“Are you sure that what you told me about God is right?” asked Emilio. Emilio Vicini was raised in a Seventh-day Adventist home in Italy. He had even studied theology at the Seventh-day Adventist seminary in Florence, Italy, for a short time but he became discouraged, left the message, and entered the drug culture.

One day feeling a desire to get back to God, Emilio came with his tattoos into a Seventh-day Adventist church in Switzerland where he is now living. He didn’t like the atmosphere he found there. However, after several weeks he noticed Yogi Bough and something encouraged him to speak to him. Emilio said, “Could we talk? I have been watching you, and I notice that you are not like these other people. There is something different about you.”

Emilio poured out his sad story to Yogi. Yogi then asked him if he wanted to study the Bible. As they studied, Emilio learned about Present Truth.

One day Yogi said, “Emilio, if you want God’s blessing, you have to stop working on Sabbath.”

“How can I do that? I have to have money. I can’t just give up my job!” replied Emilio.

Yogi responded, “If you are sincere with God, He will be sincere with you and give you the Sabbath off.”

Emilio thought about these words, and one day during Bible study he asked, “Yogi, are you sure that what you told me about God is right?”

“Yes, I certainly am,” Yogi replied, to which Emilio responded, “Well then, I’m going to quit my job so I can keep the Sabbath.”

For eight months God tested his faith. Emilio had no income, but he prayed that God would help him with his rent. Soon he learned of an apartment that was larger than the one he had. In addition, it was only half the price. Yogi and his friend Carla helped him financially. Still he needed a job. They prayed and studied together, grounding Emilio in the truth.

When Emilio was ready for baptism, God provided him with a job in a nursing home that did not require him to work on Friday afternoon or on Sabbath, and with much better pay. Emilio didn’t want to be baptized by a pastor who doesn’t believe Present Truth. So he waited until it could be worked out. Emilio was baptized on December 5, 2003 in Lugano, Switzerland. Emilio is thrilled with his faith. He has learned from personal experience that God does provide for those who are faithful. Now Emilio is working on getting his tattoos removed because he wants to do everything right and please God.

By Hal Mayer | Hartland Ministry Report, October/November 2004

When David Salazar asked Hartland for a donation or loan to establish a “Tomate de Arbol” (tree tomatoes) fruit industry at his school in Ecuador, he had no idea how many miracles God would work on his behalf. David and his brother Esteban are graduates of Hartland College who followed their vision of establishing a “school of the prophets” in their homeland of Ecuador.

Hartland agreed to loan them the funds they needed to launch the project with a matching-funds payback. As in all agriculture, the sun and rain play an important part in the success of the project. Too much or too little of either could mean disaster.

While David was still working out his financing, his neighbor planted about three times the amount of the same crop that David was planning to plant. Because the sun was too hot and the rain was too little, most of his plants died. He replanted about two weeks before David put in his tree tomatoes. With much prayer and God’s blessing, David’s plants grew at a remarkable rate. After about three months, however, David’s faith was tested. While at a Sabbath afternoon Adventist Youth Service at the local church, he noticed that a big hailstorm had started. Knowing that hail could destroy the young plants, he and those with him got on their knees and asked God to shield their farm from the hail, claiming the promise in Psalm 84:11, “For the Lord God is a sun and shield….” They arrived home after dark that evening so it was not possible to inspect the crop. What rejoicing the next morning when they found that not one plant had been damaged by the hailstorm! The caretaker related to them that it was as if God’s hand was over their property because the hail had come up to their borders and stopped. The crops of all the neighbors were damaged.

Exciting things are happening in South America. Through the sanitarium and restaurant, Bible seminars are being held and 120 people are ready for baptism now.

Many other exciting things are happening in South America. Two doctors in Colombia caught a vision of establishing a sanitarium emphasizing natural remedies instead of the drugs they had formerly been giving their patients. Esteban spent four months with the doctors, helping to establish the work and training them in natural remedies. The patients were so delighted with the diet at the sanitarium that they pled for a vegetarian restaurant. It was an instant success and had to be expanded to accommodate all the patrons.

Through the sanitarium and restaurant, Bible seminars are being held and 120 people are ready for baptism now, with many more studying in preparation for future baptism. There is not enough room here to relate all the miracles that God is bestowing on this fledgling work in South America. What a thrill it is to work with these enthusiastic young people and to have a part in helping them to establish their industry so that they will not have to depend on donations for operations.

By Frances Lundberg, Former Director of Hartland World Mission | Hartland Ministry Report, April/May 2004

God challenges us to “prove” Him in Malachi 3:10. As the Bible teacher of the Seventh-day Adventist school, I took up this challenge, by faith, in helping to plan evangelistic and revival meetings in Guanaja, a small island off the coast of Honduras. With the combination of drugs, alcohol, immorality, idleness outside of the church and lukewarmness in the church, it’s a rough place for a young person to grow spiritually.

After months of my trying to find someone able and willing to come to this little island in Central America, Reginald Wright, former student of Hartland, and Adrian McQueen from Voice in the Wilderness International answered the call. Their years of experience of working with youth in London, England and preaching the three angels’ messages made them just the ones we needed. The first obstacle was cleared-we had workers.

The next obstacle to surmount was airfare from England to Honduras during high season. That is where Malachi. 3:10 came in. Looking at the budget on a venture like this seemed initially over-whelming because we did not know where the money would come from, but didn’t God say He would “pour out blessings from the windows of heaven”?

If men are willing to risk for business ventures why not risk for God’s cause? God did prove Himself faithful. All expenses, which amounted to about $3500 US, were paid in ways we did not foresee. In a third-world country where 17 lempiras equals one dollar and you are a stipend Bible teacher, that is a lot of money. I cannot explain how much this experience strengthened my faith.

And it was worth the “risks.” Not only were the meetings well attended and well received, but I was privileged to see my students responding to altar calls, making commitments and having seeds planted in their hearts at a very critical time in earth’s history. The messages were given with the power of the Holy Spirit. They dealt with the history of the great controversy and climaxed with the parable of the ten foolish and wise virgins. Church members were awakened to a desire to learn how to study their Bibles and especially how to study prophecy. As a matter of fact, it was the church that got together and paid off the last amount needed to cover our expenses. They said the messages given were so valuable that it was worth much more than money. They did this the night before the young men returned to England. God came through right on time. Eternity alone will show the far-reaching effects of this mission endeavor.

Are you contemplating doing a work for God but don’t know where the resources will come from? I urge you, before it’s too late, to venture forward for God. Risk something; prove Him. He will not fail you.
Sheri Trueblood graduated from Hartland College in 1999.
By Sheri Trueblood | Hartland Ministry Report, February/March 2004