BY OHIO CONFERENCE, staff

Sabbath May 3, Ohio Conference’s Cleveland
Spanish church was filled with great happiness, loud singing, smiling faces,
tears of joy, hugs, and cheers of victory. The members were filled with elation
because 24 people had given their lives to Christ after attending an evangelistic
campaign conducted by Pastor Winston Simpson from the Pennsylvania Conference.
Church members described the afternoon as one of great victory because each of
those who gave his or her life to Jesus was really a miracle granted by God.

The miraculous stories to tell were many. Caleb
Caraballo, son of a Baptist minister in Cleveland, reconsidered his beliefs and
embraced the Adventist faith and message of hope. After leaving the Adventist
church for many years, Linda Sanchez returned to the church and brought along
her two sisters and two friends—all four were baptized. One of the church’s
small groups brought eight people to baptism, including a family of four. There
was also a man who learned about the Sabbath truth by studying on his own many years
ago and made the decision to be baptized.

About four months ago members of the Cleveland
Hispanic district led by Pastor Simpson, began their missionary work with an
aggressive program called “Vision 2014.” The four congregations in the district
promised to bring 14 new souls to Christ in 2014. Each church elder held a
three-day series of meetings in preparation for the great evangelistic
campaign. It was hard work, but the word of God was fulfilled—“He that goes
forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with
rejoicing bringing his sheaves with him” (Ps. 126: 6).

Several other church leaders joined in the
celebration, including Ron Halvorsen Jr., Ohio Conference president, and his
wife, Buffy; Rubén Ramos, Columbia Union vice president for Multicultural
Ministries; Oswaldo Magaña, Ohio Conference Hispanic Ministries coordinator and
his wife, Herlinda.

“What joy was had!” exclaimed Pastor Simpson.
“Hallelujah! Praise and glory be to the name of the Lord!”