A Hug 18 Years in the Making

It was supposed to be the best of times, but it soon became a nightmare.

Eighteen years ago Manuel (“Manny”) Arteaga and his brand-new wife, Karen, based in the United States, were having the time of their lives on their honeymoon in Tahiti, in French Polynesia, when things suddenly went south.

As they were enjoying the pristine waters and picturesque landscapes as newlyweds, Karen told Manny that something was off.

“She began to insist that she was not feeling well,” Arteaga recounted as he shared his experience during the recent South Pacific Division (SPD) for Christ launch event in Brisbane, Australia. “She soon developed a fever.”

Brothers in Christ

Then Sabbath arrived, and the young couple decided to look for and attend a local Seventh-day Adventist church.

“It was a French-speaking church, and we could barely communicate, but despite the language barrier and Karen’s deteriorating state, we enjoyed the company of our brethren,” Arteaga, a pastor who now leads the Center for Urban Mission at the General Conference (GC), shared.

It was there that they met Jean-François Marirai-Parker, known to everyone as Jeff. He was a lay church member who worked for a major car company on the island.

Jeff introduced them to his family and invited them to spend not only Sabbath but also Sunday together. So the following day, and despite Karen’s growing health challenges, the couple and the family sailed around the island in a boat and enjoyed the view of their surroundings from the water.

Worst-Case Scenario

Soon it was time to leave and return to the United States. The Arteagas waved goodbye to Jeff and his family and left Tahiti. But as soon as they arrived in California, Manny and Karen went straight from the airport to a hospital.

During the next few days potential diagnoses began to pour in. “Leukemia,” a doctor said. That initial diagnosis was corrected about 10 times, Arteaga said, always adding another layer of concern and uncertainty to the newlyweds and their families.

“They were all serious conditions,” Arteaga recalled. “Our lives had been suddenly turned upside down before we had time to react.”

Eventually specialists concluded Karen was suffering from a serious but mysterious illness. Fervent prayers and a challenging medical procedure followed, until the day Karen was officially declared disease-free. Restored, the Arteagas went on to become parents to Sophie, Karissa, and Josiah. Meanwhile “Pastor Manny”—as he is now known—specialized in reaching out and serving seekers in urban environments.

Eighteen Years Later

Fast-forward 18 years to 2026. As director of the Center for Urban Mission at the GC, Arteaga is part of the Adventist Mission team for the world church. In that capacity he was invited to attend and present at the SPD for Christ launch event held at Watson Park outside Brisbane April 28-May 2.

One morning, as he was walking across the Adventist campus, Arteaga stopped in his tracks. “Jeff was there!” Arteaga shared as he recounted the unplanned encounter. “It was the first time I had seen Jeff in 18 years!”

Since the last time they had seen each other Marirai-Parker had left his job in the car business, become a pastor, and had recently been appointed as secretary of the French-Polynesia Mission in the New Zealand Pacific Union Conference.

The Real Hero

During a brief presentation at the Brisbane event on April 30, Artega recounted his experience and his surprise at coming across the now “Pastor Jeff.”

“Eighteen years ago God sent my wife and me His love through Jeff and his family,” Arteaga said. “We felt embraced by the Lord’s love through Jeff’s kind and selfless ministry.”

Pastor Jeff smiled broadly as he embraced Arteaga on the stage.

“All glory be to God,” Pastor Jeff said, “the true Hero in this story.”