Teresa’s story begins in Mexico, where she faced the painful experience of divorce. Hoping for a better future for her children, she came to the United States a few years ago, determined to work and support their education. But instead of stability, Teresa’s life took another difficult turn.
After receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, she began to experience severe health complications. Her body reacted negatively—she lost weight rapidly, her nervous system was affected, and her physical strength declined. The most alarming moment came when doctors discovered that several of her fingers and toes were showing signs of necrosis, a condition that causes tissue death.
As her condition worsened, Teresa felt increasingly isolated. Though she was part of a Christian congregation in Savannah, the support she desperately needed never came. Hospitalized and in pain, she prayed through tears:
“Lord God, do not take me by pieces.”
It was during this dark season that two sisters from the Adventist Church came into Teresa’s life. They began visiting her, caring for her, and offering hope when it seemed none was left. The church members and pastor rallied around her—helping her get to appointments, finding medication, offering emotional support, and, above all, lifting her in constant prayer.
When doctors scheduled a third surgery—this time to amputate her hands—the church family refused to lose faith. Before the operation, the pastor visited Teresa at the hospital to pray and anoint her with oil in the name of the Lord.
Then, something remarkable happened.
Days after the surgery, Teresa began to recover. Her strength returned, and miraculously, her remaining fingers started to heal. The doctors were astonished—but we knew: God had intervened.
Grateful and moved by the love she had received, Teresa began attending the Adventist church in Savannah. One Sabbath morning, as the invitation to baptism was extended, she stood and said with tears in her eyes:
“I want to be part of a church that loves and serves. In you, brothers and sisters, I have found a real family—one that never abandoned me, that reached out to me in my worst moments.”
A few days before her baptism, she was visited again and asked if she had any questions about the teachings of the Adventist Church. Teresa smiled and replied:
“I have no questions. I have studied the Bible teachings of this faith, I accept them, and I want to live by them. But what I love most about your church is that there is love—and that is enough for me.”
On October 4, 2025, surrounded by her new church family, Teresa Ortiz was baptized—a living testimony of God’s healing power, mercy, and the love that binds His people together.
This story reminds us that true evangelism is not just about preaching—it’s about loving, serving, and walking beside others through their valleys. In doing so, we reflect the heart of Christ Himself.
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Shared by Pastor Gerardo Gomez
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