Among many Seventh-day Adventists, the name Desmond T. Doss is a familiar one. This man is a hero to us, not only because of his courage and tenacity during World War II, which resulted in saving the lives of at least 75 soldiers, but also because of his unfailing devotion and obedience to God and His Word.


Joining the Army as a conscientious objector resulted in his fellow soldiers initially viewing him with disdain and as mentally unfit. Not only did he refuse to carry a gun, but he also asked the Army for a pass every week to be able to go to church each Sabbath.

When the movie about this heroic icon, "Hacksaw Ridge," produced by Mel Gibson, was released in theaters last month, many Adventists saw this as a great opportunity to reach out to the movie goers and give them more information about this amazing man and the beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist Church as found in the Bible.

Here are reports from a few Texico churches:

 

Rio Rancho (NM)

 

Former Vietnam combat medic and conscientious objector, Dr. Robert Gardner, and his wife, Kimone, distribute the “Hero of Hacksaw Ridge” books in a local theater.

 

With the release of the movie, “Hacksaw Ridge” depicting the combat experience of Army medic and conscientious objector, Desmond Doss, members from the Rio Rancho Church decided to take advantage of the sharing book, "Hero of Hacksaw Ridge" by Remnant Publications. After prayer, they approached a local theater manager seeking permission to give away the books to their customers. The manager quickly welcomed the offer and suggested a prime location inside the theater. Being near the Veteran’s Day holiday, the timing could not have been better.

As the movie goers exited the inside theater door, a large table banner, rows of books, and the smiling face of Kimone Gardner and former Vietnam combat medic and conscientious objector, Robert Gardner, M.D., greeted the tearful and emotionally moved group. Within eight minutes, all the books were gone and patrons were asking for more.
 
The Rio Rancho Church's personal ministry’s vision and prayer is that all of God’s remnant family will realize that “Every soul is priceless and every opportunity is precious.”

May we work with faithfulness and urgency as we await our coming Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

 

By Robert Gardner, M.D.

Española (NM)

A number of the Española Church members participated in handing out 200 “Hero of Hacksaw Ridge” books to people exiting a local theater after viewing the movie. Those who accepted the free books were in awe of the subject of the movie, Desmond T. Doss and his faith in God. They were very grateful to receive the book and learn more about him. We pray that the book will open the minds and hearts of the readers to understand ​and accept the ​fundamental beliefs of the Seventh-day Adventist faith! The contact information for the Española Church was included in each book and we are prayerfully anticipating contact from readers in the near future as a result of this ministry outreach.

By Carmen Payne

 

Deming (NM)

Upon viewing an interview on 3ABN about the accompanying book, "Hero of Hacksaw Ridge," for the much publicized movie, “Hacksaw Ridge,” the Deming (NM) English Church saw an opportunity to share the extraordinary story of the World War II hero, Desmond Doss. After a generous donation was received to purchase the majority of the books, members distributed them to moviegoers. Some of the recipients asked for additional books to share with friends. One man mentioned that he was reading the book and his co-workers attempted to take the book for themselves. We have since sent additional books to all interested parties.
 

As Veteran’s Day quickly approached, church members decided to include with the book a free ticket to view the documentary, “The Conscientious Objector,” at a local conference center. Most of the attendees were veterans. The "Hero of Hacksaw Ridge" books were also placed at various locations throughout the city.

By Mary Mackey

A yard sale was held in the parking lot of the Amarillo Spanish Church to raise funds to help the homeless of the city.

 

Oralia Lozoya was recently appointed by the Amarillo Spanish Church board to be the community services assistant for this year. Accepting this position, she coordinated an ambitious project to collect 50 blankets for homeless people in Amarillo, Texas.


Blankets were donated by the church members and funds were raised for this project. A yard sale was scheduled for October 30^th, but that morning the weather didn’t look very promising for an outdoor event. Some people thought they may need to cancel it. With prayers and words of encouragement, all the items were laid out on the church parking lot. It didn’t take long for God to answer our prayer for good weather. The sun soon appeared and with the help of about ten volunteers, $291 dollars were collected, which exceeded what the team was hoping for. Approximately 150 people stopped by over the course of the day and many religious tracts and “Great Hope” books were distributed to them. Some people were also invited to come back and visit the church.
 

Many religious tracts and "Great Hope" books were given to those who came to the yard sale.
 

 
The blankets as well as jackets were given away to the homeless at the Amarillo Community Services Center on November 20th, accompanied with delicious homemade burritos and hot chocolate.

A thank you goes to the Pathfinders who also came and helped out with the project.
 
Article and photos by Juscileide Gomes

Española Church members feed the homeless of their community on Tuesdays and Thursdays which leads to opportunities to pray and fellowship with the recipients.
 

The Española Church has been very busy with outreach activities in their community in an effort to make friends, meet the needs of the people and reach them for Christ as is reflected in the short stories below.  

Feeding the Homeless in Española

Recently, some of the members of the church have been meeting on Tuesday and Thursday mornings to prepare breakfast burritos or sandwiches to distribute to homeless people around the Española community. The food and fellowship are met with heartfelt thanksgiving by the recipients, and the church members certainly experience a joy in serving and giving. Pastor Ricardo Castro, and those who distribute the food, have an opportunity to fellowship, pray and meet spiritual needs of the recipients. A recent and welcome donation of clothing by the Santa Fe Rancho Viejo Church now makes it possible for the Española Church to distribute clothing to the needy in their community also.

By Carmen Payne

 

Over 30 homeless people were fed on Thanksgiving Day!
 

 

A Taste of Thanksgiving

 

On​ November 20th, the church hosted a Thanksgiving luncheon for the homeless in the community, as well as, for members who have become inactive in the church. Community service leaders, Miriam Castro and Gina Martinez, and assistant, Pauline Herrera coordinated the event with the help of several members in the church who prepared a full Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings. Over thirty homeless people were fed, in addition to the several members who came to share in this wonderful occasion!
 
The homeless individuals were very thankful for the warm, hearty meal and were also hungry for prayer. Pastor Ricardo Castro and his family, as well as, the many church members who participated, had an opportunity to fellowship and pray together with them. Miriam Castro said, "I was inspired by the smiling faces at the church, a dynamism and a joy that only the Spirit of God can give."

This was truly a day of thanksgiving for everyone involved in this worthy outreach!

 By Diahann Cordova

Abilene Junior Academy students learn about the dangers of drug abuse during their annual Red Ribbon Week.

 

Abilene Junior Academy had its annual Red Ribbon Week during the last week of October. We focused on the dangers of drug abuse. The week’s theme was “YOLO!” which means, You Only Live Once! God wants the life we live here on earth to be rich and full. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit.


Each day we learned how harmful drugs can damage our bodies and hurt those we love. Each day also brought an opportunity for our students to wear something which would reinforce the idea we were presenting. On Monday, we wore crazy hats which indicated that we were, “Putting a Lid on Drugs” and on Wednesday, we wore our pajamas to remind us to, “Wake up Drug Free.” 
 
The serious and silly week ended with a special chocolate sundae surprise in the afternoon. We love to learn and have fun at the same time!
 

Submitted by: Susan Zimmermann
Principal/Teacher at Abilene Junior Academy

 

One of the sad realities I have come to learn is that you don't have to be in a cold gray concrete and iron walled controlled environment to be in prison. This is coming from a man that, although I have spent many years in prison, I have also been released from prison many times. I came to learn that just because I was out on the streets it did not make me a free man. I had been heavily involved in motorcycle gangs and other forms of organized crime all my life.


I was imprisoned in the environmental circumstantial experiences of my life. Selfishness, lying, stealing, violence, drug addiction and promiscuous relationships---there were no boundaries. The government knew that to control this behavior was to keep me in the controlled structured environment, where my physical desires could not be played out on the citizens. But they did not have the ability to change my heart. Most of us have probably heard the statement, "We need to rehabilitate these men." Well, I don't believe they have the ability to rehabilitate people.
 
I have personally served over 24 ½ years in state and federal prisons in this country. I've been in well over a dozen institutions, including two different walled maximum-security prisons and have been in two different prison riots. My first incarceration was at the age of 17 for arm robbery in the state of Michigan. I've witnessed men beaten to death, hangings, stabbings, and many other atrocities over that 24 years.
 
During my five times in prison, I always looked forward to being released. For some reason you only envision the good times you had in the streets while you are in prison. You don't think about the times you didn't have money and the electricity was cut off. Or the times when you were evicted out of a house or apartment or when you didn't have a car. You just think, "man, when I get out of here everything is going to be okay." Yet when released, many people go right back to the circumstances that took them to prison in the first place.
 
We've heard the stories of people who have been released from prison only to return back to crime within a short period of time. I have heard people say, "They must've wanted to go back to jail." No, in most cases they did not want to go back to jail. They just did not have the ability or the understanding of the battle we are in. To use a carnal mind to try to control carnal flesh is absolute insanity. They were unarmed to fight the battle. See Ephesians 6:12.
 
It was a prison ministry team I encountered while incarcerated in the Federal Bureau of Prisons that introduced me the Power which can transform and renew our minds; a Power that could grow from within me if properly fed, which could bring my outward actions into harmony with this Power. Yes, I'm talking about the Holy Spirit and the Holy Bible. See John 6:63 and II Corinthians 3:3-6. It is only the Holy Spirit that can make us truly free from the bondage of sin and convert a sinner's heart. Only the Holy Spirit can free us from our prisons, whether in our minds or a controlled physical environment.
 
With prayerful study and a daily relationship with Jesus Christ, hearts and minds can be changed. I know this to be a fact. I'm now living it. I am the assistant prison ministry director for the Texico Conference and am involved in prison ministries on a daily basis. It is a privilege for me to go into a Texas prison each week and conduct Bible studies and Sabbath services. At the beginning, there were two inmates in my group. Yesterday, October 15, 2016, there were 53. We have been blessed to have had two inmates baptized in the prison and accepted into membership at the Midland Seventh-day Adventist Church. Four others are currently preparing for baptism.
 
I also have been blessed with Onesimus Freedom Ministry, a prison ministry which has reached over 150 inmates through the postal system over the last three years. I strongly believe prison ministries gives inmates the much needed light to have their lives transformed and renewed by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 
"How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher?" Romans 10:14.

 
By David Casey,
Texico Assistant Prison Ministry Director

"Do You Want a King?"
 

 

GLOW is a fun, easy and creative method for all, both young and old, to share the gospel through small pocket size pamphlets.

 

Steve* and his wife had been married for twelve wonderful years, when his wife suddenly became ill and began spending quite a bit of time in the hospital. Three years later she passed away in the month of January—this past January. 


During the time he had been visiting his wife in the hospital, there had been an occasion where someone he met in the hospital handed him a GLOW tract. Steve, being upset about the situation with his wife and feeling out of control emotionally, had been keeping God at arms-length. The tract did not interest him at the time. He accepted the tract, but filed it away in his Bible, with little interest in reading either the tract or the Bible. 
 
Months later he opened his Bible and found the tract. After reading the tract, he realized that he needed to “do what God wanted [him] to do”--that is, to study and learn more of His love and character, as found in the Bible. God was truly calling to his heart. 
 
That is when Steve flipped the tract over and called our GLOW office using the number on the back, and shared with us his spiritual journey. Since the day God spoke to him through the tract he read, he has been studying everything he can get his hands on. He also requested that someone study the Bible with him one-on-one!
 
Tracts that experience a time-lapse before they are read are not ineffective, they are just awaiting the time when they will make the most impact. God will bless the tracts you plant in His own timing, but He cannot bless the tracts that are never planted.  Let’s keep planting, and let God make Himself responsible for their success! Maranatha!
 
*Not his real name

Story copied with permission from "Midwest GLOW - November 11, 2016.

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If you are interested in becoming involved with the GLOW ministry or purchasing GLOW tracts, please contact Derrick Williamson, Texico Literature Ministry Director, at dwilliamson@texico.org or 505-244-1611.