By Carolyn Karlstrom
I’ll never forget that Sabbath morning I met Elie Martinez Duran. It was October 1, 2011, and after the service I was introduced to her and her youngest daughter Inari.
“Welcome!” I smiled as I greeted her. “Can you stay for lunch?”
Our friendship began over that potluck meal, and it deepened as we enjoyed fellowship and Bible studies together.
Elie and three of her siblings were left with their paternal grandmother when her parents moved from Mexico to Oregon. A devout Catholic, her grandmother took the children to church faithfully, and Elie loved it. She says she felt a deep spiritual yearning from an early age, but when she joined her family in the United States, she didn’t get to attend church anymore. However, she was determined to maintain her connection to the God she loved, so she continued to pray.
In 1993 her son James was born, and the following year she met Francisco (Frank) Duran, and together they had three girls, Kaylee, Neve, and Inari. Elie would occasionally attend church with them, but something didn’t feel right. For one thing, there were images—and her Bible said these were not acceptable to God.
Sometime in 1999 Elie began asking God to lead her to the right church, and although she tried many, none of them seemed to fit. For eight years she longed for a better understanding of Scripture, until one day she prayed, Lord, I know the answers are in the Bible, so please show me how to read it!
The very next day someone rang her doorbell. “Would you like to learn how to read the Bible?” they asked. Elie was delighted, and for nearly four years, her family worshiped with the Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Through studying her Bible, she became aware of the seventh-day Sabbath, but her new friends couldn’t seem to explain why she should keep Sunday holy.
There has to be one right church, Lord. Please help us! she begged.
Making Sense
When Elie’s family purchased a satellite dish, she found an unfamiliar station called 3ABN, and she never turned it off! “The first person I remember was David Down with Digging Up the Past,” she says, “and the information he shared was exactly what I’d been reading in Scripture!”
On September 24, 2011, Elie kept the Sabbath for the first time, singing, praying, and talking with her kids while watching 3ABN. The very next week she heard the words, Seventh-day Adventist for the first time—ever! “Praise the Lord!” she shouted! “Now I know what church we’ll be attending!”
Taking her youngest daughter with her, Elie attended her first Sabbath service; and, as God would have it, we celebrated Communion (yes, Communion!) that week.
“Did you understand what was happening?” I asked her after the service, and her answer surprised me.
“Yes,” she replied. “We were prepared by 3ABN!”
Getting Right to Work
Elie immediately began sharing everything we studied about. She sent her family books and DVDs, and I rounded up 17 Bibles to send to her friends and relatives. She visited family that lived close by, and studied with her children and their friends at home. She brought dozens of young people to church services, evangelistic series, seminars, and concerts—she even witnessed by e-mail and Facebook.
The results? Well, here’s what’s happened, so far! God’s church has welcomed in these new ones (listed by family groups) on these dates:
Elie Martinez Duran: August 24, 2012
Kaylee Duran (oldest daughter): December 24, 2011
Neve Duran (middle daughter): November 23, 2013
Inari Duran (youngest daughter): November 23, 2013
Lidia Martinez (Elie’s sister): April 6, 2013
Jacqueline Martinez (Lidia’s daughter): April 6, 2013
Ariel Martinez (Lidia’s son): April 6, 2013
Jennifer Martinez (Lidia’s youngest daughter): April 6, 2013
Homero Martinez (Lidia’s husband): April 22, 2013
Marisol Martinez Becerra (Elie’s sister): November 9, 2013
David Becerra (Marisol’s husband): November 9, 2013
Vanessa Rodriguez (Marisol’s daughter): November 9, 2013
Most of the other members of her family are studying, and Felipe Jimenez, a Bible worker from Walla Walla, Washington, has helped her greatly by studying with her parents, Alfonso and Gudelia. Another sister-in-law, Martha, was opposed at first, but now she’s studying, along with her son Zeth. Elie’s oldest sister Silvia is studying, her younger brother, Alfonso Jr., and his wife Elvira have some interest, and their three children are studying, as well.
A Struggle
Elie’s brother-in-law, Homero, grew angry when his wife and children began to show interest in spiritual things. “Elie,” he confided, “I feel that Satan is making me struggle against this, because I get so angry when Lidia prays. That’s not me!”
Leading him around the outside of his home, Elie asked God to drive out the evil spirits; and when his family was baptized, Homero was in church! Then, just two weeks later, Homero sprang to his feet during an altar call, and his conversion was so genuine that he was baptized on the spot! The moment was so shocking and powerful that several others decided to give their hearts to the Lord that day, too.
Rejoicing Angels
“As a pastor, it’s always heartwarming to see people come to Jesus and begin to put down their spiritual roots,” says our senior pastor, Roger Walter. “I had the privilege of baptizing Elie and her three daughters, and they got involved right away. They are solid in their commitment to God, invested in continual growth, and have a heart for letting others know about Jesus, as well.”
Elie’s sister Lidia said she could imagine all the angels in Heaven rejoicing when she was baptized. “I felt the same way, too!” Elie adds.
Elie’s family and mine have grown together and forged a bond that will never be broken. God called her when she was a little girl—and He hasn’t stopped speaking to her since.
Romans 10:15 says, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!” (NLT). Elie has been called, reached, and sent. How very beautiful are her feet!
Visit the Vancouver Adventist Community Church
