God’s Love in

Affliction

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.” Hebrews 12:26.

“I believe that God loves my family. I don’t think that I would be in this church if it had not been for the affliction that I suffered,” said Arvin Paul Fruta, a nineteen-year-old young man.

Arvin is the only boy of the three siblings in his family. Like many young people living in the city, Arvin liked the pleasures of the city: theater, gambling and other vices.

One day his father asked him to get an office key at the home of his co-worker. Arvin took his bike and rode off to do as his father asked. He was returning home on the busy highway when a van going very fast accidentally hit him. He was thrown from his bike and rolled many times.

“Accident!” was shouted from the people in the area. Arvin was laid by the side of the road. The news reached his parents, and they ran to the accident site without even their slippers. His father carried him for a distance, but Arvin had no strength and did not respond to his parents. In a few minutes the ambulance arrived and took him to the hospital.

He had lost almost all of his teeth in the accident, and his face was swollen and deformed. He had bruises on almost all of his body. He was in very serious condition and put in the intensive care unit. The doctors attached medical equipment to his body and head. Arvin knew nothing of what was going on.

For ten days, Arvin could not open his eyes or answer when he was spoken to. By the twelfth day, the doctors were direct with the parents and told them that he had a sixty-forty chance to live. This meant that death was very possible.

The parents were very disturbed by this information, and the mother almost collapsed. The father became angry and tried to assault the driver of the van but was stopped by his brother.

On day nineteen, Arvin’s condition was no better, and the parents pleaded with the doctor to save their son. The doctor said that if Arvin was no better by the next day he would have to operate, but it might not help.

Arvin’s grandmother was a Seventh-day Adventist convert and a member of Ilang church. Every night we, with the brethren, had prayer for Arvin. When his grandmother heard about the upcoming surgery, she asked that we pray every hour. We had a meeting that Friday evening, and prayed sincerely for God’s mercy and that He would grant our prayer request.

“When a man breathes an intensely earnest prayer to God (Jesus Christ is the only name given under heaven whereby we can be saved), there is in that intensity and earnestness a pledge from God that He is about to answer the prayer exceeding abundantly, above all that we can ask or think.” The Gospel Herald, May 28, 1902.

At three o’clock in the morning the intensive care unit was very quiet, and Arvin unexpectedly opened his eyes. He moved his mouth with no words coming out—just sounds. His mother tried to get him to speak. He motioned with his hand that he wanted to eat. She called the doctor and told him that her son had opened his eyes and wanted to eat. The doctor had the staff bring him rice and water. He had not eaten for twenty days. The doctor could not believe what was happening. As he left the room, he said that this was a miracle.

Arvin did not have the operation that morning as was scheduled. God had truly answered our prayers. “Prayer ascends to God as sweet incense, and His mercies and blessings descend upon the suppliants like the morning dew.” Adventist Home, 37.

Arvin had to stay one month in the hospital. When he was released, he could not walk properly. His parents were diligent to work with him and to teach him how to walk again. They helped restore his strength; and in one year, he enjoyed a full recovery.

This affliction turned into a rich blessing for the family. The family took Bible studies. Arvin’s parents were the first to be baptized. In a few months, Arvin and his siblings were baptized by Pastor Mike Bauler.

I asked Arvin what his plans were now that he had accepted Christ. He told me that he wanted to be trained as a medical missionary and work in the Master’s service. I have trained Arvin to do massage and hydrotherapy. He has taken classes in how to give Bible studies. He actively participates in house-to-house Bible studies every week. He is a blessing to our church.

The young people that Pastor Mike baptized stand as pillars in our community. They are an example of changed lives. I want to be able to help and train them to be true and humble workers in these last days.

I would like to encourage the elderly also. It is my desire to open a wellness center where we can train more young people in treating the diseases of the body and soul. Doing medical missionary work is a great need in the fulfillment of the prophecies.

We have no equipment for a wellness center. We need a hydrocollator for fomentations, Russian steam bath, massage tables and more. We believe that God has a thousand ways to provide for us that we know not. We have seen His leading and how He has provided in the past. Our goal is for the wellness center to enroll those who are willing in a Bible correspondence course. We will have Bible workers to work with the patients.

You can help with this project by your prayers and donations.

By Bruce Palange. Email: brucepalange@lycos.com. Donations for the work in the Philippines can be sent to Mission Projects International, PO Box 59656, Renton, WA 98058.