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Related topics The Five-Year Prayer Filip’s story shows how persistent prayer and Adventist education strengthened his faith, from praying for his family to attending KOMPAS, where Bible study and a caring school community became part of his everyday life.
Filip remembers what it felt like when his parents did not live together. “I stayed with my dad,” he said. “I saw my mom on weekends—sometimes.” He was still a boy when it happened. But he knew what to do. “I prayed,” Filip said. He kept praying for five years. Before that, he had heard many sermons at church. His mother had taught him that God listens. So even when things felt confusing and sad, Filip kept going to Sabbath School. He kept praying. And then something changed. “My parents are back together now,” he said quietly. “It has been three or four years.” Filip believes God answered his prayer. And even though sometimes God doesn’t answer in just the way we would like, we know that in the end we can always trust Him to do what is best. Today Filip is in grade 8 at the KOMPAS Adventist Primary School in Poland. But getting there was another answer to prayer. He did not always attend this school. For a time, he went to a public school near his home. His mother hoped he could attend the Adventist school, but it was a 40-minute drive each way. His father was not sure at first. “I prayed about it for one year,” Filip said. Then his father agreed. Now Filip has been at KOMPAS since grade 6. What does he like most? “P.E.,” he said quickly. “Football and volleyball.” He also likes the hot lunches. But when he compares this school to public school, he becomes more thoughtful. “In public school there were more students, so there were more friends,” he explained. “But here the teachers are more kind. They are more passionate about their work.” He says people are nicer. “There isn’t swearing,” he added. “And everyone is generally kinder.” Filip especially notices the spiritual atmosphere. Every morning the class gathers for Bible time. They sit in a circle and talk about Scripture. Sometimes they discuss stories about heaven and the great controversy. “It was sad,” he said, remembering one lesson, “that Satan was first so good and powerful and then he turned so bad.” The Bible stories feel real to him. At his old school, faith was something he mostly experienced at church. Here, it is part of every day. His mother has noticed the difference. “After one year at KOMPAS, his prayers became more mature,” she said. “He began praying about things he never prayed about before.” Once, Filip had a very high fever—41 degrees Celsius (105.8°F). Many children would be happy to stay home from school. But not Filip. “He still wanted to go,” his mother said with a smile. The school is not close. The family lives 35 kilometers (about 22 miles) away. Each day, Filip’s father drives him to campus in the morning, waits while working on his computer, and drives him home in the afternoon. It takes time. It takes effort. It takes sacrifice. But for Filip, it is worth it. When asked what he hopes to do in the future, he thinks for a moment. “Maybe something useful,” he said. “And maybe I could travel.” He has already learned something important: prayer matters. Today, many more children want to attend KOMPAS. More families are choosing this special place where students pray together, study the Bible each morning, and learn in a kind and caring environment. But there is a problem—the school is running out of space. That is why part of this Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help expand the classroom space at KOMPAS Adventist School in Poland. Your offering will help build more room for children to learn about Jesus. It will help create space for more circles of students opening their Bibles each morning. It will help more boys and girls grow in faith, just like Filip. When you give this Thirteenth Sabbath, you are not just building classrooms. You are helping to build faith. Thank you for giving generously.  Story Tips · Show the continent of Europe on a map, pointing out the country of Poland. Then point out the capital city of Warsaw and explain that the KOMPAS school is in the village of Podkowa Lesna, about 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) southwest of Warsaw. · Watch short videos and download photos at facebook.com/missionquarterlies · Read more about how the school began at: bit.ly/AdventistPrimarySchoolPoland MISSION RECORD Poland is a country in Europe with about 37 million people. Among them are 6,032 Seventh-day Adventists who worship in 117 churches and 33 companies. That means there is one Adventist for every 6,228 people in Poland. Poland is one of the most religious countries in Europe. More than 70 percent of the people are Catholic. Only a very small number belong to other Christian churches. The first Adventist missionaries came to Poland from Crimea. In 1893, the first church was started. During World War II, Adventist churches were closed, but in 1946, after the war ended, the churches were allowed to open again. Today, there is an Adventist college in Podkowa Leśna, a publishing house in Warsaw, and a retirement home in Bielsko-Biała. Get to know the region More Children Mission Stories Topics

Filip’s story shows how persistent prayer and Adventist education strengthened his faith, from praying for his family to attending KOMPAS, where Bible study and a caring school community became part of his everyday life.

The Five-Year Prayer

Related topics Being a “PK” Teodor and Anastasia experience the joys and challenges of growing up as a pastor’s children in Croatia, learning through family worship, church service, Pathfinders, and everyday life to remain strong in their faith.
Teodor, 12, and his sister, Anastasia, 10 have lived in many places. They were born in Croatia. They lived in Maruševec, then Zagreb. For a time they even lived in England while their father studied. Then they moved again. And again. Why so many moves? Because their dad is a pastor. Being a pastor’s kid—a “PK”—is sometimes exciting. And sometimes it’s tiring. “Sometimes it’s fun to travel,” Teodor says. “But sometimes we need to wake up very early.” “It’s a little bit hard,” Anastasia adds. “We are in the car a lot.” Their father preaches in different churches around Croatia and even near the Austrian border. Wherever he goes, the children often go with him. And they don’t just sit quietly in the pew. They help. “We sing,” Teodor says. “We collect the offering. We pray during the service.” They’ve been singing in church since they were five and seven years old. Now they even sing in the adult choir, even though there aren’t many other children in it. At home, faith is part of everyday life. Every evening, the family studies the Bible together. They read a chapter, talk about what it means, and then each person prays. Right now, they are reading about Moses leading God’s people through the desert. “We ask what we can learn from it,” Anastasia explains. They also attend Pathfinders. They’ve participated in Bible competitions and even traveled to Budapest for the Pathfinder Bible Experience. They love Bible camp: making friends, playing games, and learning more about God. But not everything is easy. In public school, sometimes other children tease them because they are Adventists. “They didn’t like that I was Adventist,” Teodor says quietly. Anastasia was teased too. “I ignored it,” she says. “I had good friends.” Living in a country without Adventist elementary schools means they attend public schools. They stand out sometimes. Their beliefs are different. But instead of hiding their faith, they live it. They help their dad. They sing about Jesus. They serve in church. They study the Bible. They pray. And they keep going. Being a pastor’s kid means more than traveling and singing. It means learning that church is not just a building—it’s people. It’s service. It’s family. And when church buildings are damaged, like the Zagreb 1 church that was hurt in the earthquake, children still need a place to gather, sing, pray, and grow. Our Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help rebuild the Zagreb 1 church in Croatia. A new church building will give children a safe place to worship, sing in choirs, study the Bible, and make friends who love Jesus. Let’s give so more boys and girls can grow up strong in faith—just like Teodor and Anastasia.  Story Tips · Show the continent of Europe on a map, pointing out the country of Croatia. Then show the capital city of Zagreb, where part of this quarter’s offering will go to help rebuild the church that was severely damaged by an earthquake. · Watch short videos and download photos at facebook.com/missionquarterlies · Ask the children how they would share Jesus with children who do not know Him yet. AMAZING COUNTRY One of Croatia’s most famous landmarks is the Pula Arena. Located in the city of Pula, this ancient Roman amphitheater was built nearly 2,000 years ago. It is the only remaining Roman amphitheater in the world with its entire circular outer wall still standing. Get to know the region More Children Mission Stories Topics

Teodor and Anastasia experience the joys and challenges of growing up as a pastor’s children in Croatia, learning through family worship, church service, Pathfinders, and everyday life to remain strong in their faith.

Being a “PK”

Related topics “Show Me the Truth” Nika’s search for spiritual truth leads her from New Age beliefs to the Bible, the Sabbath, and baptism, and today she serves children through Zagreb’s Prilaz School while helping others discover faith in God.
On weekday afternoons in Zagreb, laughter and quiet concentration fill a church library known as the “Prilaz School.” At one table sits Nika, patiently helping a child work through a difficult assignment. At another moment, she pauses and asks gently, “Shall we pray?” For up to twelve students each week, Nika is more than a tutor. She is a steady presence—someone who listens, encourages, and points young hearts toward God. One day a student’s mother was hospitalized unexpectedly. The children were worried. “Let’s pray for her,” Nika suggested. They did. Soon afterward, the mother recovered. Another child, so happy in the warm atmosphere of the program, once declared, “I want to work here when I grow up!” For Nika, moments like these are deeply meaningful. “I feel very fulfilled and very close to Jesus,” she says. “I know the Holy Spirit is leading me.” But only a few years ago, her life looked very different. Like most people in Croatia, Nika was raised in the country’s traditional religion. As a young adult, however, she began searching for something more. Her spiritual curiosity led her into New Age teachings. She even traveled to India, exploring ideas about reincarnation and participating in elaborate rituals. “But it was empty,” she recalls. “Nothing changed. I prayed, but everything stayed the same.” What troubled her most was the inconsistency. “They talked about good things,” she says, “but they were not living them.” Disillusioned and spiritually restless, Nika returned to Croatia feeling alone and without purpose. Then one day, she met an older woman who invited her to church. There she received a Bible. As she began reading, something caught her attention—the Sabbath. It seemed clear in Scripture. “Why don’t you go to church on Saturday?” she asked the pastor. “It’s not important,” he answered. “It’s only a day.” But Nika could not ignore what she was discovering. “It’s not only a day,” she thought. She began praying: “Show me the truth.” While searching online, Nika came across a YouTube channel addressing topics she had once wrestled with—reincarnation, creation, and the reliability of Scripture. The presentations made sense. She learned the speaker was a Seventh-day Adventist and would soon be lecturing at a local Adventist church. She decided to attend. Again, what she heard resonated deeply. Even more, the people welcomed her warmly—especially Mileta, the church librarian, who asked if she would like to enroll in the Discovery Bible Correspondence School. “I’ll do the lessons at home,” Nika replied, “and come once a week so we can talk.” For three to four hours at a time, they studied together. Mileta introduced her to the writings of Ellen White, which Nika eagerly read. Truth was unfolding—clear, biblical, consistent. When she became convicted about keeping the Sabbath, Nika made a difficult decision. She left her job and accepted night work as a security guard so she would be free during Sabbath hours. The long quiet shifts gave her time to read and reflect. Finally, she knew she had found what she had been searching for. Nika was baptized on December 16, 2023. Because the historic Zagreb 1 church building had been severely damaged in the 2020 earthquake, her baptism took place in another Adventist church. Her family attended. Her stepfather, who had long claimed to be an atheist, told her afterward, “You are in the right place.” Just weeks later, he passed away. Nika treasures those words and continues praying for her mother and brothers. Six months after her baptism, an unexpected opportunity came. The church’s Prilaz School, an after-school tutoring outreach begun during the pandemic, needed help, and Nika gladly responded to the need. The program, supported by the Trans-European Division and the Croatian Conference, was designed to serve families overwhelmed by academic and social pressures. Now, Nika helps children with homework—and gently introduces them to the God who changed her life. She also drives a taxi part-time. In her car, she keeps copies of Steps to Christ and health magazines, praying each day that God will send someone who is searching. “Show me the truth,” she once prayed. Now she helps others find it. Today, the members of Zagreb 1 continue meeting in temporary spaces while they look forward to rebuilding their church home—severely damaged in the 2020 earthquake. But while they wait, the mission continues. Through outreach projects like the Prilaz School, lives are being changed. Your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help provide a new church building in Zagreb—a place where worship, Bible study, children’s programs, and community outreach can flourish again. It will be a spiritual home not only for members, but for seekers like Nika who are praying, “Show me the truth.”  Story Tips · Show the location of Croatia on a map. · Download photos for this story from Facebook: bit.ly/fb-mq. · Share facts related to Croatia (see below) Fast Facts · The official name of Croatia is the Republic of Croatia. · The capital city of Croatia is Zagreb in the north of the country. · Croatian is the official language of Croatia. · The Euro is the currency of Croatia. · Croatia’s coastline contains more than a thousand islands, only 48 of which are inhabited. · The Pula Arena, in Pula, Croatia, is an ancient Roman amphitheater and is the only one in the world where the whole circular wall is still intact. Get to know the region Related publications More Youth & Adult Mission Stories Topics

Nika’s search for spiritual truth leads her from New Age beliefs to the Bible, the Sabbath, and baptism, and today she serves children through Zagreb’s Prilaz School while helping others discover faith in God.

“Show Me the Truth”

Related topics “Change My Life” Mikael’s journey from addiction, isolation, and spiritual struggle to surrender and ministry reveals how God transformed his life and led him to help launch Oikos House, a growing Adventist church plant in Helsinki.
“If You exist, change my life.” It was a simple prayer from a discouraged teenager who felt trapped in habits he couldn’t break. Mikael grew up in a Christian home in Finland, a fourth-generation Seventh-day Adventist on his father’s side. His mother discovered the Adventist faith through evangelistic meetings shortly after marrying Mikael’s father. When she later learned she was pregnant, she made a quiet promise to God: I will dedicate this child for Your service. As a small child, Mikael sensed that dedication without fully understanding it. He remembers pretending to be a pastor at age three, holding “home church” services in his living room. He was baptized at 11 and felt sensitive to God’s leading. But soon after, his family moved to rural Finland, where the Adventist church was small and Mikael felt isolated—both as a believer and as part of an ethnic minority. Wanting desperately to belong, he began smoking, drinking, and partying during his early teen years. Weekends were filled with alcohol, and Sabbaths sometimes found him sitting in the back of church with a hangover. He never stopped believing in God, but he felt torn between faith and the pull of the world. Adventist summer camps became a lifeline. Each year, Mikael felt drawn back to God—but once he returned to school, willpower alone wasn’t enough to change his habits. By age 15, his struggle reached its darkest point. “I made choices I deeply regretted,” he recalled. “It felt like a spiritual battle.” At one camp, Mikael listened as a visiting speaker shared his testimony of transformation. Sitting in the back row, Mikael thought, When I’m 25, I’ll get my life together. Even then, beneath the confusion, he sensed a quiet calling—a purpose he couldn’t fully explain but couldn’t escape either. The turning point came not through self-discipline, but surrender. Late one night, after another weekend of partying, Mikael looked at his reflection at a train station and asked himself, Who am I becoming? Back in his dorm room, he prayed honestly: “God, I love this lifestyle. I don’t even want to change. But if You want to, You have my permission.” Not long after, he prayed again: “If You exist, change my life.” God answered—not with dramatic emotion, but with quiet transformation. Mikael found himself longing for something different. He stopped his bad habits and began spending time with friends who took faith seriously. One evening, after praying with them, he felt no rush of emotion—yet everything changed. “I didn’t feel anything,” he said. “But I was never the same again.” Soon after, God began stretching him in unexpected ways. One Sabbath afternoon, while bored and wandering through a shopping mall, Mikael felt impressed to speak to strangers about God. Though he felt unqualified, he obeyed. As he spoke, faith that once felt distant suddenly became real. “It was like God was teaching me as I spoke,” he said. That experience marked the beginning of a journey into ministry. After high school, Mikael joined a mission training program in Australia. There, a dream began to form: planting a church back home in Finland. In 2019, he contacted church leaders and joined early planning efforts for a new ministry in Helsinki. Then came 2020. The pandemic halted plans, separated Mikael from his girlfriend overseas, drained his finances, and plunged him into deep discouragement. Sleep-deprived and isolated, he questioned why God would give him such hope only to take it away. Yet even in that season, God was quietly at work. That summer, a small team formed. Then a house became available with less than a month’s notice. By August 2020, the doors of Oikos House opened. What began as a fragile step of faith has grown into a vibrant Seventh-day Adventist church plant. Each Sabbath, young adults gather in the home for Bible study, worship, shared meals, and fellowship. People come from many backgrounds, over 30 nationalities, creating a warm, welcoming space where faith feels real. Over the past six years, hundreds have passed through Oikos House. Many have chosen baptism. Others have grown deeper in faith and stepped into leadership. Young people once searching for belonging have found a spiritual family. Mikael sees God’s hand clearly now. Today, Oikos House is outgrowing its space. The dream is bigger now: to plant another church and raise up a new generation of young leaders who will serve across Finland and beyond. This quarter, part of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help support future church plants branching off of the Oikos House—places where faith is lived around the table, prayers are honest, and lives are changed.  Story Tips · Show the location of Helsinki, Finland on a map · Download photos for this story from Facebook: bit.ly/fb-mq · Share facts related to Finland (see below) Fast Facts · The brown bear is the national animal of Finland. The national bird is the swan, the national flower is the lily-of-the-valley, and the national tree is the silver birch. · There are more than 168,000 lakes in Finland and 179,000 islands. · Lapland is the largest and furthest-north region in Finland and is partly in the Arctic Circle. The Finnish name for Lapland is “ Lappi ” and in Swedish it is “ Lappland. ” · Finland has been ranked the world’s happiest country for the last seven years. · There are around 3 million saunas in Finland: that is one sauna for every two Finns. · The colors of the Finnish flag represent the blue of the lakes and white of the snow.  Get to know the region Related publications More Youth & Adult Mission Stories Topics

Mikael’s journey from addiction, isolation, and spiritual struggle to surrender and ministry reveals how God transformed his life and led him to help launch Oikos House, a growing Adventist church plant in Helsinki.

“Change My Life”

Related topics Brave for Jesus Fourteen-year-old Lucjica grows in faith through the influence of her grandparents and courageously shares her Adventist beliefs with classmates, showing how young people can stand confidently for Jesus.
When Lucjica was a baby, her grandparents carried her to church. Now she is 14 years old and she walks into church on her own, holding tightly to the faith they helped plant in her heart. Lucjica lives with her mother in Croatia. Her mother believes in God but does not attend church regularly. But every Sabbath since she was six years old, Lucjica has gone to church with her grandmother and grandfather. “My grandma teaches me everything about Jesus,” Lucjica says. “She shows me how to live healthy, how to choose good things to watch, how to follow God’s rules.” Her grandmother reads from the Bible and from Ellen G. White’s books. Since she was just two years old, Lucjica has listened to Bible stories. One of her favorites is Queen Esther—the brave young woman who stood up for her people. Lucjica has learned to be brave too. Her favorite Bible verse is Philippians 4:13: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” She says she feels safe when she prays. She prays about school grades. She prays about problems at home. She prays when she feels unsure. And God answers. At church she loves Sabbath School. She is in the 5th–8th grade class. They study the Bible, pray together, and learn to forgive, to be kind, and not to judge others. “It’s very necessary,” she says. “Especially for the mental health of kids.” She also loves Pathfinders. They meet on Sundays: sometimes at church, sometimes in the park. She enjoys camping, being outdoors, and spending time with her friends. But one of the bravest moments of her life didn’t happen at church. It happened at school. Lucjica is the only Seventh-day Adventist in her class. All 22 of her classmates are from another religion. One day, she was talking with her teacher about her beliefs. She explained what Adventists believe about the Sabbath, about praying directly to God, and about healthy food choices. Instead of criticizing her, the teacher surprised her. “Would you like to make a presentation to the class about your religion?” the teacher asked. Lucjica agreed. She wasn’t afraid. “God stood by me,” she says simply. In her presentation, she explained why Adventists don’t eat pork. She showed what the Bible says about the Sabbath. She explained that Adventists don’t pray to saints but speak directly to God. Her classmates were quiet. They listened carefully. Many of them had never heard these things before. When she finished, her teacher gave her two “A’s” for her work. But more important than the grades was something else: courage. “It’s rare for young people here to know much about the Bible,” she says. “So, I want to share my beliefs with everyone.” Lucjica knows that being different can be hard. “You don’t always have real friends at school,” she admits. “So, we learn to be brave. We [friends at church] stick together.” Her faith is not loud or proud in a showy way. It is steady. It is grounded. It is taught by a grandmother who loves Jesus deeply—and by a God who answers prayer. This quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help rebuild the Zagreb 1 Seventh-day Adventist Church in Croatia after it was severely damaged by an earthquake. A new church building will give children and young people like Lucjica a safe place to worship, learn, pray, and grow strong in their faith. Let’s give generously so more boys and girls can be brave for Jesus.  Story Tips · Show the continent of Europe on a map, pointing out the country of Croatia. Then show the capital city of Zagreb, where part of this quarter’s offering will go to help rebuild the church that was severely damaged by an earthquake. · Watch short videos and download photos at facebook.com/missionquarterlies · For children’s Bible studies, resources, and more, visit: children.adventist.org MISSION RECORD Croatia has 40 Seventh-day Adventist churches and 2,389 members. With a population of 3,851,000 people, that means there is one Adventist for every 1,612 people in the country. Most people in Croatia are Christians—nearly 90 percent of the population. About 80 percent are Catholic, 3 percent are Orthodox, and about 5 percent belong to other Christian churches. A little more than 10 percent of the population say they have no religion or belong to another faith. The Adventist Church has had a publishing work in Croatia for more than 100 years. Around 1913, a small publishing house called Život i zdravlje (“Life and Health”) was started in Zagreb, the capital city. It continued its work until World War II. After Croatia became independent in the early 1990s, the Znaci Vremena (“Signs of the Times”) branch in Zagreb later became today’s Croatian Publishing House. Croatia is also home to Adriatic Union College and the Adventist Secondary School in Maruševec, where young people can learn and grow in their faith. Get to know the region More Children Mission Stories Topics

Fourteen-year-old Lucjica grows in faith through the influence of her grandparents and courageously shares her Adventist beliefs with classmates, showing how young people can stand confidently for Jesus.

Brave for Jesus

Related topics Every Step a Battle Joe’s journey from grief, anxiety, and spiritual emptiness leads him back to God and to OIKOS House in Helsinki, where he finds healing, belonging, and a calling to pastoral ministry.
Joe almost turned back more than once. The Sabbath morning he first came to OIKOS House in Helsinki, everything inside him resisted going. Though he had recently begun his journey of faith, anxiety pressed hard as he left his home, walked to the train station, boarded the train, and then walked again toward an unfamiliar house. “It felt like every step was a battle,” Joe recalled. “I didn’t know about spiritual warfare then—but I know now that something didn’t want me to come.” The final walk from the station should have taken five minutes. Instead, it took fifteen—and three prayers. Standing outside the door, Joe hesitated. What if this is the wrong place? What if they don’t accept me? he thought. He pressed the doorbell, telling himself that if no one answered within five seconds, he would run home. The door opened almost immediately. With warm smiles and a genuine welcome, the fear that had followed Joe all morning vanished. “It was like crossing a barrier,” he said. “The anxiety disappeared the moment I stepped inside.” For the first time, church felt different. Joe’s journey to that doorstep began long before Finland. Born in Thailand to a Finnish father and a Thai mother, Joe spent much of his childhood attending Adventist schools. He learned Bible stories, sang hymns, and prayed before meals—but faith felt distant. “I believed God existed,” he said. “But I didn’t know Him personally.” When Joe was 13, his mother passed away. Though she had found Christian faith shortly before her death, the loss left Joe deeply confused and bitter. A youth group that had once felt like a refuge dissolved soon after, and his questions about God went unanswered. “I didn’t understand why a loving God would take my mother, and then the youth group,” Joe said. “So, I walked away.” For years, he searched elsewhere for belonging through parties, alcohol, and later alternative spiritual paths. Nothing lasted. What once numbed the pain eventually deepened it. By his late twenties, Joe felt empty and exhausted. Depression and anxiety weighed heavily, and a painful breakup only intensified his despair. “One night, I felt like the world had nothing left to offer me,” he said. As Joe reached the lowest point of his life, a single word impressed itself on his heart: Pray. “I knew exactly who that prayer was meant for—the God I had learned about as a child,” Joe said. That night, Joe prayed honestly and desperately, asking God to take away his pain and give him life. Exhausted from months of sleeplessness, he fell asleep. When he woke, something was different. “The depression was gone,” he said simply. “I knew it wasn’t me. It had to be God.” Days later, biking to work in the cold winter darkness, Joe felt joy rising in his heart. “It felt like the sun was shining just for me,” he said. With a grateful heart, he committed his life fully to God. Not long afterward, Joe followed an invitation to OIKOS House. “I had never experienced church like that,” he said. “People listened. They wanted to know my story. There was no judgment—only belonging.” Joe stayed late that first Sabbath, sharing his testimony again and again with people who genuinely cared. From that day on, he knew he had found a spiritual family. “What struck me most,” Joe said, “was that OIKOS doesn’t just talk about Jesus’ teachings—it tries to live them.” Encouraged by the community that believed in him, Joe began to sense a new calling. Today, he is studying theology, preparing for pastoral ministry. His dream is to serve at OIKOS House and help plant new churches—places where others searching for belonging can encounter God just as he did. “This house is just a tool,” Joe reflected. “What matters is God’s kingdom—and helping others discover the love that changed my life.” Looking back, Joe sees God’s hand in every step, from seeds planted in childhood to a long, difficult walk toward a house where he finally found home. Joe’s journey reminds us that finding faith often begins with finding community. Through ministries like OIKOS House, God is creating spaces where people burdened by loneliness, doubt, or fear can encounter genuine belonging and the healing love of Christ. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will support OIKOS as it expands its outreach and prepares to plant new churches for the next generation. Thank you for your faithful giving.  Story Tips · Show the location of Helsinki, Finland on a map. · Download photos for this story from Facebook: bit.ly/fb-mq. · Share facts related to Finland (see below) Fast Facts · The official name of Finland is the Republic of Finland. · The capital and largest city of Finland is Helsinki. · The Finnish name for Finland is Suomi . · Finland’s currency is the Euro. · The official languages of Finland are Finnish and Swedish, although national languages like Sámi, Karelian, and Finnish Kalo are also recognized. · The national anthem of Finland (“Our Land”) can be sung in Finnish (“ Maamme ”) and Swedish (“ Vårt land ”). Get to know the region Related publications More Youth & Adult Mission Stories Topics

Joe’s journey from grief, anxiety, and spiritual emptiness leads him back to God and to OIKOS House in Helsinki, where he finds healing, belonging, and a calling to pastoral ministry.

Every Step a Battle

Related topics Finding Family on the Streets of Helsinki Jenny’s search for Christian community leads her to OIKOS House in Helsinki, where friendship, discipleship, forgiveness, and faith transform her life and give her a new sense of belonging and purpose.
Jenny wasn’t looking for a church that winter day in Helsinki’s city center—she was praying for friends. Only three months earlier, she had begun a personal journey of faith. While waiting for her mother at a doctor’s appointment, Jenny wandered through the streets, quietly asking God for Christian community. Almost immediately, she felt impressed to walk down a particular street near a busy square. That decision changed everything. There, she met a small group from OIKOS House, a Seventh-day Adventist church plant in Helsinki. One of the outreach volunteers approached her with an unexpected question: “Has anyone ever written a poem for you?” When she said no, he asked her to share three words. One of them was “peace.” As they talked, Jenny admitted she believed in God, but she didn’t yet realize the group was Christian. When they explained they were inviting people to church, another volunteer, Linda, shared about OIKOS House. Contact information was exchanged, and a simple invitation followed. At first, Jenny hesitated. But she trusted the same God who had led her down that street. “I wasn’t afraid,” she later said. “I knew this was from Him.” Two weeks later, she rang the doorbell of the OIKOS House. “I was expecting a church building,” Jenny recalled with a smile. “I thought, What if there’s just a family having dinner inside? But I prayed, ‘Lord, You led me here—so keep leading me.’” She was welcomed warmly. Worship flowed naturally into small-group conversations, and strangers quickly became friends. “It felt like family right away,” she said. “So, I just kept coming.” Jenny grew up with a mixed religious background, with her parents coming from two different religions. But going to church was never a consistent part of her life. As a young adult, she lived a secular lifestyle and found herself in a painful relationship that left her emotionally broken. “I was miserable and searching for something to hold onto,” she said. “I knew about God, and that was my last hope.” In desperation she prayer, “ If You are really there, please help me.” God answered. As Jenny began forming a personal relationship with Jesus, she found the strength to leave the relationship and her old way of life behind. In prayer, God also did something she never thought possible—He removed her anger and bitterness. “I realized I didn’t hate him [the boyfriend who had cheated on her] anymore,” she said. “And I told him that Jesus had taken the anger away.” Through forgiveness, Jenny was able to share the gospel with her former boyfriend—something she says she could never have done on her own. After stepping away from her old life, Jenny experienced a quiet season of growth—time with God, her family, and prayer for new friends. Those prayers were answered through OIKOS House. “What I love most about OIKOS is that it’s family,” she said. “Everyone is welcome as they are. People from so many backgrounds—and it just works.” Through that community, Jenny met Timi, who had been part of the original OIKOS core team. Their friendship grew into a relationship rooted in faith, prayer, and purpose. After nine months of dating, they became engaged during the ARISE discipleship program and were married in July 2025. Jenny also participated in ARISE Finland, a three-month discipleship and outreach program held in eastern Finland. There, Bible study, community living, and hands-on outreach deepened her faith. “The most important thing I learned,” she said, “was that God is love. When you see that, the whole Bible comes together.” Today, Jenny is studying early childhood education at the University of Helsinki, preparing for a future of service. She and Timi live near OIKOS House, just minutes from where she first rang the doorbell. Looking back, Jenny sees God’s hand clearly: from a simple prayer on a city street to a spiritual family, a restored life, and a heart ready for mission. “I didn’t connect the dots at first,” she said. “But now I see—God was leading me the whole way.” Across Finland, many young adults, like Jenny, are searching for community, purpose, and a place where faith feels personal and lived. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help OIKOS House expand that ministry by launching a new church plant designed especially for families. Just as a simple invitation on a Helsinki street led Jenny to spiritual family and new life in Christ, your mission offerings help create spaces where others can encounter God, find belonging, and begin their own journey of faith. Thank you for praying for church plants and for your generous mission offerings.  Story Tips · Show the location of Helsinki, Finland on a map · Download photos for this story from Facebook: bit.ly/fb-mq · Share facts related to Finland (see below) Mission Post · Finland has 58 Seventh-day Adventist churches, 9 companies, and 4,063 members. With a population of 5,624,000, that is one church member for every 1,384 Finns. · Around 62 percent of Finns belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, 35 percent are unaffiliated with any religion, and only 3 percent belong to other religions. · The first Seventh-day Adventist in Finland was a sea captain—A. F. Lundqvist, who, while docked at Liverpool, England in 1885, bought Uriah Smith’s Daniel and the Revelation and Ellen White’s The Great Controversy from a colporteur. He remained a faithful church member until his death in 1955, aged 97. · The first Church worker in Finland was a Swedish canvassing leader, Emil Lind, who was sent to Finland in 1891. He found the work difficult and was even threatened with exile to Siberia. · In 1892, the Swedish Conference president, Olof Johnson, and two Bible workers, Augusta Larsson and Matilda Lindgren, came to Helsinki. Because foreigners could not hold public meetings, Johnson held them in his own home. · The SDA Church in Finland has one school, Finland Junior College, and one retirement home, Nurmikoti Oy . Get to know the region Related publications More Youth & Adult Mission Stories Topics

Jenny’s search for Christian community leads her to OIKOS House in Helsinki, where friendship, discipleship, forgiveness, and faith transform her life and give her a new sense of belonging and purpose.

Finding Family on the Streets of Helsinki

Related topics “Just One Friend” Stranded in Finland during the pandemic, Kathy finds friendship, faith, and a new spiritual family at OIKOS House, where a simple prayer for one true friend leads her to baptism and a life of welcoming others.
When Kathy stepped off the airplane in Finland, she carried two suitcases, and a very lonely heart. Kathy had grown up in Slovakia, a country far to the south of Finland. She had come to the city of Helsinki for an internship connected to her university studies. She was excited—but also nervous. She didn’t know anyone. She didn’t even know much about Finland before she arrived. Then something unexpected happened. Because of COVID restrictions, the borders closed, and Kathy couldn’t go back home. Suddenly, the adventure didn’t feel exciting anymore. It felt scary. The winter days in Finland were long and dark. Snow covered the streets. The sun seemed to disappear. Kathy missed her family. She missed hearing her own language. Most of all, she missed having someone to talk to. “I just wanted one true friend,” she said later. One day, someone told her about a small church group that met in a house in Helsinki. It wasn’t a big church building with stained-glass windows. It was simply a home where young adults gathered to read the Bible, sing, pray, and eat together. The group was called OIKOS House. Kathy wasn’t sure what to expect. But she decided to go. When she rang the doorbell, she wondered, What if I don’t belong here? The door opened, and smiling faces welcomed her inside. That evening, people talked with her. They listened carefully. They asked about her life. They didn’t rush her or pressure her. They simply cared. Kathy kept coming back. Sometimes they played board games. Sometimes they cooked meals together. Sometimes they studied the Bible. No one forced her to believe anything. But Kathy began to notice something different about these young people. They were kind. They were patient. They seemed to truly love one another. “They loved me even when I felt broken,” she said. As winter continued, Kathy felt both lonely and hopeful at the same time. One night, she decided to try something she hadn’t done seriously before. She prayed. “God,” she whispered, “please give me one true friend.” She didn’t ask for ten friends. She didn’t ask for a big group. Just one. But God had a bigger plan. Little by little, Kathy realized something amazing. The people at OIKOS House were becoming more than friends. They were becoming family. When she felt like crying, someone sat beside her. When she felt homesick, someone invited her for dinner. When she had questions about the Bible, someone opened Scripture with her and read patiently. One evening, she read a Bible promise that said, “When you walk through deep waters, I will be with you” (Isaiah 43:2). It felt as if God was speaking directly to her heart. “For the first time,” Kathy said, “I felt loved by God.” Her simple prayer for one friend had been answered in a surprising way. God had given her a whole church family. In May 2021, as the weather grew warmer and the ice melted, Kathy made an important decision. She chose to be baptized. In a beautiful Finnish lake, surrounded by her new church family, she gave her life to Jesus. It was one of the happiest days of her life. Today, Kathy still lives in Helsinki. She helps welcome other young people who come through the doors of OIKOS House. She knows what it feels like to be new. She knows what it feels like to be lonely. And she wants others to find the same love she found. “I prayed for one true friend,” she says with a smile. “God gave me a family.” Across Finland, many young people are searching for friendship and hope—just like Kathy was. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help OIKOS House grow and start new home church groups, so even more people can find a place where they belong. Your offering can help someone far away discover that they are never alone, because God is always listening to even the simplest prayer.  Story Tips · Show the continent of Europe on a map, and then the countries of Slovakia and Finland. · Watch a short video of the OIKOS House and download photos at facebook.com/missionquarterlies · Visit the OIKOS House on Instagram at instagram.com/the.oikoshouse/ MISSION RECORD The very first Seventh-day Adventist in Finland was a sea captain named A. F. Lundqvist. In 1885, while his ship was docked in Liverpool, England, Captain Lundqvist bought two books from a colporteur: Daniel and the Revelation by Uriah Smith and The Great Controversy by Ellen White. As he read these books, he became convinced of the Bible truths they shared. Soon he was baptized as a Seventh-day Adventist. Captain Lundqvist remained a faithful church member until his death in 1955 at the age of 97. Today in Finland there are 58 Seventh-day Adventist churches, 9 companies, and 4,063 members. Finland has a population of 5,624,000 people—that means there is one Adventist for every 1,384 people in the country. AMAZING COUNTRY The Finnish name for Finland is Suomi . Finland’s national animal is the brown bear. Its national bird is the swan. The national flower is the lily-of-the-valley, and the national tree is the beautiful silver birch. Reindeer roam freely across the northern countryside, especially in a region called Lapland. In fact, Finland is known as “the land of a thousand lakes”—but there are more than 168,000 lakes and about 179,000 islands throughout the country. Get to know the region More Children Mission Stories Topics

Stranded in Finland during the pandemic, Kathy finds friendship, faith, and a new spiritual family at OIKOS House, where a simple prayer for one true friend leads her to baptism and a life of welcoming others.

“Just One Friend”

Related topics Tasty Eggs and New Clothes In Romania, a kindergarten teacher used her students’ excitement about chocolate eggs and the Easter bunny to introduce them to the true story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. When she invited all 26 families to church, many came—and David and his mother now attend regularly, learning together about the Savior who rose from the tomb.
T he three-year-old children were chatting excitedly in their kindergarten in Romania. The coming weekend would bring a big holiday, and their little minds were filled with thoughts of chocolate eggs and new clothes. Can you guess which holiday they would celebrate? “The Easter bunny is going to bring us presents!” a boy squealed. “I can’t wait!” said a girl. In Romania, many fathers and mothers give their children chocolate eggs and new clothes for Easter. The eggs are for eating, and the clothes are for wearing to church on Easter Sunday. The parents say the gifts are from the Easter bunny. Teacher Ramona overheard the children’s chatter and thought she had better set the record straight. “You know,” she said gently, “there is no Easter bunny.” The chatter stopped, and the children looked at her in surprise. “Then why are we celebrating Easter?” little David asked. It was a good question, and Teacher Ramona had a good answer. But she wanted to make sure that David understood it. “I’ll call your mother and invite you both to church on Sabbath,” she said. “Then you’ll learn why people celebrate Easter.” A short time later, Teacher Ramona called David’s mother and invited her and David to church on Sabbath. “Please come,” she said. “We’re doing something related to Easter.” Then, Teacher Ramona called the mothers of the 25 other children in her kindergarten class and invited them as well. She wanted all the children and their parents to understand the true meaning of Easter. After that, Teacher Ramona called the church pastor. “Do you mind if I change the children’s lesson next Sabbath?” she said. “I want to talk about the real meaning of Easter.” The pastor didn’t mind at all. On Sabbath morning, little David arrived at the Seventh-day Adventist church with his mother. His grandmother came too, along with about half of his kindergarten class. Teacher Ramona was pleased. It was going to be a nice Sabbath. David brought a small gift for Teacher Ramona. It wasn’t a chocolate egg, and it wasn’t new clothes. He held up a bouquet of five orange roses. “Teacher, these are for you,” he said. Teacher Ramona was pleased. “Thank you,” she said with a big smile. She led him and the other kindergarten children to the room where the little ones gathered for Sabbath School. The room looked very big to David, and he was nervous about letting go of his mother’s hand. “It’s OK,” Teacher Ramona said. “Your friends from kindergarten are here, and we’re going to play together. Your mother will be upstairs with the adults, and we can call her if you need her. Everything will be fine.” David relaxed and let go of Mother’s hand. He looked around the room and saw a shallow sandbox. Three crosses stood in the sand. There was also a stone tomb and a group of small plastic people. A few minutes later, David and the other children learned the real story of Easter. “Many children think about the Easter bunny when they think of Easter,” Teacher Ramona said. “But the Easter bunny is make-believe. Easter actually is about a true story that happened to a real person—Jesus Christ.” Using the items in the sandbox, Teacher Ramona told the story of how Jesus died on the cross on Friday afternoon. Then, after lying in the stone tomb on Sabbath, He rose from the dead on Sunday morning. Today, He is preparing a place for all the little boys and girls who believe in Him, and He will come soon to take them home. David listened attentively. Later, he joined his mother and grandmother upstairs in the sanctuary to hear the pastor’s sermon. Afterward, his mother gave Teacher Ramona a tight hug. “I want to come here again,” she said. And she did. Today, she and David attend church whenever Teacher Ramona teaches the little ones in Sabbath School. He is very happy to come to church with his mother. His mother is very happy to come to church with David. Together, they are learning to love Jesus more and more. They understand now that Easter isn’t about the Easter bunny, chocolate eggs, and new clothes. Easter is a reminder that Jesus rose from the tomb and will come soon for all His children. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering—also known as the Quarterly Mission Project Offering—will help two schools, such as the one where Teacher Ramona works, to expand so that even more children can learn about Jesus. Thank you for your generous offering.  Story Tips Show Romania on a map. Then, point to Ploiești, where the Seventh-day Adventist school is located. Pronounce Ploiești as ploy-ESH-tee. Note that the photo is a stock image depicting a Romanian boy like David. Watch a YouTube video of Teacher Ramona at: bit.ly/Ramona-EUD . Amazing Country Romania is one of the largest plum producers in the world. Get to know the region More Children Mission Stories Topics

In Romania, a kindergarten teacher used her students’ excitement about chocolate eggs and the Easter bunny to introduce them to the true story of Jesus’ death and resurrection. When she invited all 26 families to church, many came—and David and his mother now attend regularly, learning together about the Savior who rose from the tomb.

Tasty Eggs and New Clothes

Related topics A Place to Belong In Romania, five‑year‑old Luca went from being rejected by multiple kindergartens to thriving at a Seventh‑day Adventist school that welcomed him with love. Through patient teachers, answered prayers, and a supportive environment, he learned to speak, read, write, and grow confident—so much so that he never wants to miss a day.
S ome little children like to ride in big cars. Some little children like to visit big cities. But 5-year-old Luca wasn’t impressed by big cars or big cities. His mother wanted to take him in a big car to Romania’s capital city, Bucharest. But it was a Monday morning, and he only wanted to go to his kindergarten. Luca loves his Seventh-day Adventist kindergarten. It wasn’t always that way. Mother first sent him to a public kindergarten when he was two years old. He didn’t like it at all. Luca was still wearing diapers because he wasn’t potty-trained. He still drank from a baby bottle because he hadn’t learned to use a cup. He wasn’t able to speak yet—he could only say, “Mm, mmm, mmm.” Luca had bad days at the public kindergarten. Some teachers weren’t nice to him because they didn’t want to change his diapers. Others didn’t want to refill his baby bottle. And some didn’t understand what he meant when he said, “Mm, mmm, mmm.” Mother was heartbroken when she found out about the unkind treatment. She went to the kindergarten principal and asked that the teachers be nicer to Luca. But the principal didn’t believe her and refused to do anything. So, Mother looked for a new kindergarten. She visited many, but no one would accept her little boy. They said Luca had a learning challenge, and they didn’t have time to help him. Mother grew desperate. She needed to work to earn money to feed Luca and herself, but she couldn’t work if she had to stay home with Luca all day. Then, she found a Seventh-day Adventist kindergarten online. She went to meet the principal and pleaded for help. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she said, “Please accept my child into your kindergarten. I beg you from the bottom of my heart to help me.” She explained that Luca did indeed have some learning challenges. The principal saw Mother’s tears and heard the sincerity in her voice. “Okay,” the principal said. “Let’s try. This will be our first child with this kind of learning challenge. We haven’t taught any like him before, but we can try. We’ll make an effort.” Mother, her cheeks wet with tears, smiled with relief. She pointed to a young woman standing beside her. “My niece is here to help me enroll Luca in the school,” she explained. Mother had never gone to school and couldn’t read or write. But her 20-year-old niece could, and she helped Mother complete the paperwork to enroll Luca in kindergarten. A month later, on a bright September morning, Luca arrived at the Adventist kindergarten. He was thrilled to see the other children and to play with them. Mother came to take him home at lunchtime. “This is enough for one day,” she said. “I’ll bring you back tomorrow morning.” But Luca didn’t want to go home. He wanted to stay and play more. Mother had to persuade him to leave. That had never happened before. He had always been ready to go anywhere with her. The next day, Luca stayed until 4 o’clock in the afternoon. His teacher said he was adjusting well. Mother was so happy! As the weeks and months passed, Luca made big improvements. He stopped wearing diapers and learned to use the bathroom by himself. He stopped using the baby bottle and drank from a cup. He stopped saying, “Mm, mmm, mmm” and learned to speak. He even began to read and write. Mother was overjoyed. Luca was learning to do things that even she couldn’t do! Luca was happy, too. He loved kindergarten so much that he asked Mother to take him on Sabbaths and Sundays when it was closed. He couldn’t understand why Mother wanted to take him in a big car to the big city of Bucharest on a Monday morning. The trip lasted three and a half hours. He would have much rather spent the time at the kindergarten, playing with friends, learning English, taking piano lessons, and hearing stories about Jesus. Mother explained that they needed to come to Bucharest to talk about the wonderful kindergarten that had changed his life. Then Luca understood. He didn’t mind the long trip or missing a day of school. He loved his kindergarten, and he wanted the whole world to know. Part of this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering, also known as the Quarterly Mission Project Offering, will help two other schools teach more children and their families about Jesus.  Story Tips Show Romania on a map. Note that Luca’s mother’s name is Mirela, and the kindergarten principal’s name is Raluca. They can be seen with Luca in the photo on the opposite page. Luca’s mother has blonde hair. Watch a short YouTube video of Luca reciting the Lord’s Prayer: bit.ly/Luca-EUD . Mission Record Seventh-day Adventist doctrines were first preached in Romania by M. B. Czechowski, a former Polish Catholic priest who had learned of the seventh-day Sabbath and Christ’s imminent return while in America. Returning to Europe in 1864, he preached these doctrines in Italy and Switzerland. In the winter of 1868-1869, he came to Romania and preached in Pitesti. About 12 people accepted his message. Get to know the region More Children Mission Stories Topics

In Romania, five‑year‑old Luca went from being rejected by multiple kindergartens to thriving at a Seventh‑day Adventist school that welcomed him with love. Through patient teachers, answered prayers, and a supportive environment, he learned to speak, read, write, and grow confident—so much so that he never wants to miss a day.

A Place to Belong

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