"From the ashes of the martyrs has sprung an abundant harvest for God. . . In health and sickness, in life and death, God uses them still." —Ellen White, Acts of the Apostles. And so we honor the sacrifices made by those who answered God’s call to mission service.
Missionary Tribute
VOICE: Nearly 150 years ago, delegates to the 1869 General Conference session in Battle Creek, Michigan, discussed the possibility of sending missionaries to other lands.
They knew the sacrifice it would take, so instead the Mission Society focused on printing literature to send overseas.
But five years later, J. N. Andrews and his two children—Charles, 16, and Mary, 12—boarded a ship in Boston as the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s first official missionaries. Elder Andrews never returned from his mission post and his daughter lived only another five years. Today Elder Andrews lies buried in Basel, Switzerland.
In 1885 Ellen White called for workers for foreign mission:
“The calls are urgent for more laborers, but where are the light-bearers to the world? God has sent the truth to our doors, but are we doing all in our power to send it to the dark corners of the earth?
VOICE: In 1889, Elder Stephen Haskell and his assistant, Percy Magan, circled the globe looking for mission opportunities, and sending back reports that were published in the Youth’s Instructor magazine.
Through the years, the Seventh-day Adventist Church has sent out thousands of missionaries and their families. They’ve left their homes and loved ones. They’ve crossed oceans. They’ve served in challenging locations. They’ve answered God’s call to carry a message of hope to the far corners of the world.
Many have never returned home. They lie buried in foreign lands awaiting the resurrection.
In the past five years we’ve lost many serving in mission. They include missionaries, volunteers, the children and even babies of those serving. These tragedies represent much pain and heartache. And so today we pay special tribute to the sacrifice of these missionary families. We know they have a special place in the heart of God.
In 2011, a young Adventist Volunteer Service worker, a psychologist from the Philippines, traveled to serve in the African country of Chad.
MINNIE: The Lord has been impressing me that He will send me to Africa, so here I am now in this place.
ALMA: When she went back to Africa, a few months. I think two months after, that was the time that the brother texted me that she was sick with Malaria. Then the following morning, the brother texted me when I was on my way to school to teach. All of a sudden, I was shocked, because the brother said, “She’s dead.”
MATT: Sa kabila ng (Subtitle? Despite the…)… possibility of death, she can look past that and say I'm better off dying in this life, knowing later on I will live for the Lord.
ALMA: She gave her skills, her intelligence, her talents, even her capacity to earn more, she gave it all up to, to serve.
From the ashes of the martyrs has sprung an abundant harvest for God. . . In health and sickness, in life and death, God uses them still. —Ellen White, Acts of the Apostles.
VOICE: And so we honor the sacrifices made by those who answered God’s call to mission service.
1966-2010
Dean of Information Systems
Serving in Madagascar from Philippines
GC Missionary
2005?-2009
Son of Missionary parents
Serving in Chad from USA
Adventist Medical Aviation
2006-2011
Daughter of Missionary parents
Serving in Cambodia from Pakistan
GC Missionary
1930-2011
Doctor
Serving in India from USA
GC Missionary
2011-2011
Son of Missionary parents
Serving in Chad from Denmark/USA
Adventist Health International
1969-2012
Serving in Chad from Philippines
Adventist Volunteer Services
1966-2012
Missionary
Serving in Papua New Guinea from USA
Adventist Frontier Missions
1942-2014
Visiting Professor
Serving in Zambia from USA
GC Missionary
1951-2014
Mission Pilot
Serving in Indonesia from USA
GC Missionary
1949-2014
Serving in Euro-Asia Division in Russia from Argentina
GC Missionary
1991-2015
Son of Missionary parents
From Russia serving in Philippines
GC Missionary
1942-2015
Administrative Assistant for Development
Serving in Southern Asia Division in India from USA
GC Missionary
VOICE: He never wanted them to honor him or put his name on plaques (which they did anyway) for he always felt that he was just a channel that the Lord was using. He wanted Jesus’ name to be heard and seen not his.
“--Brenda Robinson, writing about her husband Bob.”
