Indiana

Dottie Vondell was born in an Adventist home, but as a teenager decided she no longer wanted to be part of the Church. When she married Dale Vondell, the farthest thing from either of their minds was to serve or follow Jesus. They thought they were living the good life—good jobs and plenty of money. That is, until Dale was arrested and imprisoned for something Dale admits was a very stupid thing to do.

While Dale was incarcerated, Dottie and Dale felt the best thing was to divorce. Dale took documents to the sheriff of the prison to be notarized, but the sheriff informed him that he was no longer authorized to do any type of notary work. As Dale thought over all the events of the past, he realized divorce was not a solution. He called Dottie and she agreed.

Dottie decided to move to Indiana to be with her mother, Lucy Currier, a faithful Seventh-day Adventist who prayed for Dottie and Dale for years. Lucy and Dottie moved to the Warsaw, Indiana, area where they both began attending the Adventist church. Dottie began to study her Bible and soon realized the life she had led was not the great life she had thought it was. As she studied further, Dottie found the peace and comfort she sought. And Dottie knew she had to share this newfound experience in the Lord with Dale. Because of prison regulations, Dottie had to copy each Bible lesson by hand before she could send it to Dale.

Dale, in the meantime, had attended prayer and Bible study groups conducted in the prison. At first, he only attended just to have something different to do. But, gradually, he also began to realize that there was something missing in his life, and he eagerly awaited each of the Bible studies Dottie sent to him.

On Sabbath, April 5, 2008, Dottie was rebaptized at the Warsaw Church. One year later, on Sabbath, April 4, a few days after Dale's parole, Dale and Dottie walked hand in hand into the Warsaw Church celebrating his first Sabbath! During the church praise time, Dale expressed his desire to join the church. On July 18, Dale was baptized in Lake Winona by Harry Hartmann, pastor of the church. A large group of Dale's friends and family watched from the shoreline as he read a poem he wrote for his baptism (read the poem in the online version of this article at www.LakeUnionHerald.org). Dottie and Dale gave each person a copy of the poem and attached two ribbons for them to use in their Bibles as a remembrance of the special day.

Laura Hartmann, correspondent, Warsaw Church

My Baptism

by Dale Vondell

Today I'll be baptized, my old life I'll give.

Today I am new, in Christ I will live!

I turn my life over, to Jesus on high.

No more will the devil feed me his lie!

Jesus my Savior, come into my heart.

Give me new life; finally a fresh start!

This is my prayer, I end them the same.

I ask all these things, in Jesus' sweet name!