By Enoch Iglesias
“My dream since I was a little girl was to be educated in an Adventist school, and with my Master’s degree I finally had the privilege of making that dream come true!” These were the emotional words that a student named Jenny shared at the graduation of Linda Vista University’s (ULV) Master of Education (M.Ed.) program.
At Linda Vista University in October 2021, incoming freshmen were surveyed and asked the main reason for enrolling there, and the most frequent response was “I wanted to study at an Adventist school.” Jenny had the same reason for wanting to attend Linda Vista University.
Jenny was born in a Catholic home and was educated in Catholic schools. In her adolescence she learned about the Adventist Church and she and her mother accepted the Adventist doctrines. At the age of 15 she got baptized secretly against her father’s wishes. This decision had sad consequences for her and for her mother, who was insulted and beaten by her father. Her hard family situation made Jenny wanted to cling even more to Jesus and his church. She believed that she would stay closer to Jesus and the church through Adventist education, but her family situation did not allow it. Time went by and her desire to get a Bachelor’s degree at an Adventist institution was not possible either. However, she was hired as a teacher at an Adventist school, and was able to enjoy Adventist education as a teacher if not a student.
She got married and longed for children, but she was not able to have children. She and her husband underwent reproductive treatments, but the results were unsuccessful. Looking for other options, she discovered in vitro fertilization. They hoped the expensive treatment would be covered by an employment contract her husband was expecting to get.
One day, Jenny received surprising news and her husband received unpleasant news. She excitedly reported to her husband that she had received a scholarship to study at an Adventist University and he sadly reported that the contract had fallen through, and they would have no money for treatment.
Jenny saw that God was showing her it was time to enjoy Adventist education. She says, “Four days later, I was arriving Linda Vista University for the first time. My heart was full of joy. The smiles of all the teachers and administrators and the way they integrated faith in each class gave me valuable lessons. It was just what I had imagined in my adolescence.” She adds, “I have not been able to have babies, but maybe God has enabled me to help many little ones in the classrooms and confirm that God fulfills dreams and works miracles.”
Ellen G. White rightly declares that “God’s ideal for his children are beyond the reach of the highest human thought.” When students want to experience Adventist education, it can happen in surprising ways!
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