It is around 4 AM in the morning. Most people are sleeping or at least are trying to, if that were at all possible at 34,000 feet in the air. Not able to sleep anymore on my flight from Germany (where I’m from) to Sao Paulo, Brazil, I thought again about how God led me in the past in ways I could never have imagined.
My story begins three years ago when I was trying to understand God’s will for my life after a tragic experience at a previous ministry I was working at. Just when I was looking for God’s guidance, He directed my steps to Wildwood through a friend who just came back from there. As a shy person who was not skilled in the English language, I was terrified to take the Health Evangelism course in the United States, but God was by my side through it all.
I spent about two years at Wildwood learning how to reach people through health evangelism and combining entrepreneurship with Christianity. We were taught how to treat diseases with natural remedies—using herbs, diet, hydrotherapy, and massage—addressing not only the physical needs of a person, but also and most importantly, the mental and spiritual needs.
After the Health Evangelism course I decided to stay for the year-long Ministry Management course. I learned how to develop a business or ministry based on Christian principals, with reaching souls for Christ as the primary goal. It went far beyond just theory, giving us plenty opportunities to learn realistically what it meant to be a Christian entrepreneur. I also volunteered in the marketing department at the lifestyle center, putting what I learned into practice.
While still there, I thought about staying at Wildwood as a marketing assistant. However, God had other plans. I returned to Germany and started working in web development and marketing at two different Adventist ministries/businesses. The experience, skills, and knowledge I gained at Wildwood built the foundation I needed to become successful in these fields.
After much study and prayer God opened the door for me to serve at a ministry in Brazil that has a lifestyle center and mission school. They also have plans to establish a trade school where young people can come to become missionaries that also know a trade, so that they can be self-supporting.
Wildwood hasn’t just provided me with skills and knowledge, it has helped shape my character fitted for service. This I will cherish for the rest of my life.