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God had not forgotten
by Bernadine Delafield, NAD NET Coordinator
for Louiza Nerantzis
Silver Spring, Maryland
Everyone loves Louiza. Who could help but respond to the twinkle in her eye complimented by her infectious smile. Louiza claims that she has never been happier since accepting the teachings of the Bible and becoming a member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. She is bubbling over with enthusiasm to share her joy with others.
It was only a couple of years ago that Louiza became a baptized member. Before then she was totally devoted to the Greek Orthodox Church which was a direct result of her Albanian ancestry. She and her husband raised a family of four in Takoma Park, Maryland, right in the shadow of the headquarters of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. At that time, Takoma Park was mainly populated with Adventists.
During those years, Louiza found work in an Adventist owned bakery, Jim’s Butter Gem Bakery, known for its famous butter rolls which the White House would order for special occasions. One of the employees, Louie, could not breath without talking about the Lord. He couldn’t hide his love for the Lord if he tried. He talked about the Bible and its teachings to the point that it made a significant impression on Louiza’s thinking. She shared what she learned with her husband but he would hear nothing more of it. Louiza was facing a difficult decision. Could she possibly dishonor her husband by becoming an Adventist? She was convinced that she should keep the seventh-day Sabbath but the traditions of the Greek Orthodox Church were very much a part of family life. She finally decided that it was not the time to make a major change.
Many years later and after the death of her husband, Louiza decided it was time to sell the family home and move to something more manageable. It so happened that Louiza’s home was located on the same circle as the historic home of Ellen White. Of course that meant nothing to Louiza but it was of interest to an inquisitive former pastor of the Takoma Park Adventist Church who was an avid student of history.
Trevor Delafield wandered into Louiza’s open house and began talking about the history of the area in which she had been living. When the conversation revealed that Trevor was a Seventh-day Adventist minister, it brought back memories of how Louiza had learned of Adventism from Louie at the bakery and how she had believed but hadn’t followed her heart. “It was as if a light came on”, says Louiza. "I knew that I should check out the Adventist Church which I had been drawn to years ago." Saying none of this to the pastor, they prayed and Trevor was gone.
A couple of weeks later, Louiza unexpectedly walked into the Takoma Park Church. Trevor noticed her and introduced her to Pat Hart, a warm and caring pastor who later began studying with Louiza. It was time for Louiza to make a decision for the Lord. On a joyous Sabbath in December, Louiza was baptized surrounded by her family who had come to witness the occasion.
Louiza’s story encourages those who sometimes think that our witnessing does no good. We don’t see immediate results. We become discouraged and lose our fervor for outreach. I’ve often thought of the man in the bakery who made such an impression on Louiza but didn’t get to see her conversion. If only he knew how his life changed Louiza’s. There’s a surprise awaiting him in heaven when he will discover that one of the stars in his crown represents Louiza Nerantzis.
Louiza’s story also demonstrates that God sometimes uses more than one person to bring his children home. In Louiza’s case, he led Trevor to her home at just the right moment to extend compassion for her concerns, someone who cared enough to spend time with a lady who unknowingly was at a crossroads experience. God had not forgotten Louiza and Trevor became his ambassador.
God is wanting to use us in ways we know not. Are we willing?
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