The God of Miracles

We serve a mighty God who leads those who are committed to Him to carry out His will to further His cause. Through my years of ministry I have witnessed, again and again, how the Holy Spirit impresses hearts at the right moment to strengthen His church.

When my wife, Felicia, and I became employees of the church not long after we were married back in the early 1960s, we considered it a privilege and a joy. We were thrilled to lend our lives to the Lord’s cause. In the years that followed, there were three particular occasions during which I sensed, very clearly, the guiding hand of God.

A Mountain Property in Panama

Shortly after we were married I was assigned to be the principal of the Adventist boarding school situated in the little town of La Concepción, in the republic of Panama. The school, Instituto Adventista Panameño, was located on a small city block, which was considerably too small to properly accommodate the 200 students and many more that wished to study there.

It soon became necessary to relocate the school to a larger campus. One day I received notice that there was a large piece of property located about three miles up a mountain road, with a beautiful view overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the distance, for sale.

At once the school treasurer and I went to inspect the property. It was 100 acres for only $30,000, an excellent price for that time. A river ran alongside it. The soil was rich and had plenty of room for fruit trees and row crops, plus lots of flat land for campus buildings.

Both the treasurer and I immediately felt deeply impressed to move forward with the purchase. We sensed that God was touching our hearts to improve His work.

After explaining to the land’s owner our interest in relocating the school there, he enthusiastically agreed to sell to us, but only on condition that we make a down payment that very day. It turned out that he already had a serious buyer who intended to complete the purchase the next day, but the owner preferred to have a school on his property instead of a farm—I believe the Lord impressed him to feel that way.

With the consent of the union president, we ran to the bank, secured the down payment, and returned to finalize the agreement.

It was not long before the school relocated to the new property. Within just a few years enrollment grew to more than 500 students. Looking back, I feel that not only the unexpected preference of the seller but also the impression of the Holy Spirit upon our hearts made all the difference. It was thrilling to witness the power of God in our lives.

A Delayed Plane in Bolivia

Many years later my wife and I accepted a call from ADRA to direct the work in Bolivia. One of the challenges we faced, aside from our responsibilities with ADRA, involved the Adventist college located in the small town of Vinto, near Cochabamba. The college administrators had petitioned the government’s Ministry of Education for a change from college status to that of university, but were denied.

God works through willing hearts that are ready to respond at the right moment.

Likewise, an Adventist secondary school in La Paz, located in cramped quarters in a local church, had requested permission to relocate to a larger campus. That request was also denied.

ADRA had just built a large launch for plying the Beni River in the Amazon Basin to serve the many villages along its banks. The vessel included medical and dental facilities and represented a significant investment in humanitarian service. For its inauguration, ADRA invited the administrators of the two schools, conference leaders, the union president and treasurer, and the country’s minister of education.

ADRA rented a plane for the attendees, except for the minister, who came in another plane at his own expense. When the event concluded, the minister’s return plane did not arrive.

Once again, deeply impressed in my heart, I invited him to return in the plane we had rented. He was very pleased with the suggestion and sat near our leaders. Soon a friendly conversation developed. The minister spoke warmly of the humanitarian work of ADRA and of the launch that would serve remote villages along the river.

Our leaders then approached him about the situation of the two schools. He was surprised to discover they were the same institutions that had petitioned him earlier, and immediately agreed to grant their requests.

That decision brought great relief and soon led to significant growth in enrollment at both institutions. I believe the delay of the minister’s plane and the Holy Spirit’s impression to invite the minister to fly with us were part of God’s providence. Again, it was a joy to help solve an important problem, but most of all to witness the power of God and to see how He works through simple impressions of the Holy Spirit.

A Knock at the Door in the Philippines

After Bolivia, God called our family to the Philippines, where, once again, I was director of ADRA. On one trip to Mindanao I was staying in a guest room at Mountain View College near Valencia on the island of Bukidnon. One morning there was a knock at the door. A woman stood there and, after greeting me, asked whether ADRA would be interested in buying her clinic.

Historically, the college’s nursing students had taken their training in a hospital located in another province. But then the government had passed a law requiring nursing students to train in a hospital located in the same province as their school. After petitioning the government, the college was granted a temporary period of leniency, but after a few years the arrangement had come to a close.

The woman at the door explained that her husband, a doctor, had abandoned her, but had given her the clinic. She had rented it to some businessmen who failed to pay her. Weary of the situation, she wanted to sell it. Other organizations had not shown interest, so she was now approaching ADRA.

Once again, I felt deeply impressed to move forward. I knew that ADRA alone could not legally acquire the clinic, but I sensed this was God’s answer to the nursing school’s problem.

After discussing the matter with the local ADRA director and the union president, arrangements were made for the union to cover most of the costs, with ADRA assisting. The clinic, located only 30 minutes from the college, soon became the training site for the nursing students. Under capable leadership, the clinic expanded and eventually became a 100-bed hospital.

Once more, it was a thrill to witness the power of God and to comprehend the purpose He has for those who listen to the gentle nudging of the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion

In each of these experiences—a mountain property, a delayed plane, and a knock at the door—I sensed the quiet impression of the Holy Spirit. God works through willing hearts who are ready to respond at the right moment.

Being a servant of the Lord and a witness of the power of God, I praise Him who works miracles for the growth of His church and for the improvement of His work in the lives of many people.