Gary - she was the most loving, compassionate person ever in my life - a true Christian character.

Angela - Every time we came home from a trip or college, our mother was always waiting to make us an egg sandwich with chocolate milk, no matter what time of night. Many hours were spent in conversation over that kitchen counter.

Petro - My mom was a perfect example of unconditional love, she was a loving and kind person to everyone, no [scandalous] word ever came to her lips. She lived by example rather than preaching. A child of God, her life was a testament of a life lived in harmony with God's will. She never grumbled, a loving mother and wife to our father, forgiving, always unselfish and putting the needs of others first. A blessing to our father and her children, productive, and wise in all her dealings. I praise God for her life. Even in her suffering and painful death with bone cancer, she kept her faith and thought of others rather than asking why. Bless your mom and love her every day, make her feel happy and blessed that she had you, appreciate her whilst you can.

Anete - She would stroke my forehead when I needed comfort. No words were needed to know and feel how much she cared.

Nyakerario - My mum is such a wonderful mother, all she [went through] to bring me up to be the person I am today, through thick and thin she managed to raise me to be [who] I am today. May God bless her so much. Happy Mother's Day.

Anh - [The] best advice mom gave was that I'm not a Christian just because I say I am. #TheyShallKnowYouForYourLoveForOneAnother.

Visit us on Facebook to tell us some of the reasons you appreciate your mother.

Note: Comments edited for spelling, punctuation and clarity.

AWR recently began broadcasting programs in Armenian, the latest in a line-up of more than 80 languages offered by the radio arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. A radio station in the capital city of Yerevan and another in Vanadzor will carry programming on spirituality, health and family.

"Radio programs can help the church's outreach efforts in Armenia," Khachatryan says, adding that the historically Christian nation is more open to spiritual issues than many secular European countries.

Knarik Petrosyan, a student at Yerevan State University, is heading up a production from a studio built by AWR. The team includes businessman Tigran Stepanyan, who serves as presenter and programmer, and the entire Mkhitaryan family. Hovik is a journalist and his wife, Gegecik, is a teacher. Their son, Joseph, is 10 years old. The family has broadcast experience from their involvement with earlier radio work in Vanadzor.

"The most challenging problems in Armenia are smoking, alcohol, decrease of family values, atheism and poverty," Khachatryan says. "Our programs will offer hope, help in overcoming secularism, more complete family principles, assistance with stopping smoking and drinking, and more."

Within the next few months, Armenian programming will also be available online - on demand at awr.org and as podcasts through awr.org and iTunes. AWR officials say online access is particularly valuable, as there are more than 4 million Armenians living outside of their home country.

Armenia is home a population of some 2.5 million people, about 800 of whom are Adventist church members.

For many of the world's women, lack of religious freedom is just one of many human rights challenges they face. How to address these issues-and whether or not secularism advances the cause of women's religious liberty around the world-was the focus of discussion among a group of leaders and delegates at the 7th World Congress in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on April 24.

Everyone deserves basic human rights, at the core of which is the right to believe and express your beliefs freely, said Amireh Al-Haddad, North American Religious Liberty Association leader for Southern United States and the discussion leader. She emphasized that regardless of the unique challenges within each culture, raising awareness of rights issues that particularly impact women is key to making small strides.

"The things we take for granted, like driving or going to the store, aren't allowed [for women] in some societies," said Al-Haddad. In some countries of Africa, she added, it's much worse for women. In addition to restrictions on basic freedoms, there is also the practice of female genital mutilation and a high prevalence of domestic violence-although these abuses are often regarded in these societies as protection for women.

"It's harder to make inroads when it comes to equality between men and women in some cultures," said Al-Haddad. "It's not about trying to impose religious liberty on anyone-it's about being concerned with the basic rights of human beings."

John Graz, secretary general of International Religious Liberty Association, joined the discussion. He cited the case of a mother (in a country he chose not to name) who converted to Christianity after becoming a regular viewer of a Christian television program. As a direct consequence of her new beliefs, she lost her job, her family, and her home.

Graz also talked about a young mother in Pakistan who was jailed because she spoke to other women about certain topics which were misinterpreted as contravening the countries blasphemy laws.

"These cases clearly demonstrate violence against individual rights," said Graz. "Every individual is created equal and should be respected. Freedom of expression allows for respectful differences without violating individual rights."

The discussion also focused on ways that individuals can raise awareness about abuse against women. Suggestions included promoting religious liberty by organizing letter or email campaigns, and alerting human rights lawyers about cases where rights are being infringed.

The bottom line, said Al-Haddad, is that you cannot work out a problem without having a common consensus, getting to know the people and the culture. "It's important that we recognize these human rights issues when they arise, so we can bring them to the forefront and create awareness." She said people must be informed, and apply their faith in a conscious way to respect the beliefs of others.

Al-Haddad said where it gets complex is with secularism-the separation of church and state, and how it may go against religious liberty and freedom of consciousness. Secularism could help when it comes to women's rights but it does not always lend itself to freedom of conscience, she said.

For information on religious liberty issues and resources, visit IRLA.org

"We have been looking forward to this visit from Adventist church leaders for a very long time," student Elisha Ding said. Ding is one of over one hundred young people being trained for ministry at the Beiguan Adventist Church in Shenyang, in the northern Chinese province of Liaoning.

Dressed in black suits, young men and women lined the walkway singing songs of welcome as a delegation from Adventist world church headquarters walked towards the church for evening worship. Led by world church President Ted N. C. Wilson, the delegation was on an official ten-day visit to China to meet church members and local leaders.

Read the rest on Adventist News Network.

Local Seventh-day Adventist Church officials in West Africa held a groundbreaking ceremony last month for the construction of an Adventist university in Liberia, the first denominational tertiary institution in the nation and the fourth in the church's West-Central Africa Division.

The school will be called Adventist University of West Africa, so named for its location within the denomination's West African Union Mission, with headquarters in Monrovia, Liberia's capital. The construction site is located on 100 acres of land in Gbeh Town in Margibi County.

When completed, the school will initially launch as a junior college and offer two-year associate degrees in education, business, nursing and theology.

Government officials have previously commended the Adventist Church for its contribution to education in the nation. The church there operates several elementary and secondary schools, including the country's only boarding school.

Read the rest on Adventist News Network.

Led by a guide in Biblical-era costume, the audience will follow Jesus as he rides a donkey through the Jerusalem marketplace--after they've paid Herod's tax collector, of course!

Hundreds of volunteers from the campus and community lend their time and talent to making the Easter Passion Play possible. For many of them, it is an enriching experience.

"Experiencing our Savior's fulfillment of the salvation plan with all of my brothers and sisters in Christ is both an honor and a privilege," says April Grube, the assistant event director for the 2012 production.

A senior history and political science major with an emphasis in secondary education, April has been actively involved in the play since her freshman year as a member of the cast, event staff, and scene director.

Andrews University's Easter Passion Play is the result of the vision and determination of Ron Whitehead, assistant to the president for spiritual life at Andrews University. He attended Passion Plays throughout his childhood and was concerned to find there were none within a two-hour radius of the Andrews campus.

Under his direction, the first Easter Passion Play took place at Andrews in 2003. Since then, the event has grown exponentially and now draws thousands each year.

In the marketplace, merchants sell their wares and offer food samples for visitors to taste. Live animals in the stable area and a live traditional Hebrew dance add to the ambiance of the marketplace.

After passing through the Roman encampment outside of the market, the audience travels in the footsteps of the Savior during the dramatic scenes of the Last Supper and the Garden of Gethsemane, to the poignant moment of the trial in Pilates Court and ultimately, the crucifixion. The Easter Passion Play concludes in the Johnson Gym with an unforgettable portrayal of Christ's resurrection and emerging victorious from the tomb.

The event is free, but guests are encouraged to make reservations early. Reservations can be made at passionplay.andrews.edu or by calling 269-471-8360, option 1.

"There is no room for second place. There is only one place in my game, and that's first place. . . . [A] second place bowl game . . . is a game for losers played by losers. It is and always has been an American zeal to be first in anything we do, and to win, and to win, and to win."

Grace Daley, of Tulane's Green Wave, and the WNBA, knew how to win, and win, and win. Then, at the top of her game, she walked away from professional basketball to experience a closer walk with Jesus.

High School
In her high school years she was a first team all-state, as well as a Nike and Parade All-American. Basketball honors were not the only ones. She won the state 800-meter championship in her freshman year, and held the state high school record for the distance. Always in the top 10 of her academic class, she went to Tulane University on a full basketball scholarship.

Read the rest on the Adventist Review website.

Hungary's parliament amended the country's controversial "Law on Churches" February 27 to expand the list of officially recognized churches from 14 to a total of 32. Among other faith groups added to the law were the Methodist Church, the Pentecostal Church, the Coptic Orthodox Church and the Hungarian Islamic Council.

Tamás Ócsai, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Hungary, said the vote concludes months of uncertainty for both church leaders and members. Under the Law on Churches, first passed in July last year, 14 denominations retained their traditional legal status while some 300 minority religious groups, including the Seventh-day Adventist Church, were "de-registered" and invited to reapply for church status. The Hungarian government said the law is part of its broader efforts to shore up the country's struggling economy, and is aimed at preventing sham religious groups from claiming rights and privileges extended to churches.

"The past six months have been challenging," said Ócsai, speaking just minutes after parliament voted on the amendment. "But throughout it all, we haven't felt alone. We've experienced a tremendous sense of support from our worldwide church family who've been praying, along with us, that God's purpose will prevail."

Bertil Wiklander, president of the Adventist Church's Trans-European Division, welcomed the news, saying the vote allows the church in Hungary to look to the future with renewed purpose and energy. "The Hungarian Seventh-day Adventist Church has a long tradition of community service through its houses of worship, education programs, and welfare and public health initiatives," he said. "We're very pleased the government of Hungary has recognized this rich heritage, and that our church's many fine ministries for the public good can continue."

Wiklander also commended church leaders in Hungary for their "balanced, persistent approach in dealing with a complex political and legal situation."

"Today, we join our brothers and sisters in Hungary in giving thanks to God for leading them through what has been a tremendously difficult time," he said.

Raafat Kamal, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director for the Trans-European Division, called passage of the amendment "an immense relief for all those who've been working tirelessly for this outcome." But he also noted that the Law on Churches has stirred considerable international concern since it was passed last year, with some analysts saying it overtly politicizes the religious landscape in Hungary.

In response to criticisms, the Hungarian government has emphasized that even religious groups without church status can continue to meet, worship, and evangelize -- rights which are protected under Hungary's constitution.

John Graz, Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director for the Adventist world church, said Seventh-day Adventists in Hungary and around the world have reason to give thanks.

"My hope," he added, "is that the government of Hungary will continue to reassess the way it deals with religious minorities. Religious freedom is best served when a government makes no legal distinction between religions, and extends the same protections and privileges to all."

The Adventist Church in Hungary was first officially recognized by the government in 1957, and today has more than 100 congregations and 5,000 members. It also operates the Adventist Theological Seminary in Pécel, near Budapest, which serves 66 students.

A new child protection program from the Seventh-day Adventist Church's risk management organization is galvanizing the church's ongoing efforts to shield minors from abuse and misconduct.

Through training for adults and children, as well as background screening for employees and volunteers who work closely with minors, Adventist Risk Management's Child Protection Plan equips local leaders to make the church a safe place, says ARM Vice President and Chief Risk Management Officer Arthur Blinci.

It's part of our mission to help protect the ministries of the Seventh-day Adventist Church," says Blinci, citing Children's Ministries, Youth Ministries, Pathfinders and Adventurers as a "core component" of that mission. "Faith-based communities have a moral, ethical and legal responsibility to protect children from harm when they're in our care," he says.

The church has made significant strides toward achieving that goal. In North America, many church employees and volunteers are mandated reporters, Blinci says. This means they have a legal obligation to report abuse or allegations of abuse that occur within the church setting. By 2003, the church's North American Division had drafted protocol for dealing with sexual misconduct and child abuse. Late last year, the division voted a new child protection policy mandating that every level of church administration implement a training and screening program for volunteers.

The Adventist world church has also been proactive about writing guidelines and voting policies to protect minors. Indeed, at the church's General Conference Session in 2010, delegates voted to add to the Church Manual specific language guiding the appointment of church employees and volunteers who work closely with minors. They agreed that adults leading out in Pathfinders, Vacation Bible School, Children's Ministries and Sabbath School programs "must meet church and legal standards and requirements, such as background checks or certification."

Still, Blinci says that policies, guidelines and good intentions only go so far. Adventist Risk Management routinely handles a couple dozen cases of child abuse every year and has spent some $30 million on indemnity cases over the past two decades. Many U.S. states have open statutes of limitations, allowing older claims of abuse to be raised and litigated.

What the church needs are tools and resources to put in the hands of local church administrators and leaders, he says.

"We've heard for so many years from church members, 'How do we do it?" Blinci says.

Now Adventist Risk Management is providing an answer. Through a partnership with Shield The Vulnerable, the organization's new Child Protection Plan offers online training for adults on addressing abuse, neglect, predators, bullying, boundaries and respect. It also provides age-appropriate information for children on recognizing and reporting abuse.

Shield The Vulnerable -- a California-based service provider that frequently works with faith-based, non-profit organizations -- also offers background screening for employees and volunteers as a "critical" line of defense, Blinci says.

Read the rest on news.adventist.org.

When 43 blind campers arrive at their Winter Camp for the Blind on February 5, they will experience an abundance of wintery thrills and spills. That's the plan, if there is snow.

"We plan for plenty of activities in the snow," says Peggy Hansen, who coordinates National Camps for Blind Children®(USA), a service of Lincoln, Nebraska-based Christian Record Services for the Blind.

"If the forecast is correct, the activities could include snowmobiling, downhill skiing and horse-drawn sleigh-riding. And since the camp has a lake, there may be some ice skating fun, too. But we need real freezing weather," Hansen explains.

From the 43 blind campers who are listed to come to Winter Camp-Au Sable in Grayling, Michigan, February 5-10, twenty-five will come from Canada, according to camp's organizer, Pat Page from the National Camps for the Blind® (Canada). The Michigan venue is a convenient spot for campers from across the U.S. northern border, and is a part of a cooperative effort between the Christian Record International office and its Canadian affiliate from Oshawa, Ontario.

Just imagine a blind camper from Florida experiencing snow for the first time. But outdoor activities are only a portion on camp menu. There are indoor group activities, craft making and theme days. "If snow does not surprise us this warm winter, there will be go-carting or horseback riding," Hansen adds.

The Michigan venue is Christian Record's only winter camp for the blind for this year. Hansen explained, "our camp planning is conditioned on availability of funding. The economic downturn has affected how many such events are viable for our organization." The campers cover their own travel expenses and a $35 sign-up fee, but all else is covered by donations. "We are grateful to our donors for allowing us to organize eight summer camps in the United States this year," she adds.

Smiling, Hansen adds, "those who planned to go to Colorado this winter will have an opportunity to come to our Glacier View Summer Camp in Ward, Colorado, in July."

The 2012 summer camp schedule will begin early in June but most camps are planned for July and August. The list of the summer camps for the blind includes eight events in the United States of America, and four in Canada which are planned by the Canadian affiliate. [More details at www.blindcamps.org]. Negotiations are continuing to also reactivate Camp Wakonda at Oxford, Wisconsin, July 1-8.

Indian Creek Camp at Liberty, Tennessee, June 10-17;
Mountain View Camp at Hope, British Columbia, Canada, July 1-6;
Pugwash Camp at Pugwash, Nova Scotia, Canada, July 1-6;
Camp Frenda at Port Carling, Ontario, Canada, July 2-8;
Glacier View Camp at Ward, Colorado, July 2-8;
Yorktown Bay at Mountain Pine, Arkansas, July 8-15;
Foothills Camp at Olds, Alberta, Canada, July 22-29;
Leoni Meadows Camp at Grizzly Flats, California, July 29-August 5;
Timber Ridge at Spencer, Indiana, July 29-August 5;
Blind Bikers Camp at Cedar Lake, Michigan, August 7-12;
Lake Aurora Camp at Lake Wales, Florida, August 12-17;
Mivoden Camp at Hayden Lake, Idaho, August 19-26;

It's been 45 years since the first camp for the blind was organized at Camp Kalaqua, High Springs, Florida, in the summer of 1967. Winter camps were started in 1980 at Winter Park, Colorado. Ray Hubbart, an employee of Christian Record Services, became acquainted with Norman Middag, who specialized in directing camps for the youth in Florida. The rest is history. Initially, Hubbart's novel idea required persuasion with the Christian Record board. Selling the idea to parents of blind children created additional challenges.

The first camp had 23 youngsters and to date more than 50,000 campers have attended National Camps for Blind Children.

Today, the local camp organizers praise the initiative as they themselves enjoy camp activities. Campers later say that attending a camp is a highlight of the year. They want to return and enjoy the adventure again. At the camp, counselors teach practical skills, and provide an environment that encourages independence. Many of the adult campers are returning to relive their experience from when they were children.

Being at the camp finally gives a blind child a chance to be a kid, Peggy Hansen comments. "All too often they live excluded and sheltered from the social mainstream. Some are depressed, and not allowed to participate in activities. At the camp they play together and strive for new experiences. You play sports that you only wished you could, and you connect with nature," Hansen explains.

Christian Record's aim is that the camps will offer hope, create a wholesome atmosphere, always emphasizing high moral values. "At our camps we offer an opportunity to meet Jesus," Hansen adds.

A group from Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan, is volunteering their time and sweat to help rebuild the campus of Adventist University of Haiti (UNAH).

The volunteers are students, faculty and community members, including alums, associated with Andrews' School of Architecture, Art & Design. The group traveled to Haiti last month.

The campus was severely damaged in the Jan. 12, 2010 earthquake. Since then, a number of Andrews University entities have offered ongoing support to rebuild the campus, including the Department of Physical Therapy, the Department of Behavioral Sciences and the Office of Campus Safety.

This most recent trip was an endeavor of the Architecture Missions Group (AMG) in the School of Architecture, Art & Design led by Martin Smith, assistant professor of architecture and director of AMG, and Melody Johnson, contract faculty. The fifth-year graduate architecture students were completing their final studio class before graduation.

This trip centered around two main projects: restoring the Seminary Chapel and developing a master campus plan. Restoration of the Seminary Chapel will becompleted in a few phases with the first phase being rebuilding the front façade. The Seminary Chapel was built in 1955 and is one of the oldest buildings on campus.

"It is very beautiful building and houses a lot of UNAH's memories from vespers, weddings and classes. UNAH has expressed that they would like their new buildings designed with the Seminary Chapel as a model as it's one of the most beloved buildings on campus," says Johnson.

Jean Josué Pierre, president of UNAH, says this trip and the students' work were imbued with deep symbolism. "They're bringing life back to this historic building, keeper of several generations' memories," says Pierre.

In addition to getting some hands-on experience in restoring the chapel, the students also spent time researching for the development of a new master plan for UNAH. They studied the existing condition of campus, developed an understanding of the climate and natural environment, and connected with the Haitian culture.

This trip not only offered an important academic experience for the students, but it also affirmed both the professional and personal direction they are taking in their lives.

"Seeing firsthand the effect natural disasters have on a society that does not have building codes reinforced the reasons for the strict laws mandated by the U.S. It reminded me of the seriousness of architecture as aprofession and its effect on quality of life," says fifth-year student Brianna Richards. "This outreach helped solidify my desire to help bring the kind of peace of mind we here in the U.S. enjoy in relation to the safety of our building. I want to bring that same peace of mind to people in developing countries. My desire to use my degree from Andrews University to help those who are less fortunate was strengthened because I went to Haiti."

"It's important to understand the culture and area as much as we can. We can't expect to design for the people of Haiti by using North American standards," says Smith.

The students will now begin work on the long-term master plan project. During the spring 2012 semester, students will focus on designing a trade school, a men's residence hall and a women's residence hall. Future phases for the Seminary Chapel include installing a new roof and eventually restoring the interior.

Founded in 1874, Andrews University is the flagship institution of higher education for the Seventh-day Adventist church, located one-half mile east of the U.S. 31 Bypass in Berrien Springs, Mich.

Pastor Dagoberto Cirilo Sanchez was watching 3ABN when he saw a missionary group handing out MegaVoice Ambassador audio devices to people in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania. Sanchez is currently serving as a missionary to the Huichol people, deep in the Sierra Madre mountains of Mexico.

Sanchez, also a missionary pilot, is well known to the Huichols for his kindness and willingness to fly their ill to the hospital in Guadalajara or bring back necessary supplies, from rat poison to chain saws. This saves the Huichols a 10-hour bus ride to Guadalajara or its surrounding cities.

Sanchez contacted Adventist World Radio president Dowell Chow about handing out these Ambassadors to the Huichol people. Partnering with Project Amistad -- another Adventist ministry -- AWR was able to obtain 120 Ambassador units programmed with the New Testament and The Faith of Jesus Bible-study series in the Huichol language, as well as the entire church hymnal (both music and lyrics) in Spanish. Chow flew down to Mexico to help Sanchez pass out some Ambassadors to the Huichols.

The Huichol people are considered to be one of the most well-preserved groups of people in the world who are still keeping their ancestral traditions. Scattered throughout large portions of Nayarit, Jalisco, and Zacatecas, Huichols live in small communities of family clans and are mostly distant from one another.

These areas are only accessible by plane because of the steep, rocky terrain. They don't allow outsiders or even other Huichols to join or live on their land, due to scarcity of water, and arable and grazing lands. Huichols are mostly animists, regarding deer, scorpions, and other animals as holy creatures. Many passionate festivals are held to pay tribute to these animals. They also look to a shaman, or healer, to cure their sick and wounded.

With these ministry challenges in mind, Chow joined Sanchez in Mexico, where they were met by Lucas Ortiz Salvador, a Bible worker with the largest Huichol congregation in the area, with 30 members.

They piled in Salvador's pickup truck and drove on roads notoriously used by gangs and drug dealers. Chow remembers, "The truck and roads were so dusty and dirty that my shoes turned from black to brown!" After walking through the mountain for an hour with limited water and in grueling heat, the group stopped to intercept a group of Huichol men who, they were told, would be returning from their trip to the top of the mountain.

After much waiting, a party of Huichols arrived, led by their chief, Porfirio. Chow and Sanchez explained how the Ambassador units were a resource for Porfirio to use for his people. Porfirio turned on the Ambassador, and his face beamed when he heard the Bible being spoken in his native language.

The leader then accepted three units for his village! Another one was given to a man in the group named Carlos, a native of Chalate, who promised to go to his family who were still in Chalate and share it with them.

The next day Chow and Sanchez drove through rugged terrain to Canoas, where they met with a local artisan named Agustin Lopez de la Cruz. There Chow was shown the "Silla para el Marakami," an exquisite chair -- made by de la Cruz -- in which the shaman of the Huichols traditionally sat. Chow was given the honor of being allowed to sit in it as a special guest. "It was a gesture I highly regarded," recounts Chow.

On the way back to their rooms, the men stopped at the house of a woman named Angelina, who was helping make bricks from mud and donkey dung. Sanchez offered her an Ambassador, but she refused it because her husband was away and he was the one who needed to accept it; if she accepted it, he would beat her. Sanchez promised to return when he was home and give them a unit. The group went on to visit many more villages, including the ranch of Salvador Chivarra and his extended family. Chivarra was excited about the Ambassador, and so Chow and Cirilo left one with him as well.

Everywhere Sanchez and Chow left Ambassadors, recipients were told that Sanchez would return in two months to evaluate their experience and answer any Bible questions they might have. This trip was especially helpful because the Mexican government doesn't allow religious organizations to obtain a broadcasting license in the name of a church. Because of this obstacle, AWR does not currently have any broadcasts in Mexico. It is possible to purchase existing stations that are for sale under the title of a non-governmental organization, but these stations are extremely expensive.

Chow sees this trip as the first positive step for ministry to the Huichols: "The Ambassadors allow a very secluded and sheltered culture to be able to hear about the good news of Jesus from where they are. We are thankful to our supporters, who make such projects possible."

Edtior's Note: Only a few months after this trip, the first baptism resulting from the distribution of Ambassadors took place, with four Huichol people joining the Adventist Church.

To see a short video about this trip, visit awr.org.

Asian Aid is building a new orphanage for seventy orphans currently living in a cramped home on the outskirts of Bobbili, India. Sunrise Orphanage, slated to open early next year, can house more than twice as many underprivileged children.

Read more.

1 About that time Emperor Augustus gave orders for the names of all the people to be listed in record books. [a] 2 These first records were made when Quirinius was governor of Syria. [b] 3 Everyone had to go to their own hometown to be listed. 4 So Joseph had to leave Nazareth in Galilee and go to Bethlehem in Judea. Long ago Bethlehem had been King David's hometown, and Joseph went there because he was from David's family.

5 Mary was engaged to Joseph and traveled with him to Bethlehem. She was soon going to have a baby, 6 and while they were there, 7 she gave birth to her first-born [c] son. She dressed him in baby clothes [d] and laid him on a bed of hay, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The Shepherds

8 That night in the fields near Bethlehem some shepherds were guarding their sheep. 9All at once an angel came down to them from the Lord, and the brightness of the Lord's glory flashed around them. The shepherds were frightened. 10 But the angel said, "Don't be afraid! I have good news for you, which will make everyone happy. 11 This very day in King David's hometown a Savior was born for you. He is Christ the Lord. 12 You will know who he is, because you will find him dressed in baby clothes and lying on a bed of hay."

13 Suddenly many other angels came down from heaven and joined in praising God. They said:

14 "Praise God in heaven! Peace on earth to everyone who pleases God."

15 After the angels had left and gone back to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about." 16 They hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and they saw the baby lying on a bed of hay.

17 When the shepherds saw Jesus, they told his parents what the angel had said about him. 18 Everyone listened and was surprised. 19 But Mary kept thinking about all this and wondering what it meant.

20 As the shepherds returned to their sheep, they were praising God and saying wonderful things about him. Everything they had seen and heard was just as the angel had said.

By Laurie Falvo, Adventist Mission

They're off! Thirty-one kayakers donned with life jackets, hats, and eager smiles embarked on a five-day mission adventure down the Rospuda River in Poland.

Their kayaks, a vivid assortment of red, yellow, green, and blue, were crammed with sleeping bags, tents, clothes, and food, and their most important cargo--magazines and books for sharing hope in Jesus.

When they came to a village, they went from home to home, visiting and praying with people and offering them literature about Jesus.

Along their route they shared 3,500 copies of the newspaper edition of Signs of the Times and sold hundreds of books, including The Messiah and The Great Controversy on CD. They even met people who bought books from them on a previous trip down the river. "It's wonderful to hear that people have read our books and received a blessing," says church pastor and kayaker Piotr Stachurski.

This was the fourth kayak mission trip for members of the Podkowa Lena Seventh-day Adventist Church and other local church members who enjoy the yearly adventure. This time almost half the group was between the ages of 7 and 15. "It's great to see our young people involved in mission," says Pastor Stachurski. "They learn from the adults how to share Jesus' love, and their enthusiasm encourages us."

The Rospuda River winds 41 miles through pristine forests and marshy meadows. Paddling about 11 miles a day, the team saved plenty of time for outreach and Christian fellowship. At night they gathered around a campfire to worship God and pray for the people they had met that day.

The Adventist church in Poland is small, with about 5,700 members. That's one Adventist for every 6,600 people. "The work is difficult in Poland, says Pastor Roszkowski, Global Mission director for the Polish Union Conference. "Poles want to catch up with Western Europe, often working two jobs. They have little time to read the Bible."

The mission team from Podkowa Lesna were the first Adventists many of the villagers had ever met. Their trip was supported in part by the mission offerings you give each week in Sabbath School.

"We're so thankful for the opportunity we've had to share the hope we have in Jesus," says Pastor Stachurski. "We know people are reading the material we've shared and some have requested Bible studies. It's my hope that our kayak mission story will help you know that your support of mission is making an incredible difference in people's lives and maybe inspire you to organize a creative mission trip of your own!"

Piotr Stachurski is secretary of the South Polish Conference.