A Special Sabbath

As I look back through the years, to how this ministry and the work here in La Zona began and how God has blest and magnified all that this ministry has done, I can’t help but say, “Praise the Lord!”  I know that I shouldn’t be, but I am happily surprised at how medical missionary work along with presenting gospel truths has drawn so many people in our village to give their lives over completely to the Lord.

What once was a completely Catholic and evangelical community is now about 1/3 Seventh Day Adventist; and friends, we can thank the Lord again, because this past Sabbath we had our umpteenth baptism, (honestly I’ve lost count), welcoming yet two more precious souls into the house of God, the portals of heaven.

It was such a beautiful Sabbath morning. Church members and visitors from throughout the community and from the town of Santa Barbara were anxious to be in the house of God to experience the blessings of another holy communion service.                                                                                                                          

It was not a normal routine communion service; this communion was followed by a wonderful baptism. Two young women joined the family of God this beautiful Sabbath day. After a short message in church, we loaded up the pick-up trucks with as many people as they could carry, and we headed down to the river bed, where the men of the church had worked hard to construct a small pool area in the midst of the rubble that was left by the hurricanes.

Baptisms are always special occasions, but somehow going down to that river bed full of rocks and remains of the destruction left by the hurricane makes one ponder of the love and mercy of God, that in the midst of sadness and destruction He brings life, hope, and a change of life..

“Shall we not regard the mercy of God? What more could He do? Let us place ourselves in right relation to Him who has loved us with amazing love. Let us avail ourselves of the means provided for us that we may be transformed into His likeness, as we live in the midst of a revolted world.”

Steps to Christ p. 22

A Blessed Baptism Day

Friends, you should have been there to witness such a beautiful sight and to know that angels from heaven were standing there also, to witness yet two more precious souls join the heavenly family of God.

It was a very special day for Olman, one of our young members who is also a deacon, to be able to walk his wife into the baptismal waters. 🙂