Sunday, December 9, 2007

Mission: Manokotak

The branch Sabbath school work in the village of Manokotak has made some exciting strides in the past year. But the story goes back about ten years, to when Dave & Shirley Williams befriended a man we'll call T (some names will be changed for privacy). Dave Williams, a Dillingham Adventist church member, did some mechanical work for T, an elder in the Moravian church in Manokotak, and shared some Bible studies and Sabbath school quarterlies with him at that time.

Now, fast forward to last year, 2006, when Dillingham members Margarita Merino and Florie Jewell visited house to house in Manokotak throughout the year. In the process, they found many interested people. One man we'll call A was willing to have Bible studies in his home. These began this spring, 2007, and have had around 13-14 people each week. A woman we'll call R (along with her mother) was one of those people. When R learned of the Sabbath and discussed it with her mother, she said "I've known that for a long time". R wondered why she hadn't been told about it all this time.

By June, R was ready for baptism, and she and her husband were flown to Dillingham for her baptism in June, 2007. At the baptism, her husband also seemed very interested. He also expressed his desire to begin paying tithe.

Since learning of the Sabbath, R has been active in outreach. She has shared her faith with the V.P.S.O. (Village Public Safety Officer) and also T, the Moravian church elder mentioned at the beginning. The V.P.S.O. was initially skeptical, but he studied the Sabbath for himself, he found it to be Biblical. Under conviction from the Holy Spirit, he made a decision to keep the Sabbath. Based on his convictions, the V.P.S.O. quit his job so he could keep Sabbath.

Meanwhile, the Moravian elder, T, had heard Sabbath presented at the Moravian church. When the Sabbath was presented, T noticed the reactions of the members. Some reacted with surprise, some with apparent anger, but some reacted with excitement and acceptance. T wanted more studies for his church. He wanted the Dillingham pastor to present the Bible truths from the Bible at the church, not pushing any denomination, just the scriptures. However, when the pastor called, the church wasn't ready for such a presentation yet. Nonetheless, T did request more quarterlies, further studies, and DVDs, which the pastor subsequently took over to him.

T wrote a letter in July to the Dillingham Adventist pastor, giving these details, and stating that he had begun keeping the Sabbath in June this year, and that besides the V.P.S.O., another family has also made a decision to keep the Sabbath. He has shared the Sabbath with his Thursday Bible study group, and they would like a Bible-based study given without pressure to join another denomination. Many young people, children and adults are listening to him, but fear persecution and name calling as the Adventists have received.

T has stated that while he doesn't want to change his denomination, he wants to keep the Sabbath and be faithful to the truth of the Bible. He is also aware of many other non-Biblical teachings in his church, such as the use of graven images and communication with purported spirits of the dead (forbidden by scriptures).

This fall (2007), child dedications have been given for 3 of R's children. Decisions are also being weighed by many, to follow the Bible more fully. Please keep them in your prayers and consider whether you may be called to dedicate some time this summer to evangelism in a village.

There are always challenges to deal with, and some of them are physical. Manokotak consists of an old village and a new village, which are about five miles apart. They could really use two groups of evangelists going out, rather than just one. Alternately, a light vehicle such as a moped or even a bicycle could be helpful for transit between the villages at least in the non-winter months.

Most of all, however, dedicated volunteers are needed who see that the fields "are white already to harvest." (John 4:35). "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest." (Matthew 9:37-38)

Warren

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