As the Spirit of God moved over Potchefstroom, South Africa, He encountered two young, restless college students, bound by the chains of the great deceiver. Their dwelling was among the dead, their hearts weighed down by darkness. But when they saw Jesus, they ran to Him. Falling at His feet, they pleaded for deliverance, just as the demoniacs from the country of the Gergesenes had once done.

In the presence of His glory, their shortcomings were laid bare. As they confessed their sins, He was faithful and just to forgive them, washing them clean from all unrighteousness.

Transformed by His grace, Christ continued His work in their hearts, leading them to Malawi. Filled with zeal for the gospel and a burning desire to baptize the nations, they boarded a bus, venturing into the unknown. Upon arriving, God stirred in them a hunger for the Sabbath truth. Beginning at the beginning—“In the beginning”—their study of Scripture led them to Genesis 2, where they discovered the sacredness of the Sabbath, a day meant to be a blessing.

Two weeks in the capital city of Lilongwe passed quickly before the Lord impressed upon them to move on—to travel to the former capital city of Zomba and live with a missionary family they had never met, people they had only heard about days before. As the bus rumbled down the road, uncertainty crept in. The missionary husband had grown up in the mission field, shaped by nearly 40 years of experience. Would his understanding of Scripture challenge their newfound conviction? Would they be encouraged to work on the Sabbath, placing survival over obedience?
Upon arrival, the earthy scent of fresh-cut grass and rain-soaked soil filled the air. They hurried inside to escape the downpour. It was Friday afternoon.

Wiping the water from their foreheads, they sat down, hoping to connect with those they had come to serve alongside. But before they could speak, the missionaries warmly interrupted—“We would love to chat, but today is the preparation day. We are about to welcome the Sabbath.”

Overwhelming joy filled their hearts as they fought to contain their emotions. The next two months were a whirlwind of worship, Bible studies, prayer meetings and outreach. And through it all, the Lord cemented a deep love for the unreached in their hearts.

Now, with their third child on the way, they—once possessed by the enemy—longed for even deeper intimacy with Christ. Their hearts burned with a desire to follow Him fully, to partake in the Great Commission. And so, He called them once more—this time to Czechia—with the simple yet powerful command:

“Go and tell them how great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you” (Mark 5:19).

We are the Wentzel family, and this is the story of our journey to truth, our transformation and our call to serve in the mission field. Inspired by the biblical account of the demoniacs in Matthew 8 and Mark 5, it is a testimony of God’s redeeming power and boundless love.

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