“Let’s Go to Church!”

By Andrew McChesney, Adventist Mission

Something curious happened once Dr. Hernando Díaz began working at the Seventh-day Adventist clinic on the campus of Colombia Adventist University in Medellin, Colombia. He couldn’t stop praising God.

Image © Pacific Press

Hernando had long been a Christian, but he had never loved God so much. When no one would hire him as a physician, the Adventist Medical Center offered him a flexible schedule that allowed him to spend as much time as he needed with his critically ill 2-year-old son, Samuel.

His love for God overflowed. He prayed with every patient who consented. He told everyone who would listen that God had miraculously saved his son’s life and marvelously provided him with the job at the clinic. He invited people to the university church, where he and his family regularly worshiped on Sabbath even though they weren’t Adventists.

One Sabbath after his baptism, Hernando stopped at a red light as he was driving the family to church. A street vendor approached the car holding packs of chewing gum for sale. The sight was typical in Medellin, but Hernando had an unusual response. When he rolled down the window, the street vendor eagerly came up to him, hoping to make a sale. Hernando didn’t mention the chewing gum at all. “Let’s go to church!” he said.

The street vendor didn’t hesitate. “Let’s go!” he said.

Hernando could tell from the street vendor’s accent that he was from Venezuela. Thousands of Venezuelans have crossed the border into neighboring Colombia to look for work amid an economic crisis at home.

Hernando shared his personal testimony with the street vendor as they traveled to the university church.

The next Sabbath, the Venezuelan man returned to church with his own family. He and his family never missed a Sabbath. He now cooks and sells food on the street outside the Adventist Medical Center, using a food cart donated by church members. He and his family are taking baptismal classes. Hernando is praying that the family will give their hearts to Jesus, joining the six other people who have been baptized through his efforts.

Hernando said it isn’t difficult to lead people to Jesus. He follows the instructions that Jesus gave to the formerly demon-possessed man: “Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you” (Mark 5:19; NKJV).

“I haven’t stopped glorying God with my personal testimony,” Hernando said. “It has touched many hearts.”

This quarter’s Thirteenth Sabbath Offering will help open a missionary training center at Colombia Adventist University.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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