Papa greeted his daughter, Tamara, as she entered his home. During her visit she noticed an invitation to a Christmas program in another church in their city. She was curious and asked her father to go with her to the concert.

Papa was an elder in the Molokan church, an evangelistic, Bible-centered church in their homeland of Azerbaijan. Polina, Tamara’s sister, wanted to attend the concert too. She had sensed that something was missing from her family’s faith and for months had been praying to know more about Bible truth.

The concert opened evangelistic meetings, and Tamara, Polina, and their father decided to attend. Tamara wondered who was sponsoring the meeting; but the greeters were busy, and Tamara forgot to ask.

When Tamara learned that the meetings were sponsored by Adventists, she was curious to know what the name “Adventist” meant and what Adventists believed. Every night she compared what the speaker said with what she read in her own Bible. She realized that these Adventists were preaching the truth.

When the speaker invited people to a more in-depth Bible study, the whole family signed up for the course. Tamara called her sisters, who lived in Siberia, and told them what they were learning. The Siberian sisters were worried about this new religion their family had stumbled onto.

The family visited the church on Sabbath for months; but because Papa was an elder in their church, the family hesitated to be baptized out of respect. About this time Tamara visited her family in Siberia. Her brother and sisters peppered her with questions about this strange new religion they had become involved in. Yuri, the only brother, had been an interrogator in the military, and as he heard her answers he became convinced that the Adventist Church was based on the Bible.

In time the Azerbaijan family members moved to Siberia to be near the rest of the family, and in time the sisters were baptized together. Several months later Papa and Yuri were baptized as well. Now they are praying and working to lead their spouses and children to God.

Krasnoyarsk, Russia, where the family now lives, has several house churches but only one small church. Part of a recent Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help build a large church in the city that will help draw many more people to Christ. Thank you for your part in supporting this special offering and for giving faithfully to the mission offerings every week in church.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission.
Find more stories like this at AdventistMission.org

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