BMMC: LOST, BUT FOUND BY CHRIST

With so many voices in the world today, where can we turn to find the truth? How can we know God’s will and guard against Satan’s deceptions? Does it really matter what we believe?

“To the law and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them” Isaiah 8:20.

My adventure going to BMMC along with two other sisters is where it all began, which taught me that total dependence upon God is our only safe guard. Bethany is located approximately four hours away from Georgetown, the capital, traveling by road and water. The last leg of the journey is a one and a half mile walk or ride from the river to the campus. On the 8th of January 2017, Sister Beaton, from Georgetown, Guyana, Sister George from Trinidad and me, Jilnel, decided to walk from the river where the boat had put us off up to the campus. Because I had been here at BMMC in June of the previous year I was confident that I knew where I was headed. So speaking assuredly to the others we began our journey. We talked and laughed getting to know each other as we walked. As we walked the village tractor passed by with two other students and offered us a ride but we declined and continued walking. Then a few minutes later Brother Calvin, the assistant administrator, passed with our luggage in the campus vehicle and offered us a ride also but we insisted on walking because I told the ladies it wasn’t that long of a walk.

As we got closer to the campus we saw the school sign board that read, WELCOME TO BMMC, and I told my companions that past students had done the artwork. We talked about it and continued on. I did not remember that that was where we needed to turn off to reach our destination so we kept on walking. We continued to walk and Sister Beaton asked, what are those red and white triangle shaped things in the grass? Now, GAMAS* Flight base is located right next to BMMC Campus. So I said to her, “Those are the cones for the airstrip”. Then from that angle we saw part of the pilot’s station next to the airstrip and it all came back to me that the airstrip was behind the campus. I said nothing but continued walking for a short distance more, then told the ladies that I couldn’t remember walking so far and concluded we were lost. And indeed we were, for some six hours later a search party found us more than ten miles away from campus. By the time we were able to rest it was after 11 pm. I continue to thank God for finding us.

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10.

For me the lesson learned was that as Adventists we know where to go and how to reach there and even if we don’t there are signs everywhere to show us the right path. Just like our experience of being lost physically, but all the signs were there and even help for us to get where we were heading, so in our daily walk with Christ. But many times our self-reliance gets in the way. Why did I not say anything when I saw the airstrip? Was it pride, shame, helplessness or was it that I was careful not to alert the others of the danger ahead and sense of being lost? In the matter of our soul’s salvation we must always let the people know where they are and it is not for us to decide which course to take but it is in the hands of God. It is God’s mercy that saved us before it was too late and gathered us back into his arms. We were lost but found. As we see the signs that tell us Jesus is about to come let us not ignore these signs for it might be too late.

“And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Matthew 24:12, 13.

*GAMAS- Guyana Adventist Missions and Services

By: Jilnel Pitt – Graduate 2017, Bethany Medical Missionary College