BY J. JOHN WYCLIFFE

Y LIFE'S DREAM WAS to attend medical school and become a physician. During my first year at university, I was required to take a series of subject exams called the career examinations (CE), conducted by the university. Not only was it mandatory, but it also played a critical role in the admission process to a professional school. (Perhaps the term academic, rather than professional, is better understood in the West.) Essentially, those exams determined a student's future success. However, one of these compulsory three-hour subject exams (French) fell on a Sabbath morning. And there's where my difficulties began.

That was to be the story of my life. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me go back.

Where It Began
I'm a third-generation Seventh-day Adventist from Kerala, India. In fact, my grandparents were pioneers in the Adventist movement in Kerala. My grandmother was the first teacher of the first Adventist school in Kerala, and my grandfather was a colporteur. Likewise, my parents followed in their footsteps and worked for the church. My late father, Pastor Japagnanam John,* was a publishing department secretary for a union in the Southern Asia Division, and my mother was a secretary.

In 1959 I graduated from Spicer College High School and subsequently attended Kerala University in Trivandrum. It was here during my first year that I was required to take the mandatory CE series mentioned above.

At this time non-Hindu students were not given special consideration based on their religious affiliations or beliefs. On the contrary, harsh penalties were imposed on examinees who could not take the test on the scheduled date or who failed the exam and had to retake it. If a student did not take an exam or pass all of their subjects in one sitting, their total score would be severely affected. Regardless of the nature of the circumstances that caused the problem, professional schools automatically deducted 20 percent off the student's total CE score. Such an action placed them in a lower-ranking position and significantly jeopardized their admission potential.

In my situation, had I foregone the initial exam and taken it when it was offered on a day other than the Sabbath, I would automatically have been categorized as a student who'd failed the initial test and had to repeat it--which would have placed me at a severe disadvantage.

To make matters worse, I was incessantly badgered and harangued by my peers to compromise my beliefs and take the exam. Nor did it stop there. My professors joined in and unremittingly censured and berated me. I was making the gravest mistake of my life, they told me. Though I shared with them my beliefs about the Sabbath, they continued to force the issue, pleading that I reconsider. It did not help my situation when they witnessed several of my Adventist colleagues, including pastors' children, disregarding the Sabbath and taking the exams.

My colleagues were acutely aware of the impact that this critical decision would make on my life. In their words, it would seal my doom. And I must admit that, at the young and impressionable age of 19, I was tempted. But though my professors and peers continued their strategy to coerce me, the Lord, for His part, continued to strengthen me. Taking the exam would have meant the opportunity to realize my lifelong dream. But it also would have meant compromising God's immutable law. I stood my ground.

That was April 1960.

The Lord sustained me, and in the fall of that year I was able to take the French exam and pass it with flying colors. The following year I applied to medical school; but because I'd been penalized and categorized as a "second-time" examinee, I came in only eight points shy of gaining admission.

The bar for medical school admission was set much higher than for other disciplines. But Hindu students who scored considerably lower than their counterparts were given preferential treatment. They were able to enroll in academic disciplines with significantly lower scores than their non-Hindu counterparts. Not only did they receive preferential treatment in the academics; they also did in the workforce, something still widely and openly practiced today.

New Pressures
Despite the harsh penalties imposed on my total marks, the Lord blessed me with a score exceeding that which several of my Hindu counterparts received. Again my peers and professors approached me--but now with an innovative strategy. Why not alter my religious affiliation and obtain a Certificate of Conversion to Hinduism? they suggested. Once again the test was brought home to me: If I were to convert, I would gain entrance into the only medical school in Kerala, in line to become a physician. The Honorable K. Velayudhan, president of the Hindu Society and a member of the Indian Parliament, begged me to reconsider my decision. I would greatly regret it, he said.

The archdeceiver, continuing his surreptitious plan, again pointed me to other Adventist students, including pastors' children, who took full advantage of the special favors conferred on Hindus. Not only did they "convert" to Hinduism, but they also went as far as to change their names, appropriately to reflect their new identities. "It's only on paper," they said, justifying their actions. "Who will care or know? Certainly the Lord will understand our dilemma and wink at our decision!"

Unremittingly the master of deceit inundated me with a myriad of such scenarios and reasons, knowing exactly the kind of inducement to place in front of an impressionable young man with high hopes and dreams.

But the heavy pressure notwithstanding, the Lord came through for me, giving me strength to stand firm. In addition, He blessed me with supportive parents and relatives who stood by me and supported my decisions.

Yet I have to admit, given the mounting ridicule from my non-Adventist colleagues and relatives, this was an extremely difficult and trying time for me. It was hard to watch my peers and fellow Adventists pursue their goals and dreams. But I refused to compromise my beliefs for the mere sake of gaining entrance into medical school, keeping before me the words of Jesus: "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Matt. 16:26, KJV).

While pursuing my B.Sc. degree, I also sought out my passion for flying; and at the young age of 21 (during my second year of study for the bachelor's), I received my private pilot's license. Since I was not able to pursue my initial goal in medicine, I decided to become a pilot in the Indian Air Force. However, I had promised my mother that regardless of what career path I had chosen, I would always work for the church in some capacity. Therefore, in order to keep my promise and avoid any future Sabbath conflicts, I promptly abandoned my dream of becoming a pilot.

After completing my undergraduate degree, I earned a master's in English language and literature. Based on statewide merit, I was blessed to be one of the 15 students chosen per year for this program. Despite my being penalized on the CE, the Lord still blessed me with a high score and grades. However, I knew that Sabbath conflicts were imminent, and I quickly deserted this path.

Today my peers who charted this specific course are all in prestigious and high-ranking positions for the Indian Administrative Services, the Indian Foreign Services, and various other government entities.

But the Lord continued to lead, and in 1966 my wife and I began work as teachers in the Adventist mission school in Lasalgaon, India. Several years later I migrated to the United States, and in 1978 began working at the world headquarters of the Adventist Church. It was quite disheartening that despite my education and several years of experience as a teacher in our mission school, the only position I was offered was what some would call "at the bottom." But having promised my mother that I'd work for the church, I accepted what was offered.

All the while, however, the Lord continued to bless me. He blessed me with a gift in public relations, and in the past 29 years has opened numerous doors through which I've had opportunity to meet and witness to key government officials, both nationally (in the United States) and internationally. I've had opportunity to coordinate Congressional luncheons in the United States and to arrange and accompany General Conference presidents and other church leaders to meetings with prime ministers, presidents, parliament members of India, former Philippine president Corazon Aquino, Mother Teresa, and various other prominent figures. During President Ronald Reagan's term I was even offered a position at the White House, but turned it down because of my commitment to work within the church.

Some may see my life as one plagued by missed opportunities and disappointments. For my part, however, I have no regrets when it comes to holding steadfast to my faith. Certainly I have had my share of setbacks, but the Lord has immensely blessed my wife, Tresa, and me; our children, Jason, Jeff, Jeena Molly, and Joy; and our grandchildren, Duncan, Rachel, and Priya. In the past several years God has placed a simple, ordinary man such as I in key situations in which I have had the opportunity to witness for the church.

My prayer is that the Lord will continue to use me for the church I love, and to which I've dedicated nearly 30 years of service.

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* Readers will notice that the author's first name is the same as his father's last. That's because of a complicated system sometimes followed in India.

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J. John Wycliffe works in the Adventist Volunteer Center of the General Conference Secretariat.