Michigan

Karma Anderson faced numerous challenges in her life in January 2004. To help care for her two children, Cara and Christian, while she worked, her mother, Marta Acuña, moved in with her from Miami, Florida. Soon after, Karma and her mother began attending the Metropolitan Seventh-day Adventist Church in Plymouth, Michigan.

On any Sabbath, it seemed the sermons preached by Robert Stewart, Metropolitan pastor, dealt with the very issues she was struggling with. Marta became involved in Metropolitan's First Love prayer group that meets every Sabbath afternoon and the group began praying for Karma and her family situation. On occasion, Karma attended the prayer group with her mother.

In September 2004, the pastor began the Hope for Our Day evangelistic series. Karma attended the series and, feeling impressed by the Holy Spirit, believed she was hearing truthful messages from the Bible. When the pastor extended an invitation for those wanting to learn more about the Bible, Karma desired to respond, but she did not want to do so publicly for fear her mother would get so excited she might put undo pressure on her.

Karma approached the pastor privately and asked for Bible studies. The pastor, and his wife Sandi, began the lessons right away. In addition, Karma and her mother became involved in the Yorba Hotel Outreach ministry in Detroit, Michigan, that provides food and assistance to hotel residents who have fallen on hard times. They found a fellowship in service with like-minded Christians.

As often happens in the midst of all the good changes, the enemy made attempts to discourage, and Karma lost her job just before Christmas 2004. Knowing God is more powerful than Satan, Sandi brought Karma’s situation to the prayer group. Within a couple weeks, Karma found a better job and a more economical living arrangement in Chicago, Illinois.

At the end of January 2005, Karma packed her belongings and moved to Chicago with her two children and mother. However, not to be deterred from their Bible studies, Sandi and Karma completed the lessons over the telephone and prayed for the guidance of the Holy Spirit. On April 2, 2005, Karma returned to Plymouth and was baptized at the Metropolitan Church by her former pastor.

Karma loves her new job and her family is doing better financially. God works in wondrous ways for His children, and He provided a new church home for Karma and her family. The Vernon Memorial Seventh-day Adventist Church, a little congregation in Matteson, Illinois, was praying for a family with children to bolster attendance and the future of the church. Karma, Cara, Christian, and Marta became an answer to their prayers.

Since joining the congregation, Karma and Marta have begun a First Love prayer group at the Vernon church on Wednesday night, and they are finding God answering many more prayers.

Joy Hyde, Metropolitan Church correspondent