Dear Friend,

Angolian church

We indeed are living in a grand and awesome time. While the media focuses upon international crises, economic woes and celebrity happenings, we know that these mundane episodes are nothing compared with the real issues. We are living in the measuring time! The judgment is going on! “The grand judgment is taking place, and has been going on for some time. Now the Lord says, Measure the temple and the worshipers thereof. Remember when you are walking the streets about your business, God is measuring you; when you are attending your household duties, when you engage in conversation, God is measuring you. Remember that your words and actions are being daguerreotyped [photographed] in the books of heaven, as the face is reproduced by the artist on the polished plate.” Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 972. Are we caught up in the affairs of this world or are we focusing on the real, eternal events? How do we measure in this measuring time?

Campmeeting in Huambo

I have had opportunity to contemplate this great measuring time as I have just returned from a series of campmeetings in Angola in which the themes were “The Judgment Hour.” Angola is a country coming out of nearly thirty years of civil war, but a country with believers eager to share the good news of the Third Angel’s Message. A team of five of us from three different continents descended upon this south-central African country: I from the United States, three students doing part of their internship from Brazil and the brother from Portugal who has been communicating and working with the brethren in Angola for many years. (Angola is Portuguese-speaking and thus the close association with other Portuguese-speaking countries.) Being the first time for most of us in Angola, we were very interested to learn the experience of the brethren there. We found a group of faithful brothers and sisters who are earnestly sharing the message with others. Around fifteen years ago, an interest was awakened as some of the brethren began to study more deeply into the prophecies of the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy. As they studied, a revival began to take place as they realized that many counsels relating to health and Sabbath keeping were being ignored. As they studied and shared, they began to face opposition; but they were not deterred. As they continued sharing the truths they dearly held and were studying, the Lord blessed their efforts, resulting in baptisms and new churches. As we learned their story, we were eager to share the messages the Lord had put on our hearts.

Campmeeting in Luanda

The first of the campmeetings was held in a central province about six hours from the capital city. After a lengthy but providential trip, I arrived in Angola on a Friday morning; and we immediately left for the campmeeting. The Lord blessed as we gathered under a temporary savannah-grass structure to study the Word of God and share His goodness. After the campmeeting, our team of visitors divided to travel to two different provinces for more campmeetings. After a grueling multi-day trip to the eastern side of Angola, we were very thankful to be at our next site of ministry. As always, the campmeeting was filled with the study of the Word, baptisms, ordinations, marriages, etc.; but best of all was seeing how the brethren are excited about living and sharing their faith. After the campmeeting, we were on our way to the final campmeeting in Luanda, the capital city. The other campmeetings had been attended by one to three hundred believers and visitors; but on our final Sabbath in Angola, the attendees swelled to over a thousand. What a blessing to know that the Lord has faithful workers around the world who are seeking to prepare a people for the coming of the Lord! A container load of truth-filled literature is on its way, and soon the brethren will be distributing hundreds of thousands of brochures to the masses of Angola. Please pray for the brethren, that the Lord will bless their church-planting and evangelistic efforts in this solemn judgment hour.

In the blessed hope,