Jill Ansted, a certified nursing assistant, works in a new adult family home, the Orchards Highlands Senior Community in Vancouver, Wash. The first resident of the facility was Linda Harding.
As a caregiver, Ansted assists residents with daily living. One of the activities she does with Harding is a Bible study.
"We happened to be walking in the back yard," Ansted says, "and Linda mentioned she wanted to get back to going to church again. I was strongly impressed to invite her to go to my church with me. I explained why we worship on Saturday and she did not have a problem with that, so the next Sabbath I took her with me."
Then Ansted asked her if she was interested in studying the Bible. Harding agreed, and Ansted brought her Bible and Sabbath School Bible study guide to work.
Harding enjoyed the lessons because they were short and concise. "She was amazed by the things brought out in the lessons," Ansted says.
After only six weeks of studying, Harding requested baptism and was baptized by John Wesslen, Orchards Church pastor.
Harding explained why she made the decision. She says, "Jill was the epitome of a person who had great faith and had the type of life I was looking for. I wanted to find a church where I could become a part and be involved. I just knew this was where I belonged and where I wanted to be."
Jill Ansted spends time studying the Bible and the Sabbath School lesson with Linda Harding, a resident at an area family home. (Richard Dower)
