By Daniela Weichold
I was attending the 2005 General Conference Session of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in St. Louis, Missouri, and since I had only recently obtained satellite TV at my home in Belgium, I was very happy I had the opportunity to briefly talk to Danny Shelton about 3ABN. I remember telling him, “I’m one of the few viewers in Belgium,” but at that point I didn’t really know the implications of my statement!
About a year later I took a leave of absence from my work, and spent the next three years in the United States taking medical-missionary training. After returning to my adopted home country of Belgium, I appreciated being able to watch 3ABN again, as it enhanced my spiritual life. Although I attended the International Seventh-day Adventist Church in Brussels, this American TV network was not so well known among our members.
The Call
It was on a Friday afternoon some time in 2011 when I received a phone call from a lady named Jennifer Munka. She inquired the whereabouts of our church, and when I asked her how she knew about us, she told me that she had been watching 3ABN. Wow! I thought, I’m not the only one, and very soon after, Jennifer was welcomed into our midst.
Jennifer was born and raised in the African country of Kenya. She grew up in a Christian home, but her grandmother was actually who introduced her to Jesus Christ. She was baptized at age 14, and four years later, her family moved to the United States. While she attended school in Florida, she met her Kenyan husband, who was a year ahead of her in school. They married and returned to Africa as missionaries to Nigeria.
Jennifer stayed very busy taking care of their three children and working as a secretary for the middle-east churches, but she had a lot of questions. She wondered why the church talked about the Sabbath, but didn’t keep it. She also had questions about baptism—why didn’t they follow the biblical way? The answers she got from her bishop never satisfied her.
Finding Her Way
When Jennifer’s husband had the opportunity to work in Belgium, they moved their family to Europe—and that’s where she began watching 3ABN!
Soon she was a regular online viewer, not realizing there was actually an English-speaking Seventh-day Adventist church in Brussels. Then one day she searched for a church and found a Facebook link for our International Seventh-day Adventist Church. My phone number was listed as the contact, so I received her call.
This wonderful lady immediately became part of our church family, and what impressed me immediately was the fact that she was so warmhearted and affectionate. In fact, I consider her to be one of the best huggers in our church!
Our first elder at the time, Lawrence Chilimboyi, had this to say: “I always want to greet people I’ve never met before at church, so I went up and introduced myself. At that time, Jennifer hadn’t told me how she came to know about our church, so I thought she might be one of those who had been in the church for some time, but had only recently decided to get baptized. However, when we spoke again some Sabbaths later, I realized from her speech that this was somebody who was very familiar and comfortable talking about her faith in God. She could also relate to Scripture in expressing her need for Him.
“Later on she told me how she had come across the Adventist message,” he continues, “and then she expressed her desire to get baptized the biblical way—by immersion. She was the most consistent person in our baptism class, and often the earliest. Most of the time she arrived at church before I did! Jennifer was very receptive to the teachings of the Bible, and we had wonderful discussions.
“Despite some challenges, she was baptized with several others last year. Jennifer is a wonderful addition to our church family, and a good demonstration of the power of God at work through human agents and institutions to save souls. I believe that, just as our Lord Jesus said, there are many like Jennifer who we don’t know of yet who will come into the church in these last days.”
No Barriers
Pastor Iwan Voerman was also quite impressed. “When someone like Jennifer is already acquainted with our teachings, it brings down the usual barriers to conversations. Their questions are directed to better understanding, instead of defending what they previously believed, and that results in confirming our teachings. In her case, it was like talking to a sister already in the faith.”
Finally, the day of her baptism approached, but the enemy of souls wasn’t very happy about it. All the baptismal candidates gathered at the church, but our sister from Kenya was missing! I called her cell phone as the baptisms began, and found out that the bus she was supposed to take was late! Oh no, Lord, I prayed. Please bring Jennifer to church on time!
I was able to pick her up from the metro station, and Jennifer descended with the others into the watery grave of baptism, only to be resurrected to a new life in Jesus. It was a beautiful celebration!
When I asked her if she’d been worried that day about whether she’d make it to church on time, she said: “I wasn’t anxious. I know that the Lord wanted me to do it, and that He would accomplish it!”
As one speaks with Jennifer, it quickly becomes obvious that she’s very sure about her faith in God. “I want to fulfill His mission,” she says. “God has called me for something. He is a good God, and He is so merciful.”
I’m truly grateful to have a brand new sister in the faith who came to our church through such an interesting path. I can only marvel how God works in our lives in order to bring us into His fold!