village and share Jesus again.

The Pathfinders packed copies of the Ten Commandments to give as gifts to the people. They knew that few of the people could attend church, but they valued the Ten Commandments.

When the Pathfinders arrived, they set up camp, grabbed their small gifts, and headed for the village. People were happy to receive the Ten Commandment plaques and chat with their young friends again. It was so seldom that children visited there. As the children talked about God, the women asked lots of questions. They were surprised and happy that the children knew so much about the Bible.

One woman told her visitors that she was having pain in her knees that made it difficult to walk. The Pathfinder leader pointed to one member of his group and said, “This boy is praying for his sick grandmother. Would you like him to pray for you?” The woman was overwhelmed to think that these children would take time

THEHE CAMPING AMPING TRIPRIP

Z A O K S K Y , R U S S I A

January 19 | Told to Mission by Anna Parinova

Pathfinders went camping to share their faith with others, but when a forest fire threatened their campground, their only hope for safety was in God.

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to pray for her! After their prayer, the Pathfinders saw tears in her eyes.

The Bread Truck MinistryWhen the Pathfinders learned that the

villagers meet once a week on Saturday to wait for the bread truck, they decided to hold a worship program for them while they waited. They practiced a skit telling the story of the prodigal son. Then on Sabbath morning the Pathfinders invited the villagers to come early for their bread. As the villagers gathered at the truck stop, the Pathfinders sang and presented their skit. Then their leader presented a short sermon. The villagers were thrilled by the young people’s worship.

Forest FireBecause the Pathfinders’ tents were

not all waterproof, the Pathfinders prayed that it would not rain during their campout. Sabbath afternoon was a

sunny spring day. The trees were brilliant with their new green leaves. Some of the Pathfinders decided to walk to another tiny settlement nearby. As they neared the little cluster of houses, they saw smoke rising from the forest floor. Then they saw that a fire had blackened the grass in a low-lying area near the road. The fire was spreading, and the Pathfinders feared that it would burn their campsite or, even worse, the nearby settlement! The fire was too big to put out, so they prayed.

“Dear God, please send rain to put out this fire before it destroys our campsite or the homes nearby. Please make the fire go out!” they pleaded. As soon as they finished praying, raindrops fell. Soon it was pouring rain. The fire smoldered and went out. They were soaked, but they rejoiced to know that God would send rain in answer to their prayer. It did not even matter to them that their tents would be wet, for the little village was safe!

When they returned to the campsite later, some of the Pathfinders complained that their tents were wet. But when the Pathfinders who had found the fire explained that it had rained in answer to their prayer, everyone rejoiced to know that God hears and answers children’s earnest prayers.

The Pathfinder Club in Zaoksky continues to grow, and the children are looking for new ways to spread the good news that Jesus loves everyone.

Our mission offerings help young and old share God’s love in many ways, near home and far away. Please give generously to missions every week. ¸

Anna Parinova was a teacher at Zaoksky Secondary School when she shared this story. She now lives in St. Petersburg, Russia.

F A S T F A C T S

ÿ Russia is by far the world’s largest country in terms of territory. It is almost twice the size of Canada, the next-largest country, and covers 11 time zones and two continents—Europe and Asia. Yet its population is just 145 million.

ÿ Most of the people in Russia live in the European part of the country west of the Ural Mountains. Moscow, the capital city, has a population of about 10 million and is the heart of European Russia.

ÿ Adventists in Russia number about 49,000, or one Adventist for every 3,000 people.

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My story starts with my mother. She grew up poor. Her father was

a seaman and was seldom home. Her mother, my grandmother, worked two jobs to provide for her family. That meant that she wasn’t home much. When Mother was a teenager, she started going out with the wrong crowd. She became involved with drugs and got pregnant. And before the baby—my sister, Sasha—was born, Mother was arrested for robbery.

I was born several years later. My father left us when I was still little.

Often I heard people say, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” They were saying that we would follow our mother’s footsteps, and our lives would never be any better. And it looked as if they were right.

My sister started drinking and smoking while still young, just as our mother had done. When I was 9 years old, I started smoking, and soon I started drinking and spending time with the wrong crowd too. One time my friends and I were caught robbing an apartment. I was terrified!

Sasha’s StoryAlthough my sister’s story started out

like mine and our mother’s, she changed. One day she met a Christian boy who introduced her to Jesus. Almost overnight her life changed; she became a different person. She stopped smoking and drinking and going out.

I should have been happy for her, but I

BREAKING THEREAKING THE CYCLEYCLE

V L A D I V O S T O C K , R U S S I A

January 26 | Told to Mission by Victoria Budulutsa

F A S T F A C T S

ÿ Vladivostok is Russia’s major Pacific seaport. During Communist times the city was closed to nonresidents for security purposes. Today this city of more than a half million residents is a thriving seaport and industrial city.

ÿ The believers in Vladivostok still worship in a dark basement of a building they rented throughout Communist times. The government has given them the rundown building, but is requiring the congregation to build a prominent church on the land.

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

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wasn’t. I looked up to her and wanted to be like her. She had promised to take me to bars with her when I was old enough. But now, instead of taking me to bars, she invited me to church and youth meetings and summer camp. I was not interested. But the more I resisted her, the more she prayed for me.

She continued inviting me to church functions, and finally I agreed to go. I visited her church youth meeting and went to summer camp with her. But I was so bad that the camp pastor said I couldn’t come back. Still Sasha prayed for me. I understood that Sasha loved me and wanted a new life for me, but I stubbornly refused to make a decision for Christ. How can I leave my friends? I wondered.

Changed LifeFor two years Sasha prayed for me

without seeing any sign of change in me. Then when I was 15, her prayers were finally answered. However, unlike Sasha, who was converted and found victory over her bad habits quickly, I found that Christ changed my life gradually. The first thing I asked God to help me overcome was smoking. Since I had been smoking for several years, giving it up was really hard. I stayed home a lot so I would not be tempted to smoke. My friends begged me to go out with them, but with God’s help I was strong and stayed home. When my friends saw me changing, they acted just as I had when I saw Sasha changing. The people I used to have so much fun with started treating me horribly. Because I was no longer interested in the kind of things

we used to do, they made fun of me. But God showed me that I wasn’t

missing out on anything. Gently He swept away the false gods that I had bowed down to before I met the Savior and filled the empty hole with Jesus.

Sasha was with me throughout this difficult time, and we grew closer together. I began to realize how many sacrifices she had made in her life so that she could be near me and my mother and lead us to know Jesus.

The Story ContinuesAfter I accepted God’s love and

salvation, and after He had rid my life of the drugs I had depended on for so long, my mind became clear, and I could learn more easily. I asked the church members to pray with me to know God’s will for my life, and He has led me to study psychology. In this field I will be able to help people with problems similar to those I have experienced and help them raise their children differently than the way they were raised.

With Jesus in my life I have so much joy. I shudder when I think of where I might have been today if it hadn’t been for a praying, sharing sister and a Savior who did not give up on me. I pray that someday my mother will know the joy that Sasha and I have found.

My heart aches for the thousands of people in my city in Russia who live without hope, without Jesus. I want to reach them, to tell them about God’s love and His provision for their salvation and their future.

Your mission offerings make it easier for believers in eastern Russia to reach out to those who do not know that Jesus loves them. Thank you for your support. ¸

Victoria Budulutsa, 19, is a student in Vladivostok, Russia.

When I was 9 years old, I started smoking, and soon I started drinking and spending time

with the wrong crowd too.

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Valentin [VAL-en-teen] knew enough about God to pray when he needed

help. But he did not understand that God wanted more than an urgent prayer; He wanted to live in his life.

Then while working in Siberia, Valentin met an escaped convict. When their friendship turned bad, Valentin killed him. Valentin escaped capture and returned home to Moldova, but he could not escape the guilt he felt over the murder he had committed. He prayed for forgiveness, but his sins haunted him.

Then one night the police came and arrested him for a robbery. Valentin knew he was guilty and did not resist.

In prison, Valentin met a guard who was a Christian. He shared his faith with Valentin, but when he explained the Sabbath to Valentin, it confused him. The guard gave Valentin a Bible and gently asked Valentin to show him where the Bible says to honor Sunday. Valentin began searching for the Sabbath-Sunday connection, but he did not find it.

Valentin joined other prisoners who worshipped God. He realized that salvation is God’s gift, and nothing we do can earn it. He accepted God’s salvation

and felt free at last. Jesus had paid the price for his salvation. Six months later he was baptized.

Valentin’s ConfessionValentin had six more years to serve

on his prison sentence when God pricked his conscience about the murder he had committed. Valentin confessed the murder to authorities and was sentenced to life in prison. He was moved to a maximum security facility with even less personal freedom, but he was at peace. In spite of the prison walls, Valentin felt truly free for the first time in his life.

God led Valentin to men who yearned for God’s love and is bringing these lost sheep into the fold. Today seven men in that maximum security prison are Adventist Christians because of Valentin’s witness. One of them is Sergei [SEHR-gay].

SergeiSergei was 20 when he returned from

military service with great plans for his future. But treachery changed his plans, and one night the police came to his home and arrested him. Only later did he learn the crime he was accused of

FREE REE INDEED!NDEED!

M O L D O V A

February 2 | Told to Mission by Valentin Bogatii and Serghei Bejan

“If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36, NIV).

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committing. Sergei was innocent, but he was sentenced to life in prison.

Anger welled up within him. Where was truth? Where was justice? The only one who believed him was his mother. She never doubted his innocence, and her visits helped him survive the cruelties of prison life.

A fellow prisoner gave Sergei a Bible and invited him to a religious meeting in the prison. Sergei wasn’t sure he wanted to go, but with plenty of time on his hands he started reading the Bible. He found it compelling and carried the Bible everywhere. He attended the worship services and listened as other prisoners shared how God had brought meaning to their lives. Their words made sense to Sergei, and he continued attending the worships.

No Time for God Sergei saw changes in his life. His anger

was disappearing, and he felt hope. As he forgave those who had sent him to prison, he began to feel free—really free. Sergei wanted to share his new life with his mother. He wanted her to experience God’s love as he had. But would she? He prayed a lot in the days before her visit.

When Sergei’s mother arrived at the prison, he talked about his new faith and how much it meant to him. She listened and nodded, but when he asked her to join him in his spiritual journey, she shook her head. “I have no time,” she said quietly.

Sergei’s heart ached as the guards said their time was up. With tears in his eyes, he said, “Mother, if you don’t want to follow God, then I won’t either.” To Sergei’s surprise, his mother agreed to let an Adventist woman visit and talk to her about his new faith.

Sergei was overjoyed when his mother

began attending the Adventist church and planned to be baptized. Sergei too was baptized—in a portable water reservoir placed in the exercise yard of the maximum security prison. He was 21 years old and a babe in Christ.

Sergei has a whole new outlook on life now. He found salvation and freedom in Christ in a maximum security prison.

“Maybe prison is the only place where I could find God,” Sergei said. “I pray that God will use my life to help others discover Jesus’ love. I am living proof that ‘if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed’” (John 8:36, NIV).

Our mission offerings help reach men and women in prisons at home and around the world. Thank you for sharing. ¸

Valentin Bogatii and Serghei Bejan are serving life sentences in prisons in Moldova.

F A S T F A C T S

ÿ Almost half the people in Moldova are Orthodox Christians. Almost 12,000 Adventists live in Moldova; that’s one Adventist for every 383 people.

ÿ Adventists have an active prison ministry in several prisons in Moldova, bringing food, clothes, and personal hygiene kits to those behind bars, including infants who were born to incarcerated mothers and live inside the prison. When opportunities come, they distribute Bibles and religious literature.

O P P O R T U N I T Y

ÿ Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help to build a new church in Chişinău, capital city of Moldova.

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Difficult economic times often hit children the hardest. And countries

in the Euro-Asia Division have struggled since the fall of Communism. Thousands of children have been orphaned by death or imprisonment or abandoned by parents who cannot care for them. Many of these children live on the streets, fending for themselves. The government provides orphanages, but often they are dreary places that offer little more than a roof overhead and a simple meal.

But one home for orphans is special. Rainbow Children’s Home, in the capital city of Moldova, is truly a home, filled with love and laughter. Operated by ADRA International®, it provides a safe haven for children who have seen all too much sadness in their lives. When it first opened, the children’s home was housed in a former school building. Its cold gray concrete walls and drafty windows did little to lift the spirits of the children living there. Then a former sea captain and his wife took an interest in the home. They felt these children deserved a better home and offered to help fund a new building. When additional funding did not come, the couple built the

home themselves, personally directing construction and choosing bright, cheerful colors for the rooms.

The home is truly a home. The children share rooms that are decorated in coordinating child-friendly colors. Each child has their own bed and closet. The houseparents teach the children as their own, showing by example how to respect one another and care for their home.

Nobody’s Boy Twelve-year-old Yura* [YOO-rah]

knows what it is like to be nobody’s child.

A RAINBOW OF AINBOW OF LOVEOVE

M O L D O V A

February 9 | Charlotte Ishkanian

Homeless children get a second chance at love.

F A S T F A C T S

ÿ ADRA International® is a nongovernmental relief and development agency that helps people in 125 countries to live healthier, happier lives by providing clean water, job training, and literacy programs.

ÿ This quarter part of our Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help build a church in Chişinău (Kishinev), the capital city of Moldova.

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When his mother died when he was 5, Yura’s father sent him to a government boarding school for children whose parents could not care for them. The school had 600 students, and no one noticed Yura, who often sat in a corner and cried. Yura ran away from the school and returned home. But his father scolded him and took him back to the school.

Yura was sent to an orphanage, but some of the children there treated him badly, and he ran away again. He returned home to tell his father how unhappy he was, but his father had a new wife who did not want children. Yura’s father took him back to the city and signed him over to the state.

Nobody wants me, Yura thought. He prepared himself to face one more dingy orphanage and the torments of the children who lived there. But to his surprise the social worker stopped at a house—a real house. They stepped inside, where the walls were painted bright, cheerful colors and children gathered around to welcome him. The housemother greeted him warmly and introduced him to his new family. One boy smiled and offered to show him around. Wow, he thought, this place is surely different!

As he entered his new room, painted in shades of green with coordinating bedding and his own dresser, Yura thought he was dreaming.

“I like it here,” Yura says. “The children are nice, and the houseparents treat us well. If we do something wrong, they don’t hit us; they tell us what is right. I’m no longer nobody’s boy; now I have 25 brothers and sisters. At last I have a real family!

“I like it that on Saturday afternoon teens from a nearby church visit us. They teach us songs and tell us stories

about God. They taught me that I’m not nobody’s boy; I’m a child of God!”

Irina Irina* is 9 years old and has been at

Rainbow Children’s Home for three years. She has two brothers and three sisters here. She and her sisters share one room with two other girls. “My biggest sister, Katya, is like my mother,” Irina says. “She makes sure I dress well, brush my teeth, and do my homework.

“I like Rainbow Children’s Home, especially my beautiful room and the playroom with its pretty decorations. I like the other children, and I really like the good food!

“We all have chores to do each day, so we feel that this really is our home. We want to take good care of our home because it is so beautiful. We work together to keep it clean, for we don’t want anything bad to happen to it.

“Here we learn to pray before our meals and before we go to bed,” she says. “And on Saturdays I like it when the young people come to sing for us and teach us about Jesus.”

Our Part The children at Rainbow Children’s

Home shower visitors with love. They draw pictures and give them to guests to let them know they are welcome. Our mission offerings help fund ADRA International®, so in a small way Rainbow Children’s Home is one of our mission projects. Thank you for giving to missions, for it helps people all over the world learn about God. ¸

* Names have been changed to protect the children’s privacy.

Charlotte Ishkanian is editor of Mission.

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16

Valya is a literature evangelist in Moldova [mohl-DOH-vah], a small

country west of Ukraine. As with most literature evangelists, Valya has many stories to tell of how God has blessed her work.

The Changed HusbandOnce while working in an unentered

area, Valya met a Christian woman who was married to a cruel and angry unbeliever. Valya visited their home often, speaking kindly to them and praying with them. Within a few weeks she saw this cruel husband give his life to God and ask to study the Bible.

When Valya returned to the area several weeks later, she found that this husband had invited friends and neighbors to his home to worship and study the Bible together. In time he was baptized, the first convert in this area. Today some 30 Adventists worship in a little church there.

Heart for the SickValya has a heart for those who are

sick—especially those suffering from cancer. It was during her own battle with cancer several years ago that she gave her life to Christ. She remembers the pain

and fear she felt while going through cancer treatment, and she yearns to bring hope to others who suffer. She encourages cancer patients and gives them literature and small books to read.

One young man, only 25 years old, had been told he had just weeks to live. His young wife stayed with him in the hospital, caring for him and feeding him. Valya prayed with the couple and promised to ask the church to pray as well. The young man began to eat again and gained strength. His cancer went into remission for several years, during which time the husband and wife prepared for baptism.

Don’t Touch Those Books!One hot summer day Valya decided to

visit the hospital. At least she would be out of the sun. She visited each patient, praying for them and encouraging them. She gave literature to those who would read it, but no one wanted to buy a book. Normally she sold many books in the hospital, especially books on prayer and healthful living. But this day she sold nothing.

As she prepared to leave the hospital, she saw some patients sitting on the patio. She joined them and began talking to them about healthful living. But as she pulled

SEEKING EEKING HUNGRY UNGRY HEARTSEARTS

M O L D O V A

February 16 | Told to Mission by Valentina Ilyevich

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out a book, a woman patient interrupted her and told the others, “Don’t touch these books. These are not our literature.” One by one the patients returned to their rooms, leaving Valya alone with the woman who had spoken so abruptly.

As Valya pondered what she could say to this woman, the woman said, “Do you have time to talk to me?”

Valya nodded and listened as the woman, Galina, poured out her story. She adored her husband, but recently he had left her. Now she struggled to raise their three children alone. She had become ill and faced surgery. “I am going to be operated on,” she said, “and I may die. But my husband doesn’t come to visit me.”

When Galina finished talking, she said, “You have books to sell. I want to buy some.” Valya, surprised at her request, showed her the books on living a healthful life and finding God through prayer. Galina bought more books that day than Valya would have expected to sell to all the patients she had visited.

Valya returned to visit Galina and to pray for her upcoming surgery. She asked God to bring Galina peace. During one of the visits, Galina read some poems she had written for her husband. As Valya listened, she prayed that Galina would fall in love with Jesus and write love poems to God such as those she had written to her husband.

A few days after Galina’s scheduled surgery, Valya returned to visit Galina, but found that she had left the hospital already. Valya called to see how she was, and Galina invited Valya to her home.

Valya lived far and could not visit often, so she asked the local church elder to visit Galina. The elder visited her and started studying the Bible with her. Galina started inviting her friends to her home to study the Bible with the elder, and they formed

a small group to study the Bible together. The elder invited Galina and her friends to attend evangelistic meetings being held in the area. Galina and some of her friends went, and Galina was baptized. She became the first woman in her area to become an Adventist.

Galina continues to write poems, but now she writes about the love she has found in God.

Your mission offerings help lay workers such as Valya and other volunteers to enter new territories throughout the Euro-Asia Division in search of souls hungry for God’s love.

Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help build a church in Chişinău, capital city of Moldova. Thank you. ¸

Valentina Ilyevich is a literature evangelist in Moldova.

F A S T F A C T S

ÿ Moldova lies west of Russia and is bordered by Ukraine and Romania. Population is 4.5 million. Chişinău (Kishinev), Moldova’s capital, has 1 million people.

ÿ Almost half the people in Moldova are Orthodox Christians. Almost 12,000 Adventists live in Moldova; that’s one Adventist for every 383 people.

O P P O R T U N I T Y

ÿ Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help to build a new church in Chişinău, capital city of Moldova.

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Anatoly [ah-nah-TOH-lee] walked wearily away from the house. His

feet hurt, and his shoulders drooped. When he had volunteered to give out pamphlets, he had no idea how tired he would be. He wanted to go home and rest, but he had promised to visit every home, and he had one more house to visit. He whispered a prayer and started toward the porch.

Anatoly is a teenager living in Moldova, a small country west of Russia. His church had made a challenge to visit every home in town. They formed teams and gave each team its territory. The teams would visit each home and share small booklets about God and offer the people Bible studies.

Anatoly took his responsibility seriously. He asked God to go with him as he visited the people in his territory. Then, with his booklets in hand, he eagerly knocked on the first door.

One More House Hours later Anatoly’s shoulders

slumped as he walked away from another door. He had not realized how tiring missionary work could be. He had

knocked on many doors and visited with many people. He wanted to go home and rest. But as he stepped into the street, he remembered his commitment to go to every home. He whispered another prayer as he stepped onto the wooden porch and knocked at the door. He could hear voices inside and wondered if the family had guests. But before he could leave, the door swung open and a middle-aged woman invited him in.

“Welcome,” said the woman. “Come, sit down,” she urged, removing some papers from a chair. “Would you like a cup of tea?” Anatoly sat down and accepted the hot drink. Several young people came to greet him. The woman, seeing the surprised look on Anatoly’s face, introduced him to her 12 children. Twelve children! Anatoly was shocked.

Anatoly offered the family a book and a Bible enrollment card. The family thanked him and seemed pleased to have the booklet. They visited for a few minutes, then Anatoly stood to leave. The mother walked to the gate with him and invited him to come again.

Anatoly walked to the bus stop with a lighter step. He was glad he had gone

ONE NE MORE ORE DOOROOR

M O L D O V A

February 23 | Charlotte Ishkanian

Anatoly was tired and wanted to go home, but then he saw one last house on the street.

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to that last house and decided to visit them again.

When Anatoly returned to visit the family, they seemed happy to see him. But when he tried to turn the conversation toward God, he noticed that the parents seemed cautious. They asked questions about what he believed and how his church was different from the church they belonged to. Anatoly answered their questions, quoting the Bible to support what he said. Still the parents remained reserved, but the eldest daughter, Natasha, listened eagerly to what Anatoly told them.

Friendship EvangelismWhen the church planned to hold

evangelistic meetings, Anatoly invited his new friends. Natasha wanted to attend the meetings, but her parents said no. However, Anatoly was surprised to see Natasha, her brother Vania, and her sister Lena there. Anatoly greeted them and asked, “Did your parents change their mind and let you come?”

“Not exactly,” Natasha said. “We told Mother that we were going for a walk. But I have learned so much here tonight that I want to come every night. I don’t know whether my parents will allow us to go for a walk every evening.” Anatoly promised to pray that they could attend the meetings.

Natasha, Vania, and Lena did attend the meetings, but when they asked their parents to let them visit the church on Sabbath morning, their parents refused. Obediently the three teens stayed home on Sabbath, but they refused to work, which upset their parents. Natasha refused to budge. “God is God,” she said. “He is not Someone who can be worshipped once or twice a year; He must be worshipped all the time. And He must be obeyed. What He commands, we must do.”

Natasha, Vania, and Lena worked hard during the week to finish their share of family chores by Friday. They hoped that their parents would allow them to worship on Sabbath.

Natasha remained firm in her commitment to God and was baptized. Vania and Lena joined Pathfinders. The three teens were such good examples to their family that their parents stopped opposing their attendance at the Adventist church. And when the younger children asked to go to church with Natasha, Vania, and Lena, the parents agreed.

Natasha believes that one day her family will be united in worshipping God in the Adventist faith. And Anatoly is glad that he did not ignore that last house on the road. Because he was faithful, he has made new friends and introduced a family to the Savior.

Our mission offerings help provide funds for evangelism at home and around the world. Thank you for giving. ¸

Anatoly Chobanu was 13 years old when he met the Moldovanu family and introduced them to Jesus. Charlotte Ishkanian is editor of Mission.

F A S T F A C T S

ÿ Moldova lies west of Russia and is bordered by Ukraine and Romania. Its 4.5 million citizens are almost equally divided between city and rural regions.

ÿ In 2006, almost 12,000 Adventists lived in Moldova, or one Adventist for every 383 people. Just under half the population follow Orthodox Christianity. Other Christian denominations account for about 15 percent of the population.

ÿ This quarter part of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help build a church in the capital city, Chişinău (Kishinev).

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20

Mitia [MEE-tyah] had everything he wanted. His family lives in

the country of Kazakhstan [KAH-zahk-stahn]. [Locate Kazakhstan on the map.] Mitia’s father was a rich and powerful member of a criminal syndicate and had people working for him in his own country and abroad. Day and night people came to the house, often bringing suitcases filled with money. Mitia was proud of his father and the respect that everyone gave him.

When he was a teenager Mitia decided that school was a waste of time. His father had not finished school, and Mitia saw how rich and powerful he was, so Mitia decided he would not go to school either. He began throwing parties, drinking, and using drugs.

Following in Father’s FootstepsTo finance his lavish lifestyle, Mitia

decided to start his own “business,” like his father’s. With his father’s guidance, Mitia soon had his own men working for him, bringing him money, just as his father had. Mitia had grown up in the criminal world and did not worry about

whether his activities were right or wrong as long as he was paid well.

Things went well until two of Mitia’s gang members were arrested. They named Mitia as their boss, and the police issued a warrant for his arrest. Someone warned Mitia, and he left town before the police could arrest him.

On the RunMitia fled to a neighboring country

until the police stopped looking for him. There he could not conduct his business and had lots of time on his hands, time to think.

Someone gave Mitia some Christian literature, which he read through. It spoke of a life so different from anything Mitia had known, a life based on love, not evil and violence. Mitia wondered, could such a life really be possible?

The literature referred to the Bible, and Mitia looked for one. He finally found one in a in a pile of old books in the market. He started to read it and could not put it down. As he read, he became dissatisfied with his life. Stealing, killing, parties, and drugs no longer appealed to him.

THEHE GODFATHER’S ODFATHER’S SONON

K A Z A K H S T A N

March 1 | Meity Ismailov

He f led to a foreign land to escape capture by police, but was captured by God.

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He yearned for peace, hope, and the life described in the Bible—the life of Jesus.

Going HomeMitia wanted to tell his family and

friends that there was a better way to live. He slipped across the border and returned home. Almost as soon as he arrived home, he was arrested. He learned that his two friends had been sentenced to death and knew that the same fate could be his.

Alone in his prison cell, Mitia pondered his future. He turned to his Bible for comfort. Other prisoners who knew Mitia’s reputation asked him why he was reading the Bible. He told them that he had found God in this book and that he was a changed man. Mitia shared God’s message of forgiveness with the other prisoners. Mitia’s one prayer was that if it was God’s will he could be released from prison and start a new life. Miraculously, three months after his arrest, he was released.

New Life in ChristBack home Mitia wanted answers

to questions he had. He remembered a Christian neighbor and went to ask her about the questions that had puzzled him. When she answered the door she was puzzled to find Mitia standing there, but she invited him in. Soon she was answering Mitia’s questions from the Bible.

The neighbor explained that the Sabbath is Saturday and showed him verses in the Bible that confirmed what she said. She told him about a small group of Christians who met in a house nearby to worship God every Sabbath and invited him to join her. Mitia accepted her invitation.

Mitia began attending every Sabbath and was amazed to realize that the Adventists taught everything he had read in the Bible.

When Mitia’s old friends stopped by to invite him to go drinking or gambling with them, they were surprised at his response. “I have a new life now,” he told them. “I am done with those things. My life is built on God and His love.”

God’s love so transformed Mitia’s life that his parents and friends listened as he explained that Jesus was his Lord now, not crime. Instead of turning their backs on him, they respect his new lifestyle and listen as he shares what God is doing in his life.

Today this former son of a crime family has another desire—to lead his family to the feet of Jesus, his new master.

Our mission offerings provide literature that lead searching hearts to God every day. Thank you for helping to tell the world through your offerings. ¸

Meity Ismailov lives in Kazakhstan.

F A S T F A C T S

ÿ Roughly half the people who live in Kazakhstan are Muslim; most of the remaining people are Orthodox Christians.

ÿ Part of this Thirteenth Sabbath’s offering will help finish a community outreach center in Almaty, the largest city in Kazakhstan.

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22

You’ve got to leave—now!” my friend told me. I nodded silently, picked

up my small bag, and walked out of my friend’s home into the cold winter air. Where do I go now? I wondered. The bitter wind mocked me, for there was no place to go.

I had gone to see my friend a week earlier, looking for a warm place to sleep. My friend convinced his parents to let me stay with them for a few days. But when they discovered I had stolen some things and sold them for drugs, I was back on the streets.

Sad StoryI was a drug addict. Drugs had so

destroyed my health that I could not work. I could not walk without a cane or crutches. I borrowed money from everyone I knew—and stole money when I could not borrow it—to buy drugs. My wife and children had left me, and I was afraid to return to my apartment for fear that the police or someone to whom I owed money might be waiting for me there. So I slept on the streets. When I returned to my apartment one day, it

had been trashed and the windows had been broken out. So I slept on benches, in alleys, wherever I could. My life was a living hell, and I fell lower than I ever thought a human could go.

Wake-up CallWhen I received my small government

pension, I quickly spent it on drugs. Someone found me passed out in the street, and I woke up in a hospital.

“You’re going to die,” the doctor said. “The drugs will kill you in months unless you change your life.” I listened numbly as he continued. “We will keep you here a few days, then send you to a rehabilitation center. If you don’t stop using drugs, you’ll be dead soon.”

After the doctor left the room, I wondered, Where did I go wrong? How did my life come to this? I did not want to die! I made my painful way out of my room to sit in the sun and try to think. I found a bench and sat down. What now? I thought. But no answer came.

Then I saw an old school friend I had not seen in nearly 10 years. I called to him, and he walked over to see me. He

FREE ATREE AT LASTAST

U Z B E K I S T A N

March 8 | Sergei Alekseev

Sergei Alekseev tried again and again to free himself from drugs; then God stepped into his life.

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seemed shocked to see how sick I was.We talked for a few minutes, and then

he began talking about God. I wondered whether he was trying to get me to join some strange religious group, but he talked about prayer. He told me how God could save me from my addictions if I asked Him and if I believed. Then he told me how to pray.

That night I prayed as my friend had instructed, and for the first time in months I fell asleep easily. I woke up the next morning actually feeling happy. The nurses were amazed at the change they saw in me.

Turning PointFrom that day on I prayed every day,

asking God to keep me away from drugs.

And God did it! I did not take drugs again.I started telling every addict I knew

that God’s power can save them from their addictions, just as He was saving me. I invited them to my apartment, where we prayed together. I worked with them to claim God’s power to heal them.

My friend had told me about the Seventh-day Adventist church, so I found it and began attending. The people there showed me God’s love. They helped me stay away from drugs. As I saw what God and His children were doing in my life, I gave my life to God.

As I ate more healthful foods and took better care of my body, my health returned. I no longer needed crutches or a wheelchair to get around, for now I could walk on my own.

I began to dream of opening a rehabilitation center to help others as I was helped. Church members shared my vision and helped me to raise money to open a rehabilitation center. It took many years to realize this dream, but today God is using me to help other addicts break the chains of their addictions.

I have seen the power of God work in many lives. I am convinced that God can turn anyone’s life around, no matter how long they have been addicted or what they are addicted to. God can free anyone who asks Him from the power of drugs.

But God did more than free me from drugs. He showed me His love through the church members, and He saved me. Thank you for giving a generous mission offering every week to bring the light of God’s love to darkened souls such as mine and those with whom I now work. Your offerings are saving lives for eternity. ¸

Sergei Alekseev directs a drug rehabilitation center in Uzbekistan.

F A S T F A C T S

ÿ Uzbekistan is part of the Southern Union (which also includes Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan). Uzbekistan is the most populous country in the Southern Union, with 26.8 million people.

ÿ The predominant religion in Uzbekistan, and throughout central Asia, is Islam.

ÿ Some 1,329 Adventists live in Uzbekistan, or one believer for every 20,000 people.

O P P O R T U N I T I E S

ÿ This quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help finish a community outreach center, which includes a church, in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

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Ulzhan [ool-ZAHN] bowed before the cheering crowd and walked

off the stage for the last time. For 25 years Ulzhan had enjoyed a career as a singer in cities and towns throughout the former Soviet Union. Throughout her career, during a time when religion was not popular, Ulzhan believed that God was with her.

Ulzhan grew up in her grandmother’s home in Kazakhstan [KAH-zahk-stahn]. Her grandmother, a deeply religious woman, did not talk much. But she taught by her example. Ulzhan remembered watching her grandmother pray five times a day. Ulzhan carried her grandmother’s influence throughout her life. Even after she had become famous, she continued to pray before every performance, asking God for help to do well.

When Ulzhan retired, she returned to Kazakhstan.

A New BeginningOne day she met a young man who asked

her whether she believed in God. When Ulzhan said she did, the young man shared his faith with her and showed her some religious books. Ulzhan bought several books and hurried home to read them.

Once she began reading, Ulzhan

could not stop. “Those books turned my life upside down,” Ulzhan said. “I laughed with joy to know how much God loved me, and I wept when I realized the sacrifice that Issa [Jesus] made for me. I repented of my sins and felt the forgiveness of God pour down upon me. These books contained powerful truths I had never known before, and I knew they were from God. I told everyone who would listen that Issa loves them.”

Ulzhan wanted to worship God with these young people who had sold her the

NO O GREATER REATER GLORYLORY

K A Z A K H S T A N

March 15 | Told to Mission by Ulzhan Omarbekova

F A S T F A C T S

ÿ Kazakhstan is a predominantly Muslim nation located south of Russia. [Provide a map on which you can locate Kazakhstan.] Among its 15.3 million population, 3,239 are Seventh-day Adventists, a ratio of one Adventist for every 4,724 people.

O P P O R T U N I T Y

ÿ Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help build a community outreach center in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

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books. But where did they worship? How could she find their church? Instinctively she knew it would not be in any of the lavish temples or beautiful mosques in her city. It would be a simple house of prayer.

She went to the area where she had met the young man who had sold her the books. To her joy, she found him and his friends. Ulzhan told them of her spiritual journey and asked where they worshipped. The young man told her how to find the house of prayer and invited her to join them on Sabbath.

The next Sabbath Ulzhan attended her first Adventist worship service, held in a private home. Ulzhan watched and listened, taking in every aspect of worship. It was a simple service in which simple people prayed and worshipped together. No religious icons hung on the walls; no smoky incense burned on an altar. The air of reverence was powerful. Ulzhan felt a greater peace than she had ever known before.

Her new friends invited her to attend evangelistic meetings that were being held in the area. She went and joined the baptismal class. Soon she was baptized. She joined the choir, and her rich voice brought power to the old Adventist hymns.

Ulzhan could not keep her new faith to herself. She told her friends what she had discovered and invited them to worship with her. She began holding small group meetings in her own house to talk about God. Because of her testimony, many of her friends accepted Jesus as their Savior and have since joined the Adventist Church.

Village MeetingsUlzhan developed a series of religious

lessons to use among members of the dominant religion in her area. She began receiving invitations to share her faith with

people living in towns and villages nearby. One day Ulzhan met an Adventist

believer named Aman. He told Ulzhan that his family did not understand his faith and invited her to come to his village and teach them about Christ. When she arrived, she found a house filled with people. Some stood in the doorways and at windows to listen to what she said.

For three days Ulzhan taught the people from morning until evening. One day’s lessons lasted until nearly midnight. But the people did not leave. They were eager to hear what Ulzhan said and peppered her with questions.

“Why has no one told us about this before?” one man asked. At the end of the three days, a spokesman stood and told Ulzhan that they had voted to ask her to stay in the village and be their religious leader. “We will buy you a cow and an apartment in which to live,” the man told her.

Ulzhan politely declined the offer, for she had other villages to visit, other people to teach. But her work had planted the seeds, and today a small congregation of believers grows in that village.

Ulzhan thought her career on the stage was rich and fulfilling, but God had something even better in store for her. “Finding Jesus and sharing His love with others, watching people turn from the darkness toward the light of God’s love is so much more fulfilling than glory anyone can bestow,” she says.

Your mission offerings support the work in Kazakhstan and throughout the Euro-Asia Division, where millions are waiting to see the light of God’s love for the first time. ¸

Ulzhan Omarbekova is a lay worker sharing Christ in Kazakhstan.

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My name is Maria. My family and I are missionaries in Central Asia.

We moved to a large city in this region in 2005.

We knew no one in this town when we arrived, but we were eager to share God’s love. First, however, we had to find a place to live. My parents searched for an apartment for several days. But when people learned we were Christians—and missionaries, at that—they told my parents to leave. I’m sure my parents were feeling a little discouraged, but finally they found an apartment we could rent.

We moved in and immediately began making friends. But people seemed afraid to talk to us. Then we learned that the teacher in the local house of prayer had warned the people not to talk to “the new people in town.” That meant us.

Others made our work and our life in this town difficult. One day the police came to our home and took Father and Mother to the police station. They questioned them for hours, examined their documents, and read some of the literature they found in the apartment.

Even though Mother had my baby brother with her, the police would not let her go. My parents answered their questions honestly, saying they were Adventist believers. Throughout their ordeal, my parents were praying for an opportunity to share God’s love with these city officials. After hours of questioning, the deputy chief of police asked my father for a children’s Bible and Bible lessons. Then he let my parents go. God had turned a difficult situation into a blessing, for which we thanked Him.

MARIA’S ARIA’S MISSIONARY ISSIONARY FAMILYAMILY

C E N T R A L A S I A

March 22 | Told to Mission by Maria Vatanovich

F A S T F A C T S

ÿ The countries of Central Asia include Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Most of the people living in this region follow Islam.

ÿ Some 26.8 million people live in the countries of Central Asia, 6,600 of whom are Adventist believers. This is a ratio of one Adventist for every 8,943 people.

When missionaries enter new areas, the whole family gets involved in God’s work.

Ask a teen girl to present this first-person report.

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New Home, New TroubleMy parents found a small house in

another area of the city, and we moved there. But our presence was announced in the local house of worship, and trouble started again. Teen gangs came to our door, threatening us and trying to pick a fight. But my father gently reminded them that their actions were not in keeping with the words of their holy book; he read some verses to them from their holy writings, and the youth left our house.

Often we were awakened at night as stones landed on the metal roof or broke our windows. Someone broke into the house and stole Father’s valuable equipment. Then the police came again and accused us of giving drugs to the neighbors. It was untrue, but we still had to endure the questioning.

Through all these difficulties my parents remained faithful to God and to their calling as missionaries in this city. And little by little people stopped harassing us and began listening to our message of God’s love.

A Chance to ShareOften people stopped me on the street

and asked, “Who are you, and why are you here?” One girl who asked this became my friend. Her name is Fatima [FAH-tee-mah]. When she asked why we had moved to this city, I told her that we came to tell people about Jesus Christ. I invited her to my house to learn more about Jesus if she wanted. Fatima came and listened to stories about Jesus. She asked lots of questions about God, and we answered them by quoting from her holy book rather than the Bible. But she surprised us by asking to learn from the Bible. We gave Fatima some Bible lessons, and Fatima began studying them at our house. Sometimes she brought her brother or

sister with her to learn about Jesus. When Fatima learned that we were planning a health seminar in the neighborhood, she translated the material for us into the local language.

After studying the Bible lessons for some time, Fatima asked to be baptized. Now she is a member of the Adventist church in our city.

Once my schoolteachers scheduled a meeting with parents on Saturday. I told my mother, and she visited the teacher. She told the teacher that we are believers and do not take part in secular activities on Saturday. Instead of being angry, my teacher wanted to know more about what we believe. She has begun studying the Bible with my parents.

I told Nadia, another friend at school, about my faith. Nadia told her mother, and now our mothers have become friends. Nadia’s mother has attended some seminars my parents have held, and Nadia has come to worship with us on Sabbath. She has a different teacher than I do, and she told her teacher that she will not attend school on Saturdays because she attends church.

Being a missionary in central Asia is not easy, but God is giving us patience and rewarding us with new friends for Jesus. Your mission offerings support missionaries like us in difficult areas where we share God’s love with those who have never heard. Thank you! ¸

Maria Vatanovich and her familiy are Global Mission pioneers working in Central Asia.

Often we were awakened at night as stones landed on the metal roof or

broke our windows.

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THIRTEENTH HIRTEENTH SABBATH ABBATH PROGRAMROGRAM

Participants: Four speakers (or two speakers who alternate parts). [Note: participants do not need to memorize their parts, but they should be familiar enough with the material that they do not have to read everything from the script. Practice so that participants can feel comfortable adding inflection where appropriate.]

Props: A large map of the Euro-Asia Division (scan the map on the quarterly and project it onto a screen).

O P E N I N G S O N G “Christ for the World”

The SDA Hymnal, No. 370

W E L C O M E Superintendent or Sabbath School teacher

P R A Y E R

P R O G R A M “Sharing Christ in Euro-Asia”

O F F E R I N G While the offering is being taken, ask the children to sing the songs in Russian that they have learned this quarter.

C L O S I N G S O N G “Far and Near the Fields Are Teeming”

The SDA Hymnal, No. 358

C L O S I N G P R A Y E R

Speaker 1: Locate Almaty, Kazakhstan, on the map]

Kazakhstan [KAH-zahk-stan] lies south of Russia in Central Asia. During Soviet times large populations of Russians, Ukrainians, and other ethnic groups were moved to Kazakhstan. Today roughly 60 percent of the people living in this nation are ethnic Kazakh [KAH-zahk], and between 30 and 40 percent are Russian and other nationalities. Kazakhs are traditionally Muslims, while Russians tend

to be Orthodox Christians. Kazakhs tend to live in smaller towns and rural areas, while Russians and other populations tend to live in the north and in larger cities.

The church is working to gain a stronger foothold in this region. Today in a nation of 15 million people, about 3,200 are Adventist believers, a ratio of one Adventist for every 4,600 people. Large-scale evangelism is not an option in most areas, so the church must rely on personal evangelism to introduce people to Jesus.

Sharing Christ in Euro-Asia

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The church in Kazakhstan is building a community outreach center in the heart of Almaty [al-MAH-tee], the largest city in Kazakhstan. The center is nearing completion and will contain a health clinic, dental clinic, English language school, seminar and lecture rooms, and a church. This center promises to be a powerful outreach tool in a key city in Central Asia.

Our Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will provide the boost this center needs to complete its building and open its doors to people who do not know Jesus yet. Let’s help finish this project and make this dream a reality for the people of Almaty and Kazakhstan.

Speaker 2: [Be prepared to locate Belarus; Moldova; Krasnodar, Russia; Irkutsk, Russia; and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatskiy, Russia, on the map.]

Congregations throughout Euro-Asia need houses of worship. Many congregations that were established following the opening of this land to the gospel in the late 1980s and early 1990s still meet in rented halls. Many older congregations lost their churches during Communist times.

This quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help five congregations build new houses of worship or complete already-started building projects. They are located in far-flung areas of Euro-

Asia. [Point to the locations as you name them.] The churches are located in the following cities: ÿ Brest, a major industrial city in

Belarus [BEL-a-roos]; ÿ Chişinău [CHIS-in-ow], formerly

Kishinev, the capital city of Moldova; ÿ Krasnodar [KRAHS-noh-dar], Russia,

near the Black Sea; ÿ Irkutsk [ihr-KOOTsk], Russia, near

Lake Baikal;ÿ Petropavlovsk [pet-roh-pah-VOLSK]

-Kamchatskiy [kahm-CHAT-skai], a prominent seaport in far-eastern Russia on the Pacific Ocean.

By helping these congregations complete their churches, we are helping other congregations who also struggle to build a church. Let’s spread our resources over Russia by helping build these churches.

Speaker 3: The needs are many in Euro-Asia, and some indications are that time may be short to spread the gospel in this region of the world. We can help today to speed the message of salvation in this largest world field in the Adventist Church. As our ushers come forward, we invite you to give a generous, sacrificial offering to help make dreams come true, to help make miracles happen in Euro-Asia today.

[Offering]

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MISSION

A D V E N T I S T YOUTH AND ADULTMAGAZINE 2008

QUARTER 1

E U R O - A S I A D I V I S I O N

featuring:SEEKING HUNGRY HEARTSpg 16

Free at Last! pg 22

We’re Still Telling the Story of Mission

www.Advent i s tM i s s ion .o rgWatch

Adventist Mission DVD

Explore Adventist Mission Website

ReadAdventist Mission Quarterlies

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F I R S T Q U A R T E R 2 0 0 8E U R O - A S I A D I V I S I O N

E D I T O R I A L Charlotte Ishkanian Editor Hans Olson Managing Editor Emily Harding Layout Editor Alita Byrd Contributing Editor Deena Wagner Contributing Editor

O F F I C E O F A D V E N T I S T M I S S I O N

Gary Krause Director Rick Kajiura Communication director Nancy Kyte Marketing director Marti Schneider Project director Homer Trecartin Planning director Daniel Weber Video producer Charlotte Ishkanian Mission Editor Hans Olson Comm. Projects Mgr.

Mission (ISSN 0190-4108)is produced and copyrighted © 2007 by the Office of Adventist Mission, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists,12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904, U.S.A.

Printed in U.S.A.

First Quarter 2008Volume 97, Number 1

E-mail: GoMission@gc.adventist.orgWeb site: www.AdventistMission.org

Texts credited to NIV are from the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers.

Texts credited to NKJV are from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Permission is granted to reproduce material from this quarterly for use in local Sabbath Schools and children’s ministries programs. Permission to reproduce any portion of this material for sale, publication in another periodical, or other commercial use must be authorized in writing by the editor at the above address.

For subscription inquiries, e-mail Julie Haines at jhaines@rhpa.org or call 1-800-456-3991 or 1-301-393-3280. Annual subscription rates per edition: domestic, US$7.50; international, US$14.50.

MISSIONA D V E N T I S TT E A C H I N G R E S O U R C E S

For more information on the cultures and history of the Euro-Asia Division, check the travel section of a local library.

Children’s Mission contains additional material that can add flavor to your mission presentation, including words and phrases in Russian and Moldovan, crafts, and recipes. Find the Children’s Mission online at www.AdventistMission.org. Click on “stories” and “quarterly mission magazine.” Click on first quarter 2008, and choose Children’s Mission.

Online Information. Check out a Web site for additional information on the countries being featured this quarter. Russia: www.russianembassy.org; www.geographia.com/russia; Belarus: www.belarusembassy.org; Kazakhstan: www.kazakhembus.com; Moldova: www.embassyrm.org.

An offering goal device will help focus attention on world missions and increase weekly mission giving. Ask your Sabbath School council to set a quarterly mission offering goal; then chart the weekly progress toward the quarter’s goal on the goal device.

Draw an outline of a church on a large poster board. Cut bricks to fit the church, and designate each brick’s value. (Set a goal a little higher than last quarter and divide it by 14, one part for each Sabbath and two parts for Thirteenth Sabbath.) Display the goal device prominently, and call attention to members’ progress in mission giving week by week. As each week’s mission offering comes in, add the appropriate number of bricks to the church. Urge members to complete the church by the Thirteenth Sabbath.

Remind members that the ongoing work of the world church depends on Sabbath School mission giving. On the twelfth Sabbath, report on mission giving during the quarter. Then on Thirteenth Sabbath, count the offering and record the amount at the end of Sabbath School. This immediate feedback will encourage members to faithfully continue their mission giving.

FUTURE THIRTEENTH SABBATH PROJECTS

Next quarter the Inter-American Division will be featured. Special projects will benefit the countries of Mexico and Trinidad and Tobago.

Third quarter 2008 will feature the North American Division.

O F F E R I N G S A T W O R K

This multipurpose building at Zaoksky University was built with Thirteenth Sabbath Offering funds. It provides indoor athletic space during Russia’s long winter months as well as a venue for worship services and large church meetings. The students and staff of Zaoksky University and the members of the Euro-Asia Division say “Thank you!”

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