From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

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Related topics The Threshold of Death A terrorist attack tested Gideon’s faith when his son was taken away by armed militants. After fervent prayer, Gideon was reunited with his son in a remarkable answer to prayer.
Service to the Lord will take you to the very threshold of death, but Jesus will not abandon you,” Gideon’s* pastor told him when he became a Global Mission pioneer. The words would prove to be prophetic. During Gideon’s assignment, a group of terrorists attacked his community one Sabbath. As they approached the church, many of the worshippers escaped to safety. Within moments, the sound of heavy gunfire erupted. Amid the chaos, Gideon gathered his children inside the church and knelt with them to pray. Outside, the terrorists passed by without seeing them, although the doors and windows stood open. Believing the immediate danger had passed, the family went home, only to find more assailants. One of them fired at Gideon, but the bullets struck a mango tree. Then the terrorists grabbed his son, forced him onto a motorcycle, and fled toward the surrounding bushland. “I stood and watched as my son waved back to me in distress,” Gideon said. “In that moment, I was overcome with grief, certain that I would never see him again.” In anguish, Gideon returned to the church, knelt, and prayed with an intensity he had never felt before. Eventually, Gideon emerged from the church. As he gazed in the direction his son had been taken, he perceived a figure approaching in the distance. Unable to discern whether it was an actual person or a mirage, he ran toward it. It was his son. “We embraced and wept together, thanking God for one of the greatest miracles of our lives,” Gideon said. Though the effect of the terrorist attack was severe, the incident strengthened the congregation's faith in Christ. Please pray for Gideon and other Global Mission pioneers like him who work on the “threshold of death.” *Name has been changed  Every dollar given to Global Mission goes directly to frontline mission work, reaching remote villages and overflowing cities where millions of people are waiting to hear about Jesus. Three Ways to Give Mail — In the US: Global Mission, General Conference 12501 Old Columbia Pike, Silver Spring, MD 20904-6601 In Canada: Global Mission, SDA Church in Canada 1148 King Street East, Oshawa, ON L1H 1H8 Online — GMsda.org/Give4 Phone — 800-648-5824 Transform Lives, One Month at a Time: Join Our Recurring Donor Family! Please remember Global Mission in your will and trusts. Visit Global-Mission.org/PlannedGiving or call 800-648-5824.  More Stories Topics

A terrorist attack tested Gideon’s faith when his son was taken away by armed militants. After fervent prayer, Gideon was reunited with his son in a remarkable answer to prayer.

The Threshold of Death

Related topics Just Before the Poison A grieving widow in Mombasa encounters a Hope Channel story at the moment she plans to end her life, then later opens her home to share the gospel with others.
On a Sunday afternoon in Mombasa, Kenya, Gladys finished washing the dishes and scrubbed the floors. She laid out clean clothes for her three children, helped them shower, and cooked their favorite meal. The house was spotless; the little ones were full and drowsy. Outside, she set a stool in the shade, whispered what she believed would be her final prayer, and lifted a glass mixed with rat poison to her lips. Grief had stalked her for months. Her husband had died suddenly in a road accident while delivering a vehicle to a client in Nairobi. After the funeral in their home, her in-laws sent her and her children away. Back in Mombasa, in an unfinished house, she tried to hold life together for her two boys and daughter. When a man promised to help her through the insurance process, she desperately accepted. He asked for her bank details “to invest” the payout. Then he disappeared, taking all her savings, her family’s future, and what remained of her courage. Bills were due. Food was running out. Shame pressed down on her like a weight. If she left now someone kinder might take the children in. They at least might remember a clean house, full stomachs, and a mother who tried. She looked at the glass. This, she told herself, was the only option left. Then a small voice interrupted. “Mom, come see!” Her seven-year-old tugged her inside. On television, Hope Channel Kenya was airing the first episode of Storyline, a series about widows—a program that tells stories about people society often overlooks. The woman on screen shared how, after losing her husband to cancer, she used the only tool in her kitchen—a blender—to make fresh juice. With persistence, she put three children through university. As the story unfolded, the knot in Gladys’ chest loosened. She walked outside, poured the poison into the pit latrine, and dialed the number on the screen. Hope Channel Kenya welcomed her, listened to her story, prayed with her, and later invited her to share her testimony on air. Gladys brought her daughter to evangelistic meetings and grew closer to Jesus. Then, in 2025, she opened her home during a Hope Channel Kenya evangelistic series so her neighbors could gather and watch together. A theology student helped lead Bible studies. Night after night, they watched the broadcasts, prayed, and discovered the gospel. By the final Sabbath, 37 people from Gladys’ living room were baptized—37 new brothers and sisters beginning a life with Jesus because one mother heard a story of hope just in time. Scripture describes this holy pattern: “He comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble” (2 Corinthians 1:4, NKJV). God rescues us—and then sends us to rescue others. Gladys was saved, and then God used her to help save others. This is what happens when the gospel meets real life through media: one story becomes many. More from Mission 360° Magazine Get to know the region Resources Topics

A grieving widow in Mombasa encounters a Hope Channel story at the moment she plans to end her life, then later opens her home to share the gospel with others.

Just Before the Poison

Related topics Just Before the Poison
Photo for illustration only. Moments before drinking poison, a grieving Kenyan mother hears a Hope Channel story that leads her to hope, faith, and a new mission.
On a Sunday afternoon in Mombasa, Kenya, Gladys finished washing the dishes and scrubbed the floors. She laid out clean clothes for her three children, helped them shower, and cooked their favorite meal. The house was spotless; the little ones were full and drowsy. Outside, she set a stool in the shade, whispered what she believed would be her final prayer, and lifted a glass mixed with rat poison to her lips. Grief had stalked her for months. Her husband had died suddenly in a road accident while delivering a vehicle to a client in Nairobi. After the funeral in their home, her in-laws sent her and her children away. Back in Mombasa, in an unfinished house, she tried to hold life together for her two boys and daughter. When a man promised to help her through the insurance process, she desperately accepted. He asked for her bank details “to invest” the payout. Then he disappeared, taking all her savings, her family’s future, and what remained of her courage. Bills were due. Food was running out. Shame pressed down on her like a weight. If she left now someone kinder might take the children in. They at least might remember a clean house, full stomachs, and a mother who tried. She looked at the glass. This, she told herself, was the only option left. Then a small voice interrupted. “Mom, come see!” Her seven-year-old tugged her inside. On television, Hope Channel Kenya was airing the first episode of Storyline, a series about widows—a program that tells stories about people society often overlooks. The woman on screen shared how, after losing her husband to cancer, she used the only tool in her kitchen—a blender—to make fresh juice. With persistence, she put three children through university. As the story unfolded, the knot in Gladys’ chest loosened. She walked outside, poured the poison into the pit latrine, and dialed the number on the screen. Hope Channel Kenya welcomed her, listened to her story, prayed with her, and later invited her to share her testimony on air. Gladys brought her daughter to evangelistic meetings and grew closer to Jesus. Then, in 2025, she opened her home during a Hope Channel Kenya evangelistic series so her neighbors could gather and watch together. A theology student helped lead Bible studies. Night after night, they watched the broadcasts, prayed, and discovered the gospel. By the final Sabbath, 37 people from Gladys’ living room were baptized—37 new brothers and sisters beginning a life with Jesus because one mother heard a story of hope just in time. Scripture describes this holy pattern: “He comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble” (2 Corinthians 1:4, NKJV). God rescues us—and then sends us to rescue others. Gladys was saved, and then God used her to help save others. This is what happens when the gospel meets real life through media: one story becomes many. More from Mission 360° Magazine   Get to know the region Resources Topics From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

Moments before drinking poison, a grieving Kenyan mother hears a Hope Channel story that leads her to hope, faith, and a new mission.

Related topics I Just Want My Teddy Bear Seven-year-old Rami fled his home in Lebanon as bombing intensified, leaving behind his school bag—and a treasured teddy bear that represented achievement, friendship, and the comfort of normal life. See displacement through a child’s eyes and discover how ADRA is helping families like Rami’s find support in the midst of uncertainty.
Seven-year-old Rami should be thinking about his homework, playing football with his friends, and choosing which colored pencil to use in his notebook. Instead, he’s learning what it means to flee home in fear. Rami lived with his parents and his three siblings in a modest home where life was never easy. When the bombing intensified in Lebanon in early March, 2026, Rami’s family made the difficult decision to leave their home in Douris. They sought safety in Deir Al-Ahmar, a town about a 40-minute drive away. For the adults, it was a painful but necessary choice. For Rami, it felt as though the world he knew had suddenly disappeared. “I was very afraid of the bombing sound,” Rami says quietly, his small voice trembling as he remembers the night they left. “It was very loud.” In the rush to escape, Rami had little time to gather his belongings. He left behind some of the things that mattered most to him, including his school bag. Inside were his notebooks, pencils, and something even more precious—a small teddy bear. The teddy bear wasn’t just a toy. It was a reward his teacher at the Adventist Learning Center had given him for solving a difficult math equation. For Rami, that teddy bear represented pride, encouragement, and the warm feeling of belonging in a classroom filled with friends. “I want peace,” he says. “I want to go back to my normal life and see my friends again.” Even amid fear and uncertainty, Rami still carries hope in his small heart. He dreams of returning to a life where the only challenge he faces is solving the next math equation on the board. More from Mission 360° Magazine Get to know the region Resources Topics

Seven-year-old Rami fled his home in Lebanon as bombing intensified, leaving behind his school bag—and a treasured teddy bear that represented achievement, friendship, and the comfort of normal life. See displacement through a child’s eyes and discover how ADRA is helping families like Rami’s find support in the midst of uncertainty.

I Just Want My Teddy Bear

Related topics A Touch That Transforms In Brazil, two women—Fabiola facing cancer and Luisa battling betrayal, depression, and loss—found hope when their dogs accidentally switched their TVs to Novo Tempo, Hope Channel Brazil. The messages they heard transformed their outlook, brought emotional and spiritual healing, and led them back to Jesus. Their stories show how Hope Channel reaches people in crisis with comfort, truth, and renewed purpose.
Fabiola lived in the peaceful surroundings of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, yet peace was the last thing she felt. A breast cancer diagnosis had shaken her world, and with the added fear of COVID-19 spreading across the country, death felt closer than ever. Meanwhile, in the city of Salvador, Luisa’s world was collapsing. A betrayal shattered her marriage of 23 years, leaving her to discover she had contracted syphilis from her husband. Additionally, her mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, and she witnessed a neighbor take her own life. The thought haunted her—maybe she should do the same. Both women were drowning in their suffering. Like the woman who had bled for 12 years in the biblical story of Mark chapter 5, Fabiola and Luisa were desperate for physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. They needed a touch of hope. On two separate evenings, God intervened in a surprisingly similar way. As Fabiola tried to escape her anxiety by watching TV, her small dog hopped onto her lap, accidentally stepping on the remote and switching the channel to Novo Tempo, Hope Channel in Brazil. Some 800 miles away, Luisa’s dog did the same thing. In Fabiola and Luisa’s darkest moments, one divinely placed paw on a remote revealed the life-changing love of a Savior. Both women felt a wave of hope wash over them. Today, Fabiola has found renewed purpose, encouraging those around her with the same message of comfort she received. The messages from Novo Tempo reshaped her outlook on her illness. She no longer saw cancer as a punishment but as a part of God’s plan to help transform her. Now, as she waits for her medical appointments, she shares Christian books, speaks of Jesus, and encourages those around her with the hope she found. For Luisa, the programs she watched helped her recognize she was battling depression. She was able to receive treatment which became her turning point, helping her emerge from darkness into the light of God’s love. “I was that lost, dirty, empty daughter,” she reflects. “But [after His touch], I never want to leave His presence.” Hope Channel exists for people like Fabiola and Luisa – people searching for hope, for healing, for Jesus. Right now, thousands are waiting to be reached. Eighty-four Hope Channels around the world are reaching people through life-changing content, offering Bible studies, and connecting seekers with Christ. Thank you for being a part of this ministry. Your partnership ensures that many more people will experience the healing touch of Jesus in their lives.  When you give to the mission offering during Sabbath School or choose mission on your tithe envelope, a portion of that offering helps fund Hope Channel’s important ministry around the world. Thank you for your generous support. Get to know the region Resources More Inside Stories Topics From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

In Brazil, two women—Fabiola facing cancer and Luisa battling betrayal, depression, and loss—found hope when their dogs accidentally switched their TVs to Novo Tempo, Hope Channel Brazil. The messages they heard transformed their outlook, brought emotional and spiritual healing, and led them back to Jesus. Their stories show how Hope Channel reaches people in crisis with comfort, truth, and renewed purpose.

A Touch That Transforms

Related topics Only Four Yams A twelfth‑grade student in Vanuatu shares how her faith deepened after an earthquake damaged her family’s home, revealing God’s provision through her church community and the lasting impact of past Thirteenth Sabbath Offerings.
My name is Stacey. I come from Vanuatu, a country made up of many islands in the South Pacific Ocean. When I was little, I lived in Beverly Hills—not the famous Beverly Hills in the United States—but a small neighborhood in my country. I grew up surrounded by my family, friends, and church. I’m now in twelfth grade at Epauto Seventh-day Adventist Secondary School. School isn’t always easy, but I’ve learned to trust God. Every Sabbath, my family and I went to church. My mum helped with the children’s classes, and I always joined Sabbath School. I loved singing, learning Bible stories, and going out with other church members to visit people. We would pray with them and share messages of hope. It made me feel happy to help others. As I got older, I began to understand more about God. I saw how my mum always prayed—before we left the house, before we ate, and before making big decisions. Her example helped me grow in faith. Now, I also pray, especially when I must make a tough choice. One of the biggest choices I ever made was to be baptized. I wanted to give my life to God because He had always been there for me. I also joined church clubs such as Adventurers and Pathfinders. Now, I’m part of a club for older children. These clubs helped me learn about teamwork, service, and God. I enjoyed the learning time with my friends. Then, something bad happened that tested my faith. In 2024, an earthquake damaged our home. The small kitchen where my mum cooked food to earn money was destroyed. It felt like everything we needed was gone. We didn’t know what to do. So, we prayed. Every day, we asked God to help us. That same week, our church was having special meetings each night. One evening, before going to the church, I looked in the fridge. We had only four yams. I cooked one, and we saved the rest. That night at church, a woman came up to us with a big bundle of island cabbage. Two days later, another woman gave us a bag of rice. Later, a family from church surprised us with a shopping bag filled with things we needed such as sugar, rice, soap, and washing powder. Other people brought bananas, fish, and more. One man even gave us money. You know what’s amazing? Many of the people who helped us were children my mum had cared for years ago while their parents were studying.  All of this showed me something important: when we trust God, He finds ways to care for us—even using people we don’t expect. My faith grew so much during that time. I learned that God never forgets His children. He always finds a way to help when we need Him most. Part of a Thirteenth Sabbath Offering in 2013 helped provide 15,000 Bibles and reading guides for children in the South Pacific islands, so children like Stacey could learn more about Jesus. Thank you for your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering. More from Mission 360° Magazine  See this story in action at m360.tv/s2613 .  More Children’s Mission Stories Find dozens of inspiring mission stories for children at AdventistMission.org/childrens-mission-quarterly . Get to know the region Resources Topics From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

A twelfth‑grade student in Vanuatu shares how her faith deepened after an earthquake damaged her family’s home, revealing God’s provision through her church community and the lasting impact of past Thirteenth Sabbath Offerings.

Only Four Yams

Related topics Land Bought Twice In 2001, Mai‑Mai fighters stormed the Adventist University of Lukanga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, seizing students and sparking a land dispute. A miraculous rainstorm saved the students’ lives, and the church later repurchased the land to restore peace. The story illustrates God’s claim on humanity: ‘You are Mine twice.’
It was a dark day for a Seventh-day Adventist university in Africa.  On March 18, 2001, armed fighters entered the campus of the Adventist University of Lukanga in Lubero in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The intruders belonged to the Mai-Mai, a militia led by warlords, village chiefs, and traditional tribal elders who had seized part of the country.  The Mai-Mai name comes from the Swahili word for water, maji. Militia members sprinkled themselves with water to shield themselves from bullets.  Mai-Mai fighters assaulted staff members and attacked students at the Adventist University of Lukanga.  They seized three students and marched them up Nyarusunzu Hill, where other fighters were waiting.  They interrogated the students, claiming that the university was occupying its land illegally.  Although the university had been established only three years earlier, in 1999, the Adventist Church had owned its land for decades.  The Zaïre Union had founded a co-educational institution called Institut Adventiste de Lukanga on the land in 1965, and students had studied there for the past 36 years. Amid the interrogations, one of the Mai-Mai fighters threatened to shoot the three students at close range.  Then a heated discussion broke out between the Mai-Mai fighters, and chaos erupted.  Amid the confusion, the sky opened, and rain began to fall in torrents.  The Mai-Mai fighters, known for believing that sprinkled water shielded them from bullets, didn’t have any desire to stand in the downpour, and they scattered.  The three students escaped.  To this day, many people credit God for sending the rain to save the lives of those students. But the story wasn’t over.  The events of March 18 and the claims about the land prompted the families of former land chiefs to assert that the Adventist university was occupying their land illegally.  Amid a growing chorus of voices, the university took steps to de-escalate the situation.  In May 2001, two months after the hillside incident, the Seventh-day Adventist Church agreed to pay the families for the land a second time. The deal, which restored the peace, meant that the church paid twice for the same property.  It could say that the land belonged to it twice. God also can say that humans belong to Him twice.  He created humans, and He redeemed humans. First Corinthians 6:20 says, “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (NKJV).  Just like the university can say of the land, “You are mine twice,” God can say of us, “You are mine twice.”  Become part of the story of the Adventist University of Lukanga by contributing to this quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering, also known as the Quarterly Mission Project Offering. Currently, nursing school students are using the university clinic’s small laboratory for their research. This quarter’s offering will help construct a building for the university’s nursing school that will contain larger laboratories for its five fields of study: general nursing, midwifery, imaging, laboratory techniques, and pediatrics. Thank you for giving generously to this important project.  Story Tips Show the continent of Africa and then the country of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the map. Watch a short YouTube video of Adventist University of Lukanga leader Malembe Tatasi Fils at: bit.ly/Malembe-ECD . Download photos for this story from Facebook: bit.ly/fb-mq . Read more about at the Adventist University of Lukanga in the Encyclopedia of Seventh-day Adventists at: bit.ly/Lukanga . Know that the nursing school opened at the Adventist University of Lukanga in 2012 and was the first of its kind in the country. Now it graduates about 200 nurses a year. Know that 70 percent of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s pastors have graduated from the Adventist University of Lukanga. Mission Posts Because of turbulence caused by independence and the wars that followed, many foreign missionaries were forced to leave the country, and the Congolese had to take charge of the work, often with no preparation. Eventually the Adventist Church in Congo was able to open five universities to train Adventist workers: Lukanga, Phillip Lemon in Lubumbashi, Adventist University of Congo in Kinshasa, Adventist University of Goma, and the Adventist University of Kananga. Fast Facts The DRC’s national animal is the leopard. A leader named Mobutu changed the name of the country to Zaire in 1965, but when he lost power in 1997, it was renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.  Get to know the region Related publications More Youth & Adult Mission Stories Topics From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

In 2001, Mai‑Mai fighters stormed the Adventist University of Lukanga in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, seizing students and sparking a land dispute. A miraculous rainstorm saved the students’ lives, and the church later repurchased the land to restore peace. The story illustrates God’s claim on humanity: ‘You are Mine twice.’

Land Bought Twice

Related topics I Will Never Leave You A young ADRA worker follows God’s call to Lebanon amid conflict and uncertainty, witnessing His protection, providence, and life‑changing encounters that reveal He never leaves His children alone.
Why Lebanon?” I had just accepted my first international position with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA), and my family and friends were incredulous that I would leave the safety of Armenia to work there. An armed conflict had just broken out in the south, and the country was plagued with instability. “Besides,” they argued, “you don’t know a single person there.” My answer was simple: “I don’t need to know anyone. I believe Lebanon is where God wants me to be and that He will guide and protect me while I’m here.” My parents were worried. But as we prayed together, they reached a profound realization: Security doesn’t come from a place but from God. With their acceptance, I packed my bags and stepped into an unpredictable future. When I boarded the plane to Beirut, I prayed, “Lord, please place someone beside me whom I can bless or who can bless me.” Soon, a young man sat beside me. He showed me kindness throughout the flight and at the airport exit asked one last time whether he could be of assistance. I politely declined, and we went our separate ways. Imagine my surprise when I saw him at church the next Sabbath and learned he was the pastor of the Arabic-speaking Adventist church in Beirut! Of all the people who could have sat beside me on the plane, God chose a Seventh-day Adventist pastor who would look after me. This experience was a reminder of His promise, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” My first months in Lebanon were filled with excitement and challenges. I saw firsthand the struggles of refugees and vulnerable Lebanese people and had the privilege of helping to relieve their suffering. Then, the conflict escalated. One by one, airlines canceled flights to and from Beirut. Among them was my flight to Thailand, where I and several colleagues were scheduled to attend an ADRA event. I managed to secure a seat on the sole airline still operating. I had planned to return from Thailand to Lebanon before flying home to Armenia for a visit. But by the time my meetings ended, the situation in Lebanon had worsened. Buildings were crumbling under strikes, and embassies were urging their citizens to evacuate immediately. I received word to go directly to Armenia. I cried during the flight from Thailand, torn between obedience and sorrow. Leaving Lebanon felt like a betrayal. I had gone there to serve, not flee. The country’s pain filled my thoughts, overshadowing the steadfast care God had shown me so many times. But He didn’t let me forget for long. I was chilly on that flight, so I pressed the call button to request a blanket. The flight attendant’s words startled me. “Can you speak Armenian?” “Yes,” I answered, surprised. “But how could you tell?” She smiled. “It’s your ticket. I saw you’re flying to Armenia next. I’m Armenian too.” She offered me a better seat where I could stretch out and some juice to refresh me. In that vast world of strangers, meeting another Armenian who provided for my needs felt like a personal embrace from God. Upon landing, I contacted the airline through WhatsApp to request a refund for my unused ticket from Thailand to Lebanon. My heart sank when I was told it was impossible. But God wasn’t done with this story yet. Soon, I received another message on WhatsApp. “Hi, Anush, this is the support officer who assisted you earlier. I too am Armenian,” he said, “and I want to help you get your refund. I’m risking my job doing this, but for some reason, I trust you.” Tears filled my eyes for God had orchestrated another moment of care. “I think God touched your heart,” I responded. Little did I know my comment would begin an ongoing conversation about spiritual topics. “I haven’t been to church or read my Bible in years,” he confided. He saw this experience as a call from God to return to Him and study His Word. At one point, he told me that he felt like he had found something he had lost. In Armenia, I took on a communications role, urging ADRA offices around the world to raise funds for Lebanon. When the time came to return, I felt immense joy. My family, though concerned, stood firm in faith. My father’s words echoed his trust in God: “Nothing has changed since we first trusted Him when she left. Why would we trust Him less now?” Lebanon’s future is uncertain, yet God remains faithful. Through His constant presence and provision, and the support of generous people around the world, ADRA continues to serve the most vulnerable with unwavering compassion. Every day, our Father proves His promise to never leave or forsake us. More from Mission 360° Magazine  About ADRA The Adventist Development and Relief Agency is the international humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, serving more than 120 countries. Its work empowers communities and changes lives around the globe by providing sustainable community development and disaster relief. ADRA’s purpose is to serve humanity so all may live as God intended. To learn more about ADRA’s global mission, visit ADRA.org .  When you give to the mission offering during Sabbath School, a portion of that offering helps fund ADRA’s important ministry around the world. Thank you for your generous support. Get to know the region Resources Topics From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

A young ADRA worker follows God’s call to Lebanon amid conflict and uncertainty, witnessing His protection, providence, and life‑changing encounters that reveal He never leaves His children alone.

I Will Never Leave You

Related topics Shining in a Dark Place A volunteer EMT serves displaced families with limited supplies, offering medical care, compassion, and prayer—revealing Christ’s love to those suffering through crisis and hardship.
We urgently need more volunteers at the medical station.” I couldn’t help but overhear the conversation next to me. “We’ve had just one person running it every day since we started, and he’s exhausted. He needs a break.” I recognized the desperation in Alexis’ voice. “I’m an emergency medical technician, and I’d like to help,” I offered enthusiastically. Alexis was thrilled. We arranged a time, and she came to pick me up. As I climbed into her vehicle, I noticed she wore her hair in two braids. “You might want to put your hair up,” she said with a smile. “All the kids have lice.” She honked briefly at a car trying to back into us and somehow found space to swerve around it. “I’ll have someone show you the medical station when we get there. People shouldn’t come to you until they’ve showered and received clean clothes.” We made a brief stop to pick up another passenger. “I’m not sure what supplies we have now,” she added. “Let me know if you need anything, and I’ll see what I can find. It can be hard to get things now.” I looked down at my backpack. I’d packed it as best I could: stethoscope, blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, trauma shears, pen light, and flashlight. It all seemed so basic. We arrived at the center and began unloading bags of donated clothes. A young man offered to show me to the medical station—a small area walled off by cabinets. Inside were a folding table and two rows of chairs. I reviewed the meager supplies: a nearly empty burn kit, non-sterile gauze, two rolls of tape, iodine and alcohol wipes, antiseptic and antibiotic ointments, cloudy eye drops, a few bandages, gloves, masks, cotton swabs, tongue depressors, tweezers, surgical scissors, and saline. The center came alive within minutes as the first carload of displaced families arrived. Mothers and children filled the waiting area. A volunteer played songs on his guitar while children sang and colored as they waited to shower. “Here’s a paper for you,” said an eighth-grade student at the learning center. I read the brief note: 2 children ages 2 and 2. Lice, cuts, and infection . Soon, two crying toddlers were plopped onto the chairs. The diagnosis was accurate—lice, cuts, and infections. Gently, I cleaned and disinfected the crusty, weeping wounds on their scalps, then applied antibiotic ointment. I treated the other scrapes and wounds as I found them. All day, people poured in. There were sores to flush, burns to dress, lice to remove, and infected feet to clean and bandage. Some needs went beyond my ability, such as a pregnant woman whose water had broken during the bombing. It was too early for her to deliver, and she needed hospital care. I hated the thought of her returning to the streets with no shelter. I did my best to meet not only her physical needs but her spiritual ones as well. “Can I pray with you before you go?” I asked. “Yes!” she answered eagerly. When I opened my eyes at the end of our prayer, tears were in hers. She reached for my hand, her expression filled with trust. “Habibti!” she said—the most affectionate Arabic word, meaning “my beloved.” The love of Jesus had melted her heart. Each family was driven back to their street home: clean with new clothes, bandaged wounds, and full tummies. But more important, they had encountered—perhaps for the first time—the love of Jesus through every volunteer who had spent the day with them in the clothing area and in the children’s play center, braiding their hair or bringing them back and forth in cars, binding their wounds, cooking for and feeding them, and sending hot meals to family members who couldn’t come. I was exhausted, but my heart was happy. I couldn’t help but think of the words of Jesus: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me” (Matthew 25:40). More from Mission 360° Magazine  Urban Centers of Influence (UCIs) More than 100 years ago, Ellen White championed an outreach model that she called centers of influence: small platforms for launching Christ’s method of ministry and connecting to city communities. Global Mission has helped to establish dozens of UCIs that minister to people’s needs and start new groups of believers. To learn more about UCIs, please visit UrbanCenters.org and MissionToTheCities.org . Get to know the region Resources Topics From the front lines of mission—straight to your inbox

A volunteer EMT serves displaced families with limited supplies, offering medical care, compassion, and prayer—revealing Christ’s love to those suffering through crisis and hardship.

Shining in a Dark Place

Related topics Called Through Pain But just as everything seemed to come together, tragedy struck. Right before I was about to travel to Fulton College for mission training, my brother passed away. We had spent 16 years together, and suddenly he was gone. It felt like a knife had gone straight through my heart.
To Sabbath School teachers: This story is for Sabbath, February 14. As told to Maika Tuima by Milo Ethanie Fevaaiai My name is Milo, and I come from the beautiful islands of Samoa in the South Pacific Ocean. Growing up wasn’t easy for me. I was raised in a home where love was often hidden behind pain. My father struggled with alcohol, and many times, small disagreements would end in violence. I remember how he would hurt my mother over the tiniest issues. My siblings and I grew up in an atmosphere of fear and confusion. It wasn’t just hard—it broke something inside me. As I got older, I often found myself asking God deep questions. “Is there a future for me? Do I have a purpose?” I kept telling God that I was ready to listen, ready to follow. I prayed, cried, and begged for answers. But it felt like God was silent. I became angry and started blaming God for everything that was happening in my life. Still, something kept pulling me closer to Him. I began attending Bible studies on Wednesdays and going to church on Sabbaths. Through it all, my mother became my rock. Even though she was going through her own pain, she stayed strong and always encouraged me to do what was right. She hadn’t allowed me to attend camps or church activities when I was younger, but now something unexpected happened. When she learned about the 2024 Youth Congress in Samoa, she said, “You should go.” I was surprised. She told me this congress would change my life—that it would make me a better person. Her words touched my heart, and because of the deep respect I had for her, I decided to register. Before the congress started, I began praying again. This time, I asked God for a sign. I needed to know whether He really had a calling for me. During one session, the presenter asked whether anyone wanted to volunteer for one year of mission service. At that moment, I felt something powerful in my heart. I knew it was God. He was finally speaking to me. I signed up for mission work. I realized then that all those years of silence weren’t rejection. God had been preparing me. But just as everything seemed to come together, tragedy struck. Right before I was about to travel to Fulton College for mission training, my brother passed away. We had spent 16 years together, and suddenly he was gone. It felt like a knife had gone straight through my heart. I was crushed. I lost hope. I felt like I had failed because I hadn’t been there for him. I felt completely useless. It was then that my mother came to me again. Even in her own pain, she reminded me of the calling God had placed on my life. Her words gave me strength again. I could feel the Holy Spirit working in me, guiding me, lifting me up when I couldn’t carry myself. Now, I want to speak to anyone who may be going through something painful or uncertain. Don’t give up. The enemy wants you to stay hopeless, broken, and lost. But God is still working, even in the silence. He is preparing you for something greater. Keep praying, keep believing, and keep listening. God’s calling may not come when you expect it, but when it does, you will know. And you will never regret saying “yes” to Him. Jesus once said, “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10). Hold on to that promise. God takes care of His people. Part of the Thirteenth Sabbath Offering in the first quarter of 2013 helped provide 15,000 Bibles and reading guides in South Pacific islands so people like Milo could learn more about Jesus. Thank you for your Thirteenth Sabbath Offering this quarter, which will help support children’s health projects in the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu.  Story Tips Show the locations of Samoa and Fiji on a map. Pronounce Samoa as: suh-MOW-uh. Download photos for this story from Facebook: bit.ly/fb-mq . Share facts and activities relating to the South Pacific Division: bit.ly/spd-2026 . Fast Facts The capital of Fiji is Suva, with a total population of nearly 200,000. The official languages of Fiji are English, Fijian, and Fiji Hindi. A large proportion of Fijians are of Indian extraction. Many Indians came to work in Fiji, particularly in the sugar cane fields. More than half of the country’s land area is made up by Vita Levu, Fiji’s largest island. The national symbol of Fiji is the canoe and the national color is light blue. Fiji’s motto is “Rerevaka na Kalou ka Doka na Tui” (“Fear God and honor the King”). Fiji was settled by Austronesian peoples sometime between 3500 and 1000 BC, and Melanesians arrived around 1,000 years later. In the tenth century, Fiji came under the influence of the Tu’i Tonga Empire, which introduced Polynesian customs and language to Fiji. The largest Hindu temple in the Pacific is located in Nadi on Viti Levu. The main agriculture in Fiji is sugar cane, cassava, and coconuts.  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But just as everything seemed to come together, tragedy struck. Right before I was about to travel to Fulton College for mission training, my brother passed away. We had spent 16 years together, and suddenly he was gone. It felt like a knife had gone straight through my heart.

Called Through Pain

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