Inside Story: Taking God at His Word
Austin’s parents worked hard, but finances were difficult. The family had other problems, too, and felt little peace in their home. Then they met a Global Mission evangelist who shared the Bible with the family. Although the family had been Christians for years, this man taught a message they had never heard before. He visited the home and studied with Austin’s mother. After the man left, she read the Bible passages for herself to be sure that what the man taught was true. She could find no error in the man’s teachings. Convinced, she asked to be baptized and become a member of the Adventist Church. A year later, Austin’s father also joined the Adventist Church.
Austin
Courtesy of GC Office of Adventist Mission
“Our financial problems didn’t clear up,” Austin says. “But we had a peace we had never known before. We realized that no matter how big our problems are, God can carry us through.”
The family moved to Mumbai, a large city in western India. Austin’s father worked hard to support the family. Mother began tutoring neighborhood children to earn extra money. Joyfully she tithed her meager earnings. Father worried that the family wouldn’t have enough money to meet their needs if Mother tithed, but he saw that God blessed her faith, and more students wanted her tutoring services. Today she has more than 100 students, and Father has begun tutoring now. And he gladly returns God’s tithe and his offerings.
When people ask the family why they don’t tutor on Saturday, the family shares God’s love through His commandments. There is no Adventist church in the area where the family lives, so they welcome those who wish to worship to their home on Sabbath. About 15 people regularly attend, 10 of whom are baptized members.
Austin’s parents have been strong examples of sharing God’s love with others. His mother visits homes of those in need and shares what she can along with God’s Word. Many people know the truth now because of her ministry. Austin and his brother also are sharing God’s truth with teachers and fellow students and inviting them to worship in their home. “It’s a great privilege to have a part in spreading the everlasting gospel,” he says. “I’m grateful for the faithfulness of that Global Mission evangelist who first taught my parents God’s truth. It’s changed our lives forever.”
Our mission offerings help support the work of Global Mission in the most spiritually needy places in the world. Thank you for sharing your mission offerings so that those like Austin’s family can respond to God’s message of love.
Austin Navis and his parents share their faith in Mumbai, India.
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The world truly needs men and women who are willing to work in God's vineyard..Am blessed by this testimony and pray that God will make me a powerful soul winning instrument for Him. God bless:-)
This story reminds me of my sister. When she decided to build her own home, she asked my dad to make the living room the largest room in the house. When dad asked her why, she said that she was planning to do missionary work on behalf of the children in her neighborhood. She was the local nurse, and all the neighbors respected her. She would quite often offer her services for free to poor people.
When the house was finished, she invited the children for a song and stories session on Sabbath afternoons. The number of children grew, and the parents started coming as well. Eventually, her living room became rather crowded, and the need to build a local church became evident. Today, there is a good size church in that town. This story took place in the country of Argentina many decades ago.
Thank you for this testimony, Nic. 🙂 Perhaps more of us should consider our homes as centers of missionary outreach and build accordingly.
Austin is a Graduate in Medicine and humble guy. He withstood all the sabbath challenges when in Medical School. He is an inspiring young witness
Inge: Yes, of course, my sister inherited this from our relatives. I have a cousin who used her home in my native town in Ukraine for half a century as a church. When the Soviet Union imploded and Ukraine became independent, my relatives and other members of their home church were able to build their own church with financial help from the U.S.
Thank for this story makes me to now what to do to help people to now the truth God bless those who give their time to work for the Lord
Thanks for that living love for God, Even my father and mother Mr& Mrs Mugwe Jeremiah are the founders of sda church in a remote village of buwihula in eastern uganda when they turned their livingroom to a gathering room after we left kakoro sda mission school where my father had served as a primary school headteacher for decades until 1988 due political unstability.
I will like to learn the bible