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T h e I n t e r n a t i o n a l P a p e r f o r S e v e n t h - d a y A d v e n t i s t s

FaithfulUnderFire

Januar y 2012

Born to

Connect

20 Healing

Leaves

26OneThe

Crawls

24 Who

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3 W O R L D R E P O R T 3 News Briefs 6 News Feature

10 A One-Day Church

11 W O R L D H E A L T HUrinary Tract Infections

26 B I B L E Q U E S T I O N SA N S W E R E D

Healing Leaves

27 B I B L E S T U D YThere Is Hope

28 I D E A E X C H A N G E

D E P A R T M E N T S

www.adventistworld.orgAvailable in 13 languages online

Januar y 2012

P H O T O O F O K S A N A S E R G I Y E N K OC O U R T E S Y O F T H E R U S S I A N F I N A N C E M I N I S T R Y 2 Adventist World |January2012

C O V E R S T O R Y

16FaithfulUnder Fire

By Andrew McChesneyOksana Sergiyenkos story is

one that some dont want you

to read.

8 W O R L D V I S T A

One Year Closer to the KingdomBy Ted WilsonThe Revival and Reformation initiative

after one year.

12 D E V O T I O N A L

Because of Your WordsBy Bill and Heather KrickOne of the Bibles great stories about prayer

14 A D V E N T I S T L I F E

The Ever-Present Sense of Mission

By Jean-Luc LzeauWhats the connection between mission offerings

and finishing the work?

20F U N D A M E N T A L B E L I E F S

Born to ConnectBy Cintia PaseggiTrue intimacy comes from strong families.

22 D I S C O V E R I N G T H E

S P I R I T O F P R O P H E C Y

Where Is God WhenYou Need Him?By John SkrzypaszekThe publication of one of Ellen Whites

greatest books coincided with one of her

greatest spiritual struggles.

24 A D V E N T I S T H E R I T A G E

The One Who CrawlsBy Zebron NcubeWhy should a

significant handicap

prevent him from

witnessing?

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The national leader of the Bahamasapplauded the Seventh-day AdventistChurch recently for its contributionsto society and ongoing work in thecommunity.

Prime Minister Hubert Ingrahamcalled the church a beacon of faithfulservice and Christian stewardship inour country, citing Adventist workamong young people and in support ofstrong families and healthy lifestyles.

Youve also made an importantcontribution to education in the Baha-mas, molding the lives of young menand women who have, in turn, contrib-uted to the community and nationaldevelopment, Ingraham said.

The prime ministers commentscame during the October 30, 2011,dedication ceremony for the newheadquarters of the churchs AtlanticCaribbean Union Mission. The admin-istrative region oversees AdventistChurch work in the Bahamas, CaymanIslands, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Previously the union missionserved a constituency of nearly 30,000 Adventists from temporaryheadquarters in the Summer Winds Plaza, also in Nassau.

Ingraham previously commended the Adventist Church when theBahamas parliament voted in May to recognize the churchs then

newly established Atlantic Caribbean Union Mission as the legalentity of the church in the Bahamas. Church leaders first created theunion mission when they split the former West Indies Union Confer-ence into two administrative regions to recognize church growth andfinancial autonomy in the Caribbean.

Israel Leito, president for the Adventist Church in Inter-America,told Ingraham that Adventists in the Bahamas appreciate the high

W O R L D R E P O R T

C o n t i n u e d o n n e x t p a g e

As you open this sixty-fifth edition ofAdventist World,youll notice severalmodest but important changes that wehope will increase the value of this faith-building journal to you and all those withwhom you share it.

A brighter, easier-to-read Table ofContents, helping you to quickly findfavorite sections and columns;

A redesigned World News section,highlighting stories you need in order tostay informed about the progress of thechurch in nearly 200 nations;

A new look for the Bible pages inthe journalAngel Rodrguezs BibleQuestions Answered and Mark FinleysBible Study;

A reimagined Idea Exchange in

the magazines last four pages, full offacts, prayer requests, letters, and surveyresults that keep you connected with mil-lions of fellow believers around the globe.

Our commitment to bringing you thebest that Adventism has to offerin news,mission stories, health information, Biblestudy, Adventist Heritage, and devotionalreadinghasnt changed at all, however.The team of dedicated professionals whoproduce this magazineassembled fromseven countries and speaking six lan-

guagesbegins each edition with prayerand bathes each part of our productionprocess in prayer. We know this magazinechanges lives: you tell us so, in dozens ofletters from everywhere each month.

Pay special attention to this monthscover feature, Faithful Under Fire.Andrew McChesneys remarkable storyof a young Adventist woman in the Rus-sian government is a powerful witness tothe best this movement has to offer inboth loyalty to God and service to others.

Ponder your own commitments as youread, and pray for the many Adventistswhom God has called to serve in govern-

ment positions around the world.Keep the kingdom always

before you.

Change and Faithfulness

Adventists Do Good

Bahamas,inPrime Minister Says

COMMENDATION: Bahamas

prime minister Hubert Ingraham

commends the Adventist Churchduring the October 30, 2011,

dedication of new headquarters

for the denominations Atlantic

Caribbean Union Mission.

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level of religious freedom the coun-trys government grants.

In his keynote address Leito alsoreminded the audience why they hadgatheredto dedicate not the build-ing itself, but the people who workthere to serve Gods people and thecommunity.

Brazil Previews The GreatHopeBook Effort

Hundreds of South AmericanSeventh-day Adventist leaders and

their spouses spent a late 2011Saturday morning distributing copiesofThe Great Hope.

The missionary sharing book is amodern-language version of AdventistChurch cofounder Ellen G. Whites TheGreat Controversy, which traces Godsleading throughout history and providesanswers for todays unsettled world.

Adventists worldwide havepledged to share millions of copies ofthe book with friends and neighbors

in 2012 as part of the world churchsRevival and Reformation initiative. Inthe churchs South American Divisionalone, leaders plan to distribute 52million copies of the book. Theregion is known for wide-scale litera-ture distribution campaigns.

The October 29, 2011, distributionwas a preview of the main distribu-tion, which is set to begin in March2012, church leaders there said. In oneregion of Brazil alone, more than 120

pastors and their spouses handed out5,000 copies ofThe Great Hope. Simi-lar distributions were conducted inPeru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uru-guay, and Argentina, Chile and Brazil.

One recipient, restaurant ownerRosa Maria Dantas Ferreira, welcomedthe copy ofThe Great Hope shereceived. She told church leaders that

the book was the motivation sheneeded to seek God.

Erton Kohler, Adventist Churchpresident for South America, said thedistribution comes at a time that peo-ple worldwide are looking for answers.The Great Hope offers a balanced Bib-lical perspective on the worlds finalevents, he said.

In Germany, AdventistChaplain Honored forSaving Babies

An 11-year effort in the Berlin,Germany, district of Zehlendorf, tosave infant lives has been recognizedby the national government. GabrieleStangl, chaplain of the WaldfriedeSeventh-day Adventist Hospital there,was awarded the Federal Republic

of Germanys Medal of Merit in aceremony led by Steglitz-Zehlendorfmayor Norbert Kopp.

The baby hatch is a specially con-structed box, with sensors, but with-out video surveillance, where aninfant can be placed anonymously. Ifa mother opens the door and places anewborn in the warming bed, Stangl


HERES HOPE: An Adventist pastor hands a copy of The Great Hopeto a conve-

nience store employee in Brazil. Adventist leaders in South America distributed

thousands of copies of the missionary sharing book on October 29, 2011.

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STATE HONOR: Seventh-day Adventist

chaplain Gabriele Stangl, with Norbert Ko

district mayor of Steglitz-Zehlendorf, Berl

at a ceremony during which Stangl receivthe Federal Republic of Germanys Medal

Merit for her work with abandoned babies

C O P Y R I G H T , D I S T R I C T S T E G L I T Z -Z E H L E N D O R F , P R E S S O F F I C E

4 Adventist World |January2012

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explained, sensors send a delayedalarm to the continuously manned

gatehouse, so that the mother hasenough time to leave the area unde-tected. The baby will be immediatelybrought to the hospitals nursery, andreceives any necessary medical care.Foster families are assigned to care forthe children, who can be reclaimedduring an eight-week period; other-wise, the children are made availablefor adoption.

Stangl got the idea after counselinga dying 80-year-old woman whod

regretted the death of her baby, as wellas others who were concerned aboutbeing identified as being pregnant, forvarious reasons. The north Germancity of Hamburg had established asimilar refuge, and Stangl, working inher spare time, established such a pro-gram at Waldfriede. During its 11 yearsof operation, about 20 infants havebeen placed in the baby hatch, andanother 110 women were able toanonymously give birth at the hospital.

The 91-year-old WaldfriedeAdventist Hospital has 170 beds andserved 9,000 inpatients and 18,000outpatients last year.Herbert Bodenmann, Adventist Press

Service, Switzerland

Cuban Adventist PastorsMeet in Historic Retreat

The Seventh-day Adventist Churchin Cuba gathered its 150 ministers andtheir families for a historic retreat inSanta Clara last fall. The event, whichtook place September 23-25, 2011, be-came the first in 50 years to gather somany pastors and family members tounify and network as they strive to shep-herd the fast-growing church on the island.

It has been such an accomplish-ment to gather our ministerial body

for this council, said Pastor AldoPerez, president for the church inCuba. We came together to share

spiritual messages, spend time withpastoral families, pray together, andunify efforts to continue the greatmission to spread the gospel.

Nearly 400 met at the Canaancampground in central Cuba to par-ticipate in messages addressed to min-isters, the ministry of pastors wives,and the nurturing of pastoral children.

Hector Sanchez, ministerial secre-tary for the Inter-American Division,spoke and encouraged pastors and

their families to continue serving Godas chosen leaders endeavoring to fulfillthe mission of the church to a needypeople on the island.

Councils like this give the pastorand his family the opportunity torenew their commitment and callingand feel that their church has not for-gotten nor abandoned them, said

Sanchez. Its about the identity of thepastor coming together with his iden-tity as a husband and father.

It was the end of a four-region visitacross Inter-America for Pastor Sanchez,one that he will never forget. It was anindescribable experience to be with ourpastors, pray with them, and hear of thegreat blessings taking place throughoutthe church in Cuba, he said.

Leticia De Los Santos, director forshepherdess ministries for the churchin Inter-America, spoke to pastorswives on how to develop a strong sup-porting ministry in the church and

addressed dozens of children of pasto-ral families on their purpose and leg-acy in an uncertain world.

Organized in 1905, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Cuba hasmore than 32,000 church membersworshipping in more than 280churches and operates three confer-ences, one mission, and a seminary.

CUBA MEETING: Ministers and their families gathered to participate in the first

pastoral retreat of its size held in Santa Clara, Cuba, on September 24, 2011. The

event allowed pastoral families to unify and network as they strive to shepherd the

fast-growing church on the island.

L E T I C I A D E L O S S A N T O S / I A D


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The challenges of evangelism in anunfriendly environment were broughthome to Ted N. C. Wilson, GeneralConference president, during his visit

to Japan in November 2011.Although the Seventh-day Adven-

tist Church has had work in Japan formore than 100 years, there are onlyapproximately 15,000 church mem-bers in a nation of 128 million people.In 2009, according to statistics, 261people joined the church in Japan, but207 either died or were listed asdropped or missing, meaning a netgain of only 54 people.

Asking about this, Wilson was told

by local leaders that Japan is a highlysecular society, and that it is difficultto bring the Adventist message to peo-ple unfamiliar with and largely unin-terested in Christian teachings. Theyalso conceded that some Adventistmembers might have lost their enthu-siasm for evangelism over the years.

I realize that the Japanese Adven-

tist Church is faced with many dif-ficulties and challenges, but the Lordwill surely do a miracle here if thechurch is armed with Gods Word and

the Holy Spirit, Wilson told Japanesechurch administrators in response.

Spending approximately a week inJapan, the world church leader wasjoined by Nancy Wilson, his wife, aswell as Northern Asia-Pacific Divisionexecutives Jairyong Lee, president, andAkeri Suzuki, executive secretary.Masumi Shimada, president of theAdventist Church in Japan, welcomedthe group to Hiroshima, the first stopin Wilsons multicity visit. A port city

and military center for Japans Impe-rial Army, it was destroyed by anatomic weapon on the morning ofAugust 6, 1945.

Although Hiroshima was devas-tated by an atomic bomb, Wilson told400 students and church members whogathered in the auditorium of Hiro-shima Adventist High School, it has

been developed as a symbolic city ofpeace through indomitable willpowerand the courage of the Japanese people.When we stand firm upon Gods Word,

depend on the Lord, and do our best inpreaching the gospel of ultimate peace,the Seventh-day Adventist Church inJapan will be definitely revived.

Also in Hiroshima, Wilson metSumiko Ueki, a survivor of the atomicbombing. Now 83 years old, sheworked at a Hiroshima munitions fac-tory. The factory was just 1.2 miles(two kilometers) away from thebomb-struck area, but fortunately shehad a narrow escape from death. After

that incident she sent her daughter toan Adventist school, and she herselflater became an Adventist.

On November 2 the group went toOkinawa and visited Okinawa JuniorHigh School, where students per-formed traditional Okinawan music.Leaving the school, they went to theplace where Adventist U.S. Army


WilsonVisitsJapan,Encourages Adventists,

Quake VictimsGets briefing on evangelisms challenges in nationBySukHee Han,NSD Communication Director, with Adventist World staff


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Adventist World editor Bill Knottrecently talked with General Conference

president Elder Ted Wilson about the

churchs historic decision in late 2010 toissue a public appeal for change.

Fifteen months ago General Confer-

ence leadership committed itself, in a

very public way, to a personal experi-

ence of revival and reformation. They

issued a call to the church, which we

published in the January 2011 Adven-

tist World, urging church members

everywhere to look seriously into

their own lives as well as our life

together. You have traveled to everycontinent (except Antarctica) this last

year, and youve been sampling the

churchs s engagement with this idea.

What have you heard?

The response has been phenomenal,and I believe its due to the power of theHoly Spirit, in addition to the work andprayers of many dedicated people. Thisillustrates what revival and reformationis about, as outlined so beautifully in 2Chron. 7:14: If My people who are

called by My name will humble them-selves, and pray and seek My face, andturn from their wicked ways, then I willhear from heaven, and will forgive theirsin and heal their land (NKJV).

This call from church leadershiphas struck a resonating chord in thehearts of church members becausecommitted believers recognize thatthis church is more than just anotherdenomination. It has a destiny and areal purpose a heaven-born mission.

The reason a person became a Sev-enth-day Adventist may have become alittle bit dusty in his or her life, butwhen they take the time to reflect, theyremember why they joined this move-ment, or why they chose to stay. Thencomes the recognition that we need toprepare ourselves and others forChrists coming, and we do thatthrough our submission to Him. Wedont work our way to heaven and

O R L D V I S T A

engage in salvation by works. We cometo the Lord and ask Him to fully con-trol us, realizing that we are completelydependent on Christ for our salvation.

Do you think the emphasis on revival

and reformation has changed the

leadership culture of the church, and

if so, in what ways?

Yes, I do. In many cases it seems tohave created a much sharper pictureof urgency on the part of many lead-ers. They recognize why we are inadministrationnot to perpetuate acomplicated organization, but to pro-claim a message, to prepare a people.That recognition seems to havechanged a number of leaders.


One

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Even in this building [the world head-

quarters]?

The impact is especially visible here.We dont want to major in the minors.We want to focus on the importantthings. We want to be Christ-like inour relationship with others, withinour work, realizing that our ultimateobjectives are larger than job securityand self-preservation. Our objectivesbecome heavenly objectives as we see amuch bigger picture than ourselves,and the Great Controversy themebecomes more vivid in our thinking.

Youve implied that revival and refor-mation is not a program, and there

seems to be a lot of evidence for that.

Ive followed this from the beginning

and have never seen a particular

methodology enacted as part of this

initiative. And yet its everywhere

around the world already. That sug-

gests believers are appropriating

revival and reformation in very per-

sonal ways.

Absolutely. I also think it hasincreased our awareness as adminis-trators and leaders for the need ofsimple, humble prayer. Just thismorning in the GC AdministrativeCommittee we had a substantialprayer session. Theres somethingabout praying togetherasking forGods wisdom, and not simply offer-ing an introductory prayer.

Most of the emphasis Ive heard in the

last year has focused on the revival

part of Revival and Reformation. Buttheres clearly a sequence here. What

do you see reformation coming to

mean? It will take a while, undoubt-

edly, to unfold in the life of the church.

How does a Seventh-day Adventist

Church that has been reformed look

different than the one we see now?

I think it will appear in a more simpli-fied manner. Life will become starkerin its comparisons. Decisions will be

made because of strong Biblical prin-ciples, not for expediency. Reforma-tion will take place in the way that we

deal with matters of eternal conse-quence. It will change the way we useour money in the church, and person-ally. It will change our use of time andtalents. Reforming means to changesomething: if nothing ever changes,then weve just gone through a mean-ingless exercise.

In my own personal life, it meansaddressing issues such as how do Imake the time for spiritual growth inspending time with the Lord in my

busy program? Am I spending thenecessary time to walk two miles (3.5km) a day? Am I organizing my timeso I will get adequate sleep?

As leaders, it causes us to ask howwe will look at large issues that affectthe entire church. With our educa-tional system, how will we make ourschools as redemptive as possible andas Seventh-day Adventist as possible?How will we organize our localchurches so they arent simply per-

forming a routine Sabbath exercise,but will truly feed us from the Wordof God and motivate us to do practi-cal missionary work? How will itchange our view on what we eat andhow we share our precious healthmessage with our neighbors? How willgodly reformation change our enter-tainment habits and all kinds of life-style choices? What will it do for ourevangelistic outreachpersonally, andas a worldwide church?

You believe that the momentum

which began with this initiative has a

long trajectory?

Revival and reformation is the foun-dation of everything we are buildingon until the Lord comes. Its not just adeclaration: In five years we will allbe reformed. It has to be a daily expe-rience, and it has to focus on the rela-tionship each one of us has with Jesus.

You suggested some corporate

reforms as well as personal ones, and

you used the term, simplified. Can

you elaborate?

The world is far too busy and com-plex, and some simple order has toemerge sometime or well all be over-whelmed by the complexity of life. Ithink the Seventh-day Adventist mes-sage brings a simpler approach to howwe order our personal lives and ourcommon life together.

We need to live with a sense of bal-ance that only comes as the HolySpirit leads in our lives. We cant dothese things on our own. The sim-ple aspect of life doesnt guaranteethat your life necessarily becomes lesscomplicated, but perhaps it willbecome less frenetic. With the leadingof the Holy Spirit, youll learn to putthings into proper perspective andpriority.

We dont have to do everything asa last-day movement: we cant doeverything. So we have to prioritize.One of the biggest hazards of being aSeventh-day Adventist Christian inthese last days is that the devil tries todistract us in every possible way fromthe mission objectives of the church.He wants our lives to become so com-plicated that we are simply runningaround, not focusing on priorities.The Holy Spirit helps us to get ourpersonal and corporate prioritiesstraight. Its like the re-set button ona computer. The computer jams upand we get frustrated. Just re-set it orpull the battery out, and start over.

Out of that change comes a new path,

a clearer, simpler structure that lets

you again see your way toward an

objective. For many church members

who are living the daily life of faith in

very challenging situations, where

there is no institutional culture

around them, what does it mean to

talk about revival and reformation?


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I think it gives them an anchor, notonly in the present, but also in the

future. Its something that helps guidethem toward an ultimate restorationof what it means to be a son or daugh-ter of God. For many who dont have alot of material goods in this life, itsmuch easier to comprehend the valueof eternal life.

For those of us who seem to havebeen blessed by living in cultureswhere we have considerable materialgain, our lives are actually more clut-tered. The ones who have less can

often see more clearly the ultimatepicture of restoration. Those of uswho are distracted with the comfortswith which we surround ourselvesarent quite sure whether we need tohave that future immediately or wantstay around here a little longer.

Its no secret that the church in the

southern hemisphere is growing more

rapidly, more dynamically, than in the

northern hemisphere. Thats a big

generalization, but are we beingtaught something by the way the

Lord is working in what we used to

call developing nations? Are we learn-

ing from them?

Im not sure we are learning from themas much as we should, but they are cer-tainly teaching us something. I hopewe are learning that life is more thanjust achieving. It is submission to theLord and to values that far exceed any-thing we could gain on this earth. Wereall being taught lessons by believers indeveloping regions who are modelingwhat it means to give everything wehave and everything we are to the Lordand His cause.

O R L D V I S T A

A

One -Day ChurchNamatunu, MalawiIts just a small way from

town. Just 20 minutes.

We accepted Elijahs as-

sessment of the distance and

settled down for a 20-minute ride

through the stony Malawi hills

from Blantyre to Elijahs village.

About 20 minutes later we

broke free from the congested

city roads and began threading

through the hills with Elijah and

Richard, two of Maranathas Malawian employees.

They pointed in various directions along the way. See, right there on the

hillside gleaming beside the thatched roofs. We built that church up there!

And down there beside the sugarcanethats a church we built too!

Two hours later Richard stopped at the top of a long hill and pointed far

across the valley. Thats where Elijah lives.

And thats when Elijah took over, telling the story of learning about Jesus

from a colporteur who had sold him a copy of The Desire of Ages.

Richard drove another five minutes down the road, and then Elijah called

for a stop.

When I heard that Maranatha was going to be building churches in

my country, I knew we would have to have one for our church. We asked a

landowner how much it would cost to buy a lot large enough for a brand-new

One-Day steel church. He sold us this plot right here for US$1,000.

Just off the road, clinging to the red dirt hillside, gleamed a brand-new

one-day Church.

We didnt have any money, Elijah continued, but one of our elders said

we ought to raise chickens to pay for the land. I went to town and bought 16

chickensone for each familyand we dedicated them here, asking God to

make those chickens make so many chickens that we could sell many eggs

and many fryers and pay the owner his $1,000 so we would have a place to

plant a new Seventh-day Adventist church.

We watched as the church members walked toward us from beneath the

steel roof of their new church home, singing a song of thanksgiving.

The One-Day Church program is a collaborative effort between the Seventh-

day Adventist Church, Adventist-laymens Services and Industries (ASI), and

Maranatha Volunteers International. These stories come to you each month

from Maranathas Storyteller, Dick Duerksen.


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The doctor tells me that I had an anti-

biotic-resistant urinary tract infection.

I had to take an expensive antibiotic

by intravenous infusion. I was very ill.

Can you tell me more? Im nervous

now, and I want to do all I can to pre-vent a recurrence. Im a 45-year-old

woman, married, and the mother of

two children, ages 14 and 16.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs)are quite common in women.In fact, every year 12 out of 100

women ages 20 to 24 come down withan infection. More than 40 percent ofwomen experience one UTI in theirlifetime, and some 25 to 33 percentexperience more than a single infection.

The most common germ causingthis infection is called Escherichia coli(E. coli); during the past few years anincreasing number of these germs havebecome resistant to multiple antibiotics.These organisms are resistant to antibi-otics because they produce an enzymethat destroys the beta-lactam antibiot-ics. They have been called extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producingorganisms, or ESBL for short.

E. coli that have a special ability to

cause UTIs do so by attaching them-selves to glycoproteins in the wall of thebladder. These E. coli are specificallydangerous to the urinary tract becausethey possess small fimbriae (fingers)that stick them onto the cells of thebladder, which keeps them from beingeasily washed off. Some of these E. colialso secrete toxins that damage thebladder lining and promote infection.

The bladder, in its defense, pro-

duces substances that give some resis-tance to the infection, and the kidneysalso produce proteins that coat thefimbriae on the E. coli. UTIs representa failure of these defense mechanisms.

As women grow older and becomepostmenopausal they are at an increasedrisk of UTIs, because the vaginal bacteria

that keep the vagina acidic and slow thegrowth of E. coli there, called friendly lac-tobacilli, decrease in number. Similarly,antibiotic use also may decrease the num-ber of these lactobacilli. The female anat-omy makes it easier for colonic bacteria (E.coli) to get into the bladder. A variety ofrecommended methodssuch as thedirection of wiping and the use ofdoucheshave not been shown to reducethe risk of urinary tract infections.

Prevention, which is our emphasis

in this column, would suggest thatdrinking copious amounts of waterenough to ensure clear-coloredurinemight be helpful to womenwith a urinary infection. This makesfor natural and frequent flushing ofthe bladder. Naturally, any anatomicalabnormality that can be correctedshould be treated. Cranberry juice, ifavailable in the region of the worldin which you live, makes the urineacidic and possibly blocks the adher-

ence of the bacteria to the bladderwall. Lactobacilli to populate the vaginahave been administered as a probioticin capsule form, but evidence of theefficacy of such measures in reducingthe incidence of UTIs is lacking.

In the postmenopausal woman,topical vaginal estrogen cream mayhelp reestablish the vaginal cells andlactobacilli, in turn creating a moreacidic environment that inhibits E. coli.

Studies are not uniformly supportiveof such treatment, however. Despite theincrease in highly resistant forms of E.coli, there still are a few strategies tocombat urinary tract infections. A formof antibiotics called carbapenems haveto be given by intravenous route, butare capable of eradicating ESBLs.

Urine cultures will often show sensi-tivity to cheaper, more common anti-microbials, and these should be usedfor symptomatic UTIs. An antibacterialmedication called fosfomycin has beenused in Europe and Japan, and so farseems to be a satisfactory medicationwhen given as a single three-gram dose.It cannot cure kidney infections andsepsis, however, and is not indicated forthese serious infections. In the labora-tory clavulanic acid seems to be effec-

tive against ESBL-producing E. coli, butin practice it has not been as successful.

Research continues with variouscombinations of antibiotics. In themeantime, drinking lots of water andother fluids, impeccable personalhygiene, and possibly the use of localestrogens if postmenopausal, are awomans best hope of staying clear ofUTIs.

W O R L D H E A L T

Allan R. Handysides,a board-certified gynecolo-gist, is director of the General Conference Health

Ministries Department.

Peter N. Landless, a board-certified nuclearcardiologist, is associate director of the General

Conference Health Ministries Department.

UrinaryTract

InfectonsByAllan R. Handysides andPeter N. Landles


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D E V O T I O N A L

We love the book of Daniel!

Many of us enjoy afamiliarity with this pro-

phetic gem dating back to our child-hood: the furnace, the lions, the stun-

ning accuracy of its prophecies. Buthidden beneath all this lies an amaz-ing story about prayer and the super-natural. Perhaps more than any otherplace in Scripture, God briefly partsthe curtain between the seen and theunseen and gives us a tantalizing peekat what happens when we pray.

Prayer Power

Daniel, by now a senior citizen,knows that Gods people and city are

not faring well. The restoration ofJerusalem faces serious opposition. Inresponse to this crisis, Daniel fasts(Dan. 10:3) and prays. At the end of 21

Words

YourBecauseof

A glimpsebehind

the curtainBy

Bill andHeather Krick

C Y N T H I A T U R E K

days he receives a vision. Awestruck,Daniel can hardly breathe; he lies flaton the ground and cant stop shaking.An angel touches and strengthenshimhe cowers on the ground on his

hands and knees (verse 10).The angel then says, O Daniel,

man greatly beloved, understand thewords that I speak to you, and standupright, for I have now been sent toyou (verse 11). How encouraging! Inresponse to earnest prayer God actedby sending an angel to Danielas Hehad done already in the previouschapter (Dan. 9:23).

The angel continues: Do not fear,Daniel, for from the first day that you set

your heart to understand, your wordswere heard; and I have come be-cause ofyour words(Dan. 10:12). IncredibleGod acts in answer to our prayers!

Digging Deeper

But wait, you sayDaniel waspraying twenty-one days ago. Whatwas the holdup?

The next verse is, in our minds, sur-

prising, perhaps even baffling, and def-initely one of the most intriguing pas-sages of Scripture. Listen as the angelexplains what happened on the way:

But the prince of the kingdom ofPersia withstood me twenty-one days;and behold, Michael, one of the chiefprinces, came to help me, for I hadbeen left alone there with the kings ofPersia (verse 13).

What? He got held up on the way?got stuck with this prince for the 21

days Daniel had been fasting and pray-ing? What prince, and why (and how?)did the prince hold him up? What kindof resistance did the prince offer? And

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why did the angel need helpas if hecouldnt accomplish what he wasattempting to do without that help?

Evidently God sent the angel fromthe first day, but no answer appeared

for 21 days because of supernaturalbackground action.

To make matters more intriguing,the Hebrew word translated princeoccurs 420 times in the Old Testamentbut not once does it refer to a king.1This has led some translators to renderthe Hebrew of verse 13 as spirit prince(NLT),2 angel prince (TEV; Message),3or even guardian angel (CEV).4 Manycommentators5 then conclude that thisprince against which the angel strug-

gles (again in verse 20) is actually anevil supernatural being whose assign-ment is the people of the PersianEmpire.6 Whether the angel wrestledwith a supernatural or human prince, itis clear that Cyrus was hindering thepath of success for Gods people.

unknowingly reiterated the unspokencry of our world as she was about tofall asleep. She asked: Does God reallyhear me when I pray? There are mil-lions of people in the world. Psalm

33:13-15 says: The Lord looks fromheaven; He sees all the sons of men.He fashions their hearts individually;He considers all their works.

Second, a delay doesnt mean Godisnt working in the background. Per-haps there is a difficult, seeminglyimpossible situation with a spouse ora child, and when you prayed, thingsseemed to get worse. When God seemsto be deaf, passive, uninterested, andfar removedremember the angels

words to Daniel. God heard Danielshumble, submissive prayers immedi-ately, but supernatural backgroundaction caused a delay. Heavenly beingsare appointed to answer the prayers ofthose who are working unselfishly.Each angel has his particular post of

WhenGod seems to be deaf, passive,uninterested, and far removedremember the

angels words to Daniel.

if any evil was entertained by us, anysin indulged, we should become care-less, and fail to realize our dependenceupon Him.9

So what happened with the angel of

Daniel 10? For three weeks Gabrielwrestled with the powers of darkness,seeking to counteract the influences atwork on the mind of Cyrus. Thevictory was finally gained; the forces ofthe enemy were held in check all thedays of Cyrus.10 For some reason, stillunclear to us, it is a part of Gods planto grant us, in answer to the prayer offaith, that which He would not bestowdid we not thus ask.11 If you are inter-ceding for others, be one who decides

to pray and not lose heart (Luke18:1). Your words are heard! And in thegrand scheme of the great controversybetween good and evil, God has some-how decided that He will actwhen wepray, and answer when we ask.

1 F. D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary(Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald Pub. Assn., 1955), vol. 4, p. 859.2 Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible,New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by TyndaleHouse Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale HousePublishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.3 Bible texts credited to TEV are from the Good News BibleOldTestament: Copyright American Bible Society 1976;New Testament: Copyright American Bible Society 1966,

1971, 1976. Texts credited to Message are from The Message.Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used bypermission of NavPress Publishing Group.4 Scripture quotations identified CEV are from the ContemporaryEnglish Version. Copyright American Bible Society 1991, 1995.Used by permission.5 Ellen White allows for this possible interpretation: For three weeksGabriel wrestled with the powers of darkness (Prophets and Kings,p. 572). The SDA Bible Commentaryalso allows for this. However,commentators such as William Shea believe the word refers simplyto one of Cyrus senior officials. See William Shea, Daniel: A ReadersGuide (Boise, Idaho: Pacific Press Pub. Assn., 2005), pp. 236-238.6 If the spirit prince interpretation is adopted, it need not beconfused with the territorial spirits concept used often byPentecostal/Charismatic interpreters; note that Daniel nowhereattempts to command the demon of Persia to be cast out.7 Ellen G. White, in Bible Echo, Dec. 1, 1892.8 Ellen G. White, Lift Him Up, p. 370.9 Ellen G. White, Our Father Cares, p. 100.10 Ellen G. White, Prophets and Kings, p. 572.11

Ellen G. White, The Great Controversy, p. 525.

Heather and Bill Krick live in California, whereBill is the director of literature ministries for the

Central California Conference and Heather homeschools their two daughters, Savannah and Heid

duty, which he is not permitted toleave for any other place. If he shouldleave, the powers of darkness wouldgain an advantage.8

Sometimes God allows delay sim-ply for our good. Up to age 27, I(Heather) was praying for the righthusband, if indeed I was to be mar-ried. Did God hear my prayer imme-diately? Certainly. Did He answer it

immediately? Seven years I waited forMr. Right, who also was waiting onGod for the answer to his prayers.Looking back, Im so glad for theseven-year delay! God does notalways answer our prayers the firsttime we call upon Him; for should Hedo this, we might take it for grantedthat we had a right to all the blessingsand favors He bestowed upon us.Instead of searching our hearts to see

What About Our Prayers?

There are a number of importantlessons involving ourprayers:

First,from the moment we begin topray, God hears us. How eagerly, almostimpatiently, parents wait to hear theirchilds first words. They listen carefullyfor those memorable one or two syl-lables. As our children grow older westill eagerly wish to know their needs,

and hear ourselves saying: Dont cry.Just tellme what you need. How muchmore will our Lord strain His ears tohear our every prayer. A divine hand isreached toward you. The hand of theInfinite is stretched over the battle-ments of heaven to grasp your hand inits embrace.7 What a thrilling pictureof Godeagerly leaning over the banis-ters of heaven and reaching down to us.

Recently our 8-year-old daughter


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A D V E N T I S T L I F E

As a young boy I particularly cher-

ished the 15-minute missionstory presented at church

each Sabbath. It was a time to hearabout extraordinary people who wereliving incredible experiences in coun-tries Id never heard of before. Theywere missionaries, leaving their coun-try for many years to talk about Jesuswith people who had never heard Hisname. Looking back, I realize thatthose missionary stories likely were acatalyst for my spending 11 years in

Africa later in my life.Today as I ponder the mission

offering statistics of the Seventh-dayAdventist Church, I remember listen-ing with rapt attention to the latestmission stories, while my parentsdonated to mission service 65 centsfor every dollar they returned fortithe. Such financial commitment tomission is rare now; its down to fourcents for each tithe dollar.1 Could thereason be that the sharing of mission

stories such as those I treasured in myyouth has become almost nonexistentin most local churches?

Its true that local church needshave explodedand its easy to under-stand why, especially in large townsand cities. Taxes and city regulationexpenses such as security, parkingfacilities, and so forth have skyrock-eted. But the issue is more complexthan that. My fear is that we have lostsight of the bigger picture, such as why

the Adventist Church exists, its raisondtre. Is it to ensure that we have top-of-the-line technological equipment?that our air-conditioning is workingproperly? that the color of the carpetmatches the church pews? I dont thinkour pioneers had the same concerns.Mission was their primary focus.

When the church first sent mis-sionaries to various regions of NorthAmerica and beyond, leaders realized

they didnt have a regular inflow offunds to sustain the missionaries intheir work. None of the pastors at thattime received a regular salary. Instead,church members would provide themwith monetary gifts when they feltimpressed to do so. Most of thosemembers, however, worked hard just

to sustain their families. Missionaries,therefore, didnt venture out to partsunknown with a contract in theirpocket indicating how much theywould earn. So, because of the churchsdeep-rooted sense of mission, churchleaders turned to Gods Word in questof a solution. They studied the biblicalprinciples of tithing, and then intro-duced them to the church body.

Ellen White encouraged her hus-band, James, to call the ministers

together and to ask J. N. Andrews toconduct a Bible class on what theScriptures presented as a plan for sus-taining the ministry. This study tookplace in Battle Creek in 1859. At theend of the meeting the conclusion wasthat the tithing system is just as bind-ing as it ever was . Let us call it Sys-tematic Benevolence on the tithingprinciple.2

As the church grew and expanded

TheEver-Pre

SenseByJean-Luc Lzeau

1930

Mission

Tithe

74%

26%

2010

96%

4%


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its outreach, members played anincreasingly vital role in sustainingmission through regular freewill offer-ings in addition to tithing. They wereeager to complete the Great Commis-sion and share the gospel messagewith the world. Church membersrather than leaders initiated the prac-

tice of collecting money duringchurch services, and it was only yearslater that this practice was introducedas an official church offering. Overtime, an entire system of offeringsdeveloped. Mission was always thefocus of these offerings.

The Sabbath School Offeringorig-inated in 1878, with the goal of helpingto support the mission in Australia.

The Investment Fund started inNew York in the 1880s, and again this

offering was designated as part of theWorld Budget Offering for mission.

The Birthday/Thank Offering

began in 1905 and is part of the WorldBudget Offering for mission.

The annual world Ingatheringsolicitation was initiated in 1908, and,again, mission was to benefit fromthese moneys.

The Week of Sacrifice Offering

started in 1911 and was designated for

the World Budget Offering for mission.The Thirteenth Sabbath Offering

project began in 1912. Part of thisoffering is designated for special mis-sion projects.

For years mission offerings havebeen the greatest single source offunding for Adventist missions. As

Seventh-day Adventists we are part ofa church that is unique in the way itmanages money. Church memberswho faithfully return their tithe andgive offerings can say that they areparticipating in the world mission ofour church. As far as I know, no otherchurch has such a system. Its a blessedone; its based on biblical principles;and it has enabled the church to sendthousands of missionaries throughoutthe world, including unentered ter-

ritories. But there are so many ter-ritories yet to reach.

As Seventh-day Adventists, we havelost focus somewhat on why werehere, our raison dtre. Are you notweary of the state of the world inwhich we live? Is not your soul long-ing for Jesus soon return? If so, thenconsider the following:1.Be sure your church uses the Adven-tist Mission DVD short stories, and/or

the mission bulletin frequently to keepmembers apprised of mission offerings.3

2. When an offering is called for, askthe person scheduled to make theappeal not to neglect mentioning themission connection.3. Be liberal in your giving to mission.

The last time I checked, Gods mis-

sion for His end-time church had notchanged. Its still: Go and make dis-ciples of all nations (Matt. 28:19,NIV). Lets show our commitment tosharing the gospel worldwide throughboth prayer and mission offerings.

1 General Conference Treasurers Report, presented by RobertLemon, General Conference treasurer, April 6, 2010, at the GeneralConference Spring Meeting, Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S.A.2

J. N. Loughborough, in Pacific Union Recorder, Oct. 6, 1910. Citedin Arthur White, Ellen G. White: The Early Years, vol. 1, p. 388.3 Materials available at www.adventistmission.org

Jean-Luc Lzeau wrotethis article as associate

director of the GeneralConference Stewardship

Department. Lzeau is currently projectmanager for Adventist World.

sentof

MissionAre we losing focus?

C O L I N B R O U G H / D I G I T A L L Y M O D I F I E D

www.adventistmission.orgTo learn more, go to


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C O V E R S T O R Y

Cry aloud, spare not; lift up yourvoice like a trumpet; tell My people theirtransgression, and the house of Jacobtheir sins (Isa. 58:1).

Tension filled the conference room in Moscow. Aroundthe long table sat the Russian prime minister and other topgovernment officials. It was summer 2008, and the cabinetof ministers had gathered to consider spending cuts amidthe global recession.

The ministers concurred that plans to increase pensionpayments must be canceled. But one ministry official dis-agreed.

Im a believer, said the official, Oksana Sergiyenko. Idont know how we will be able to do this. But if we decidetoday not to freeze pensions and to at the very least adjustthem for inflation, God will bless our country.

Then an amazing thing happened. The ministers unani-mously agreed to adjust pensions for inflation annually.

After that, God came through, said Oksanas brother,Alexei Sergiyenko, who related the story about the cabinetsession.

God blessed us in such a way that the price of oil nearlytripled in value between late 2008 and 2011, said Alexei, astock market analyst with Sberbank, Russias largest bank.The budget line for pension payments has always been met.

And thats not all. Just weeks after Oksana spoke up, theprime minister promoted her to the post of deputy financeminister.

Oksana Sergiyenko, who ascended to the highest gov-ernment post of any Seventh-day Adventist in Russias his-tory, fearlessly expressed her love for God while cherishingher country, setting an example for all Adventists that they

can faithfully serve God and country at the same time.Oksanas whirlwind career started when she moved to

Moscow, broke and homeless, and landed a Finance Minis-try job, rising to the upper echelons of government in adecade despite deep hostility over her faith. She died onAugust 30, 2011, after a struggle with cancer. She was 37.

Is this not the fast that I have chosen: To loosethe bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavyburdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that

Under

Fre

The story of RussiasOksana Sergiyenko

ByAndrewMcchesney

D A V I D K U L A K


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you break every yoke? Is it not to share yourbread with the hungry ? (Isa. 58:6, 7).

Oksana loved Isaiah 58, and she clung to its promises ofblessings when she stood up for the retirees at the cabinetsession, her brother said.

But that wasnt the first time that a biblical principlehad allowed Russia to prosper. In 2003 and 2004, as billionsof dollars from high oil prices flowed into government cof-fers, Oksana and her boss, then-finance minister AlexeiKudrin, called for a special government fund to collect thewindfall. Oksana spent days and nights drafting plans forthe stabilization fund, which she saw as Russias answer to

the counsel God gave to Joseph to store grain during theseven years of plenty for an upcoming famine.

Sure enough, lean times arrived with the 2008 recession.The finance minister received praise from around theworld for his farsightedness in stashing away more than$200 billion. Scarcely a word was uttered about Oksanasroleand she liked it that way.

She never wanted praise. She only wanted to makethings easier for Kudrin and the other leaders, said hermother, Larisa Sergiyenko, a former economist.

But Oksana wasnt always like that.Born on March 19, 1974, in Dushanbe, Tajikistan,

Oksana grew up a proud and ambitious child, her mothersaid. An avowed atheist, she had one goal: to be first.

After graduating with an economics degree from a col-lege in Uzbekistan, she set her sights on a career in Mos-cow. She and Alexei, four years her junior, arrived with nomoney or a place of their own. They stayed in a friendsapartment and later moved into a dormitory while Oksanacompleted graduate work in economics.

Times were tough. Sometimes Oksana and Alexei livedfor a week on a single loaf of bread. Some days they atenothing. It was during that periodthe most difficult and

miserable in her life, her brother saidthat Oksana prayedto God for the first time.

Oksana said in a January 2010 interview that she alsostarted reading the Bibleand found the secret to happiness.

We are born selfish. When a baby comes into thisworld, he says, Give me! He doesnt say, Here you are. He

says, Give, give, give, Sergiyenko said in the interviewwith 3ABN Russia television. For many years I was likethis. But when I met God, He showed me a completely dif-ferent way of life. He said it is better to give than to receive.. . . When I began . . . to give rather than to receive, I beganto receive incomparable blessings.

One blessing involved work. Oksana didnt want a rou-tine job, so she boldly telephoned the Central Bank, theEconomic Development and Trade Ministry, and theFinance Ministry. None had placed a job vacancy advertise-ment. But the Finance Ministry invited Oksana in for a jobinterview, and subsequently offered her an entry-level posi-

tion with a salary of $100 a month in 1999.Oksana didnt care about the money, her family said

an attitude that set her apart as a true patriot.

If you call the Sabbath a delight, the holyday of the Lord honorable, and shall honorHim, not doing your own ways, then youshall delight yourself in the Lord; and I willcause you to ride on the high hills of the earth(Isa. 58:13, 14).

In 2000 Oksana made what she called the most impor-tant decision of her life. She was baptized. I entered into acovenant with the Lord, she said in the television inter-view. My life radically changed.

Oksana embraced Adventism with reluctance. Hermother had been baptized years earlier, but Oksana and herbrother had shunned her pleas to befriend God. Indeed, thetwo siblings grew so furious with their mother that at onepoint they threw her out of the home they shared inUzbekistan. Im very ashamed now about how we treatedher, said Alexei, who was baptized a year after his sister.

Once Oksana took her stand for God, she determined

never to attend a government meeting or conference onSabbath. Many times the gatherings were rescheduled soshe could participate.

Ive never had a problem with this issue because I haveput it in Gods hands, Oksana said. God blesses me, andpeople at work see that.

She also credited the blessings in her life to the amountof time that she spent with Godan hour every morning.Even if I get only two to three hours of sleep, I set myalarm an hour early so I can spend time with God readingHis Word, she said.

Left to right: SAYING

GOODBYE: Oksana

Sergiyenkos brother,

Alexei (left), holds the

hand of his mother,

Larisa (right), at Oksanas

funeral service in a Mos-

cow cemetery. CLOSE

SIBLINGS: Oksana (left)

and her brother, Alexei, in

gradeschool.

COURTESY

OF

THE

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The awards began to flow in. Her mother now has Oksa-nas collection of framed letters from the president, financeminister, and other senior officials recognizing Oksanaspatriotism and contribution to national security. In 2007then-president Putin decorated Oksana with the Medal ofthe Order for Service to the Fatherland, second rank.

But Oksanas activities went beyond drafting macroeco-nomic models for Russias prosperity. She made God a partof her workday in ways seldom seen in corporate offices,much less in government ministries. Oksana hosted aweekly prayer group for ministry officials in her office. Sheorganized Easter and Christmas concerts at two differentministries and invited Adventist musicians to perform. Theministries concert halls were packed to their 200-personcapacity, her family said, and Oksana made sure that everyaudience member left with a gifta brand-new Bible.

Oksana explained in the TV interview that faith is oftenlittle more than a formality if a believer doesnt actively

share God with others.If we buy a new washing machine, television, or some

other kind of technology that eases our workload, makesour lives more comfortable, or helps us save money, we tellour neighbors and friends about it right away, she said.How much more important it is for us to tell others whohavent seen Gods light about the love of God that we asbelievers have found.

Oksana also prepared what she called a spiritualgifta gift bag containing a Bible, mail-in Bible studies,and a DVD of her and her brother preaching at an Adven-tist church. She presented the gift bags to senior Russian

officials on birthdays and religious holidays and to foreignministers and even flight attendants on business trips.

Satan took notice. One of Oksanas biggest trials erupteddays after the broadcast of the 3ABN television interviewwhen a newspaper accused her of spending more time pro-moting Adventism than engaging in government work.

According to sources in the Finance Ministry, prayers,religious seminars, and Bible studies are held weekly in Ser-giyenkos office, said the report in the Vek newspaper.

In the breaks between these activities, if there is time,the ministry officials work on budget planning, it said.

The newspaper also darkly hinted that Oksana was on

the payroll of American spies who wanted to damage Rus-sias national interests.

The article was picked up by other media outlets andcaused a storm in a country where the Russian OrthodoxChurch is the dominant religion and Protestants, includingAdventists, are denounced as members of a sect. Lawmak-ers in the Russian parliament asked the prosecutor gener-als office to investigate.

The resulting inquiry delved into every facet of Oksa-nas life. Government agents scrutinized not only her workbut also her childhood, studies, family, friends, and faith.

But they failed to find one mistake or hint of wrongdoing.The investigations results echoed the biblical account ofthe government officials seeking to find some chargeagainst Daniel: They could find no charge or fault,because he was faithful; nor was there any error or faultfound in him (Dan. 6:4).

Prosecutors realized that Oksana was faithful to God,and that made her more faithful to her country. They wereforced to admit that Russia needed her as a top economist.

The investigation was closed. Oksana kept her job.Oksana, meanwhile, pressed ahead with her outreach

efforts. The literature she most liked to pass out was Hid-

den Treasure, an Adventist sharing newspaper that she dis-tributed in apartment blocks nearly every Sunday for eightyears, Alexei said.

The newspapers circulation soared from 300,000 copiesper month in early 2010 to 1.7 million copies a year later, anastounding growth credited in large part to Oksanas example.

Your healing shall spring forth speedily, andyour righteousness shall go before you; theglory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.

Left to right: COLLEGE DAYS: Oksana (center) with

two classmates at the college in Uzbekistan whereshe earned her first degree in economics in 1996.

PRECIOUS MEMORIES: Oksana, already a deputy

finance minister, and her mother, Larisa.

PH

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Then you shall call, and the Lord willanswer; you shall cry, and He will say, Here Iam (Isa. 58:8, 9).

Oksana took her passion for sharing God to the hospi-tal where she, weakened with cancer, was admitted in June2011. She immediately ordered Bibles for all the otherpatients.

As the pain grew more intense, she seemed to sense thatshe wasnt going to get well. On August 29, as her motherleft her bedside for the last time, Oksana told her, Mama, Ilove you very much.

The last passage Oksana turned to in her Bible wasPsalm 31:15-17: My times are in Your hand; deliver mefrom the hand of my enemies, and from those who perse-cute me. Make Your face shine upon Your servant; save mefor Your mercies sake. Do not let me be ashamed, O Lord,for I have called upon You; let the wicked be ashamed; letthem be silent in the grave.

Alexeis wife, Svetlana, stopped by the hospital thatnight. The two women prayed together, and Oksana endedher prayer, saying, Dear Jesus, take me to You. She thenfell asleep.

Her mother, who warmly welcomed me into her homeseveral weeks later to talk about her daughters life,acknowledged that she could not understand why Oksanahad died. This was her first illness, and it proved terminal,she said.

But perhaps Oksanas biggest opportunity to share God

was yet to come.As a stateswoman, Oksana qualified for a state funeral,

and one of her final wishes was for her pastor to officiate.Alexei, however, came under tremendous pressure when

he organized the funeral in two parts: 30 minutes for anAdventist service and 30 minutes for a government service.Government officials who did not identify themselvescalled his cell phone, warning him right up to the nightbefore the funeral that he should not try to use his sistersdeath to promote Adventism and that no statesmen wouldattend alongside Adventists.

Alexei refused to yield.

Most statesmen did stay away. But several governmentleaders joined Finance Ministry officials at the funeral and,after listening to the half-hour Adventist service, used theirown 30 minutes to wholeheartedly praise Oksanaand herlove for God.

Love has left our home, one official said.Another said: Her faith in God helped her work and

energized our work.Its sad that she passed away so early, after only 37 years,

said a third official. But her Jesus died even younger at 33.One official compared Oksana to a shooting star: She

shone brightly, and then she was gone.

The Adventists in attendance were deeply moved by thetributes. When I heard those beautiful words at thefuneral, I wished that the day would come when peoplecould say the same about me, said Vasiliy Stolyar, vicepresident of the Euro-Asia Division.

Gods name was glorified even at her funeral. Godsname can be glorified again in the life of every Adventistwho works hard and faithfully serves God and country.Thats how Oksana would have wanted it.

If you extend your soul to the hungry and

satisfy the afflicted soul, then your light shalldawn in the darkness, and your darkness shallbe as the noonday (Isa. 58:10).

Andrew McChesney is a journalist living inRussia.


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U N D A M E N T A L B E L I E F S

toBornConnectI

will never forget that moment. Three hours earlier Ihad given birth to my firstborn, and now the nurse waswalking into the room for the first time with my baby.

He was crying, but on hearing my voice, he immediatelystopped even though I had not touched him yet.

I had just experienced one of the most sublimemoments of my lifethe beginning of a new relationshipwith a human being whose safety, security, and protectiondepended entirely on another human being, his mother.Without realizing it, I was stepping into a new dimension

of marriage and the family.

A Belief Like No Other

Families are not typically remembered as a fundamentalbelief because it is something we live out daily, we are initwe do not usually pause to ponder it as an essentialdoctrine. However, Seventh-day Adventists acknowledgethat marriage was divinely established in Eden andaffirmed by Jesus. We also affirm that God blesses thefamily and intends that its members shall assist each othertoward complete maturity. Furthermore, we believe thatincreasing family closeness is one of the earmarks of the final

gospel message.1 As we approach the final stages of thegreat controversy, it is this closeness we should strive for,foster, and emphasize. The obvious question, of course, ishowto do it.

A Resource Like No Other

In 1950 the World Health Organization asked Englishpsychiatrist John Bowlby to study the mental health ofhomeless children in postwar Europe. In his report henoted that in order to be mentally healthy, it is essentialfor an infant or young child [to] experience a warm, inti-

mate and continuous relationship with his mother (orpermanent mother substitute) in which both find satisfac-tion and enjoyment.2 Over time Bowlby named this bondparent-child attachment.3 Every single human being inthe world was designed by God to seek a secure base intheir caregiver, especially when feeling distressed, and it isthanks to this secure base that a person can develop theconfidence to go out and explore the world. The parent-child bond is affectional and social; it takes time to build,and lasts a lifetime.4

When a baby is born, he or she has certain needs,mostly physical. However, these needs are interpreted bythe baby as also psychological. When mom and dad feed,warm, and protect their child, he or she will feel safe andsecure. If those needs are met consistently, babies learnover timeusually the first few years of their lifeto trustothers. Likewise, they learn to trust themselves, realizingthat the cues they are giving to make their needs known arethe appropriate ones.

As mom and dad care for and love their baby ade-quately, their child begins to understand his or her worth.Somebody takes the time to care for me, so I must be worth it,

the child begins to comprehend, and thus self-esteem startsto develop. At the same time, babies begin to esteem orvalue the person who is taking care of them. When childrenexperience these significant situations of intimacy in whichcare is given, they learn how to connect appropriately withtheir caregiver, as well as future intimate relationships.

Another important dimension of attachment is that ofcontrol and how to exert it adequately. When babies com-plaints are met adequately, they learn to exert control intheir immediate surroundings in a healthy way, controllingboth themselves and others.5

Gods perfect design for families isbased on close relationships

ByCintiaPaseggi

N U M B E R 2 3


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A Design Like No Other

This is Gods perfect design for young children todevelop secure attachment with their caregiver, originally

designed by Him to be mom or dad. As a child grows older,he starts to expand his attachment, or deep affectionalbonds, toward others, be it relatives, peers, or teachers. Asadolescence or young adulthood is reached, this attach-ment bond is increasingly directed toward the opposite sex.When as parents we follow Gods plan to care and love ourchildren, we prepare them to be responsible, self-reliantadults who can choose with sound criteria. They will besecure individuals who trust and value themselves and oth-ers, who know how to interact with appropriate intimacyand how to adequately control themselves and their sur-roundings.

It is very likely that young people with a secure attach-ment will choose their life partners wisely because theyhave the tools to do so. When you have a good, sound mar-riage, chances are that you will have a healthy family, rais-ing securely attached children. And so the circle comes to aclose.

Following His design

Gods perfect design for families to thrive is based onrelating and connecting to each other, because He is a rela-tional God who seeks connection with His children. Hesays: As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort

you (Isa. 66:13); I will not leave you orphans; I will cometo you (John 14:18). Time after time, biblical authorsremind us that the secret for a successful relationship with

God is based on closeness and attachment (see, forinstance, James 4:8; Heb. 4:16). We were created in Godsown image (Gen. 1:26), which includes the essential need

to bond, to connect, first with our caregivers and then withour peers, relatives, and friends.

These bonds cannot always be explained: The link is amysterious one which binds human hearts together, wroteEllen White.6 But even as we struggle to single out andname every component of Gods model, we are asked tofollow His ideal. And within that context a secure attach-ment bond is the best legacy that parents can leave theirchildren: a legacy threaded throughout a persons life,knowing no boundaries or cultures.

The design is perfect. It depends on you and me to askGods help to carry it out as He first intended it (Ps. 25:4).

1 See wording of fundamental belief in sidebar. (Italics supplied.)2 John Bowlby,Maternal Care and Mental Health(Geneva: World Health Organization, 1951), p. 11.3 See John Bowlby,A Secure Base: Parent-Child Attachment and Healthy Human Development(London: Routledge, 1988).4 See Graham Music,Nurturing Natures: Attachment and Childrens Emotional, Sociocultural andBrain Development(Hove, Eng.: Psychology Press, 2011).5 See Laurie Anne Pearlman, Trauma and Attachment Belief Scale Manual(Los Angeles: WesternPsychological Services, 2003).6Testimonies for the Church, vol. 4, p. 587.

Cintia Paseggi worked as a counselor forcollege students and as a psychologist in Ar-gentina before she moved to Ottawa, Ontario,

Canada, where she is the proud mom of twoyoung boys.

Marriage was divinely established

in Eden and affirmed by Jesus to be a

lifelong union between a man and a

woman in loving companionship. For the

Christian a marriage commitment is to God

as well as to the spouse, and should be

entered into only between partners who

share a common faith. Mutual love, honor,

respect, and responsibility are the fabric

of this relationship, which is to reflect the

love, sanctity, closeness, and permanence

of the relationship between Christ and His

church. Regarding divorce, Jesus taught

that the person who divorces a spouse,

except for fornication, and marries

another, commits adultery. Although some

family relationships may fall short of the

ideal, marriage partners who fully commit

themselves to each other in Christ may

achieve loving unity through the guidance

of the Spirit and the nurture of the church.

God blesses the family and intends that its

members shall assist each other toward

complete maturity. Parents are to bring up

their children to love and obey the Lord.

By their example and their words they

are to teach them that Christ is a loving

disciplinarian, ever tender and caring,

who wants them to become members of

His body, the family of God. Increasing

family closeness is one of the earmarks

of the final gospel message. (Gen. 2:18-25;

Matt. 19:3-9; John 2:1-11; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph.

5:21-33; Matt. 5:31, 32; Mark 10:11, 12; Luke

16:18; 1 Cor. 7:10, 11; Ex. 20:12; Eph. 6:1-4;

Deut. 6:5-9; Prov. 22:6; Mal. 4:5, 6.)

Marriage

and theFamily


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D I S C O V E R I N G T H E S P I R I T O F P R O P H E C Y

Where Is

God

Ellen Whites struggle with pain

HISTORICAL IMAGES:

The only known portrait of Ellen White

while she was in Australia (taken in

1899), and the diary entry from

July 14, 1892.

ByJohnSkrzypaszek

NeedWhen You

P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F T H E E L L E N G . W H I T E E S T A T E

?


Of the many inspiring chaptersin Ellen Whites classic on thelife of Christ, The Desire of

Ages, the one entitled Lazarus,Come Forth. The spiritual

insights seem to emerge from thedepths of an author who keenlyunderstands extreme emo-tional turmoil, a time duringwhich nothing matters or

makes sense. Such momentsinflame the soul with a thirstfor Gods presence and forthe touch of His guiding and

healing hand. Here the yearn-ing of the human heart

stretches over the barriers ofunexplainable circumstances,

hoping to hear the voice of someonewho says, All is well: I am in control.

Confronting Adversity

In 1892, shortly after her arrival inAustralia, Ellen White continuedworking on her major study on thelife of Christ. On July 14 she wrote inher diary. I am now writing on thelife of Christ. I know that the enemywill make every possible effort to hin-der me, but I shall cling to Jesus, forHe is my dependence.1

In the early stages of her life downunder, she confronted a long season

of adverse physical circumstances.During the past four months of painand infirmity, I have constantly impor-

tuned God for help.2 The intensity ofher struggle was horrendous. I felt asif my body were being crushed. . . . Icould hardly move any of my limbs. Idid not know where I was.3 The pastnight was an almost sleepless one.4The night has been long and trying. Ilay awake from half past ten till halfpast two, so full of nervous pain that I

could not rest.5 Last night I was per-plexed to know what to do for my ach-ing nerves and muscles.6

Moments such as these inevitablycreate perplexity and raise questions,and Ellen White was not exempt fromsuch experiences. I do not under-stand why I am lying here, unable tolabor for the Lord.7 I hoped that mycaptivity might be turned immedi-

ately, and to my finite judgment itseemed that thus God would be glori-fied.8 I am anxious to present to ourpeople the message that the Lord hasgiven me, that Christ has made us Hisown, that He has bought us with aprice beyond computation.9 When Ipray earnestly for restoration, and itseems that that the Lord does notanswer, my spirit almost faints withinme.10 When the affliction underwhich I have been suffering for several

months came upon me, I was sur-prised that it was not removed at oncein answer to prayer.11

Beneath Are theEverlasting Arms

Examining her diary notes, letters,and manuscripts, I have found myselfwondering, So where is God when oneneeds Him? How does one cope with the

trauma of personal adversity?During

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John Skrzypaszek isdirector of the Ellen G.White Study Center at

Avonadale College inCooranboong, New South Wales, Australia.


her personal struggles Ellen Whitefocused on Gods promises found inthe Bible. She especially reflected on

the story of Lazarus. Of late I havebeen thinking much of Martha andMary, and their experience at the timeof the death and resurrection of Laza-rus.12 It is evident that even thoughthe Bible was her source of strength,her thoughts and reflections unfold atension between trustand hopefulexpectations. She wrote: When Laza-rus became sick, they sent Jesus theword, Lord, behold, he whom thoulovest is sick [John 11:3, KJV]. There

was no further word, no urgent mes-sage for Him to come. They fullyexpected that their beloved Friendwould at once come and heal theirbrother.13 Jesus did not come imme-diately, either for Mary and Marthassake, or for Ellen Whites. She wrote,With heavy hearts the sisters pre-pared Lazarus for burial, all the whilelooking anxiously for Christ. Theylonged to see Him, and to hear Hiswords of comfort.14

Ellen Whites personal struggleswith pain and her longing for healingare visible in the way she describedMartha and Marys thirst for Christspresence. Christ knew that as theylooked on the dead face of theirbrother their faith in their Redeemerwould be severely tried. But He knewthat because of the struggle throughwhich they were now passing theirfaith would shine forth with far greaterpower.15 No wonder that her thoughts

appear so authentic and convincing:To all who are reaching out to feel theguiding hand of God, the moment ofgreatest discouragement is the timewhen divine help is nearest.16

In the midst of her own struggles,Ellen White expressed her hope withpassion and conviction: I am not castdown, neither am I disquieted. I amcheerful and hopeful in God. I havefaith that I shall receive strength. I am

not free from trials and temptations;yet I feel that God is able to keepme.17 Her faith and patience were

rewarded with Gods sustaining grace.Then I may be comforted in the long,painful hours of the night.18

His Promises Assure His

Presence

Space doesnt permit a comprehen-sive examination of all the passagesthat detail the trauma of Ellen Whitesearly experience in Australia, but notethese: I do not understand why I amlying here, unable to labor for the

Lord; but God understands, and that isenough for me.19 I am comforted withthe assurance that although constantlysuffering pain, I am never forsaken. Iput trust in One who is too wise to errand too good to do me harm. He willrestore my health. I shall yet speakforth His praise in the congregation ofthe saints. I am determined not toencourage feeling of despondency andgloom.20

For Ellen White truth moved

beyond descriptive assertion aboutGod. Her understanding of truthabout God developed progressively. Itwas bound to the experiential knowl-edge of God, namely, trust in Hisunfailing promises. Her trust in Jesusas the Restorer, the One who alonecould bring life and immortality tolight 21 had an experientially practicalcomponent. Sickness and pain maytest and try our patience and our faith,but the brightness of the Presence of

the universe is with us and we musthide self behind Jesus.22 Talk courageto the church.23

At the end of her challenging expe-rience in Australia, Ellen White wrotea letter to the leaders at the GeneralConference. Since the first few weeksof my affliction, I have had no doubtsin regard to my duty in coming to thisdistant field; and more than this, myconfidence in my heavenly Fathers

plan in my affliction has been greatlyincreased. I cannot now see all thepurposes of God, but I am confident it

was a part of His plan that I should bethus afflicted, and I am content andperfectly at ease in the matter.24

How can one express so muchcourage at times of personal distress?The answer flows from the lips of onewho knew God. At times when itseemed that I could not endure thepain, when unable to sleep, I looked toJesus by faith, and His presence waswith me, every shade of darkness rolledaway . . . the very room was filled with

the light of His divine presence.25

The depth of Ellen Whites spiri-tual integrity encourages the churchshe loved to confront the realities oflife with an implicit confidence andtrust in God.

1 Ellen G. White diary, July 14,1892, in Ellen G. White,Manuscript Releases (Silver Spring, Md.: Ellen G. White Estate,1993), vol. 21, p. 125.2 Diary, Apr. 22, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, p. 109.3 Diary, May 10, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, p. 110.4 Diary, May 22, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, p. 111.5 Diary, June 15, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, p. 112.6 Diary, June 19, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, p. 114.7 Diary, Apr. 22, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, p. 109.8 Diary, May 21, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, p. 111.9 Diary, June 20, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, p. 115.10 Diary, July 10, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, p. 123.11 Diary, July 14, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, p. 125.12 Diary, Apr. 22, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, p. 109.13Ibid.14Ibid.15 Ellen G. White, The Desire of Ages (Mountain View, Calif.:Pacific Press, 1898), p. 528.16Ibid.17 Ellen White to S. N. Haskell, July 17, 1892.18Ibid.19 Diary, Apr. 22, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, p. 109.(Italics supplied.)20 Diary, May 9, 1892, inManuscript Releases, vol. 21, pp. 109, 110.21 White, The Desire of Ages, p. 529.22 White to Haskell, July 17, 1892, inManuscript Releases (SilverSpring. Md.: Ellen G. White Estate, 1990), vol. 2, p. 37.23 Ellen G. White, in Signs of the Times, Oct. 2, 1892.24 Ellen G. White letter 2d, Dec. 23, 1892, in General ConferenceDaily Bulletin, Feb. 27, 1893.25Ibid.

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education. Missionaries expanded the church and pen-etrated the communities through their work in the schools.Physical disability notwithstanding, Pastor Bhebe too was apart of this tradition.

At the end of his training in 1934, Bhebe conducted

evangelistic meetings at Mayembe, a few miles west ofSolusi. Elder R. Mote, in charge of the work in NorthernRhodesia (now Zambia), then called him to come andteach the Ndebele people settled in Monze, to the south,where Zambia Adventist University is today. There hetaught for four years and learned to speak the Tongan. In1939 he was transferred north to Ndola to teach at MusofuMission. While there he married Esther Velaphi Moyo,whom he had met at the settlement.

In June 1945, at the end of World War II, he returned toLower Gwelo (Somabula Mission) in Southern Rhodesia(Zimbabwe) as teacher and preceptor. In the ensuing years

Bhebe served in different schools: Shagari (1946 -1949),Lower Gwelo (1950 -1951), and Jonkola (1952). From1953 to 1955 he served as pastor of Mtapa church in thecity of Gweru, and began the construction of a churchbuilding. His rapport and connections with public officialsenabled him to request a church building donation fromthe Ministry of Education in Harare. He received $100alot of money in those days.

Invaluable Contributions

Early missionary work cannot overlook the contribu-tion of local men and women who penetrated the mostdifficult places. They did not have the luxuries of cars, tele-phone, electricity, Internet, and all the modern parapher-

nalia that many of us today enjoy. In 1927 when PastorBhebe began his teaching ministry, the Adventist Church inZimbabwe had a little more than 1,500 members. Todaythe membership stands at more than 600,000 in a popula-tion of 12 million. It is pioneers like Bhebe that set thestage for aggressive mission work and blazed the trail inspite of disabilities.

It was my privilege to see and hear him preach at aSolusi College Week of Prayer. His knees sat on a chair sohe could be visible behind the pulpit. In fluent English,and without notes, he spoke directly to his audience, some-times with his elbow resting on the pulpit and his hand

over his chin, culturally a sign of confidence, sincerity, andcompassion.

In an interview before he died, he told me about anincident that took place in Gweru. Walking on his kneesand hands along the sidewalk on Main Street, he observeda man cursing and harassing the servant who was pushinghim as he rode in a wheelchair. Pastor Bhebe sat upright onthe sidewalk and taunted the wheelchair rider: Why do

I did not make myself this way, he wept as he prayed.The years 1955 to 1959 saw him back at Lower Gwelo,

replacing Simeon B. Dube as pastor. Officiating at his ordi-nation, in 1957, were Elders Ralph S. Watts, president ofthe Southern African Division, and Edward Trumper, sec-retary-treasurer for the Southern Rhodesia Mission, alongwith Simeon B. Dube, later to become the first Africanpresident of the Adventist work in then Southern Rhodesia.

Bhebe continued to serve as church pastor when, in1960, he moved to the office in Gweru as translator. Trans-lation work gave him a wider audience in church circles.The promotion also meant he could own a tricycle oper-ated with his hands. Thereafter he needed to crawl only

when getting inside buildings. Bhebe retired in 1966 butcontinued working until retiring again in 1972.

Bhebes associates included Jackson Ncube, who servedGod for many years in spite of polio in both legs; IsaacXhiba, the first African to attend a General Conference ses-sion as a delegate; and Moses Donga, one of his greatmentors. It was during his contact with Donga in 1930 thatBhebe wept to God, I did not make myself this way! Inhis discouragement he asked Donga to send him to NgigeniSchool in the Zhombe area. Instead the Lord redirectedhim to Solusi Mission to train there as a teacher-evangelist.

you harass the man who is helping you? You look at me! Iwalk on my knees with no one to push me! Then he saidto the servant, Leave him alone; lets see what he will dowithout you! In those colonial days that kind of confron-tation was unthinkable. But it shows how confident andforthright a man Bhebe was.

Self-pity could not conquer him, nor did physical dis-ability hinder Gods purposes for his life. He traveled andworked extensively regardless of the physical challenges.His legacy of teaching and preaching inspires the schooland the church to get humankind ready for the return ofJesus. We owe this to him and to all our pioneers.

1 Gwelo is todays Gweru.2 Among the contributors from that period who remain largely unsung are Kaiser Mlalazi,Bafanana Sithole, Lewis Nikane Sibanda, Naomi Mbuyisa (Mrs. Mackenzie Nkomo), DicksonDumba, Isaac Gurure, and P. J. Ngono.

Born in Zimbabwe, Zebron Ncube is seniorpastor of Highland Avenue Seventh-dayAdventist church in Benton Harbor, Michigan,

U.S.A. He and his wife, Peggie, have twodaughters, Lindile and Nozipho, and a son, Nhlalo.


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B I B L E Q U E S T I O N S A N S W E R E D

Since the verse you refer to describeslife in the New Jerusalem, I assume

that you are concerned about the need for healing in thenew earth. Good. Now the truth: the biblical text does notdirectly answer your question. So in looking for an answer,if there is one, well have to examine other texts and drawsome conclusions. But first lets look at leaves in the Bible.

1.Leaves and More Leaves: Leaves in the Bible haveboth negative and positive connotations. A tree with greenleaves is an expression of beauty and fertility; a tree whoseleaves are withering signals death or the absence of fertility.

The withering of leaves represents the damage of sin on theflora, as well as on Gods people (Isa. 1:30; Jer. 8:13). Greenleaves are a symbol of prosperity and renewal of life (Prov.11:28; Ps. 1:3); even of hope (Gen. 8:11). The beauty of atree with abundant foliage was a symbol of fertility andplayed an important role in Canaanite religion (1 Kings14:23; Eze. 6:14). Sin damaged trees, yet they were still use-ful. In some cases leaves could be medicinale.g., theleaves of a sycamore tree were used to dress wounds.

2.Other Biblical Passages: In Revelation the New Jeru-salem is described as a garden with abundant water andbeautiful flora (Rev. 22:1-3). The image of a garden has thepurpose of alerting the reader concerning its connectionwith the narrative of the Garden of Eden. In both cases youhave abundant water and the tree of life (Rev. 22:1, 2; Gen.2:9-11). In the case of Eden, the tree of life is clearly associ-ated with the perpetuity of human life (Gen. 3:22). Aftersin humans were barred from access to this tree. The tree oflife was not a symbol of healing. The connection betweentrees, leaves, and healing is found in Ezekiel 47:1-12. Theprophet saw a small stream of water flowing from underthe threshold of the temple toward the east, then to thesouth. The stream became a deep river whose waters

reached the Dead Sea, bringing life to it (verses 8, 9). Onthe banks of the river were many trees: Their leaves willnot dry up. . . . Every month they will bear fruit. . . . Andtheir leaves will be used for healing (verse 12, NIrV).1 Inboth Ezekiel and Revelation the river flows from Godstemple and the leaves of the trees bring healing. In Ezekielthere are many treesbut no tree of life; in Revelationthere appears to be only one tree located on both banks of

the river. In both cases we are taken back to the originalcondition of the earth. Ezekiel does not explicitly state thenature of the healing produced by the leaves of the tree.

3.Healing and the New Jerusalem: The information wehave gathered is helpful but does not clearly answer yourquestion. We can affirm that in the New Jerusalem nature isrestored to its original beauty and fruitfulness; leaves willnever wither again. With respect to the tree of life, nowGods people have access to it (Rev. 2:7; 22:14), and its leavesare for the healing of the nations (Rev. 22:2). This healingmay be associated with what is mentioned in the next verse:There will no longer be any curse (verse 3, NIrV). This isthe ultimate healing more specifically described in Revela-tion 21:4: There will be no crying, death, mourning, or pain.The curse of sin will be gone! The true tree of life, JesusChrist, will heal humans and nature.

If that is true, we could suggest that once restored tothe tree of life in the long-lost Eden, the redeemed willgrow up (Malachi 4:2) to the full stature of the race in itsprimeval glory. The last lingering traces of th

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