Edmore Potato Festival

Jesus often went out to the crowds to see how He could be of service.

At the close of His earthly ministry He gave His disciples their commission, saying, "These signs shall follow them that believe; In My name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover." Mark 16:17, 18.  

Every year the Potato Festival in Edmore is full of happy families celebrating the harvest and having fun with their neighbors. What better time to let the community know the Adventist church cares?  The Edmore church decided to rent a vendor space at the festival, focusing their attention on providing healthy-lifestyle education to the community. Pastor EJ Wolff had never organized a health fair but stepped out in faith by assembling a team.   

The team asked several medical professionals in the area to help. A dentist, two dental hygienists, five nurses, and several others from the Edmore, Alma, Frost, Cedar Lake, and Lakeview churches joined the effort. The conference health department gave them NEWSTART banners and a local elder offered his new tent. An area business donated an identical tent for medical mission work. God was going before them, preparing the way!   

When the festival began, volunteers stood at the front of the tent surveying community guests. At stations throughout the tent, visitors could test their blood glucose levels, blood pressure, oxygen levels, and learn God’s Biblical principles of mental, physical, and spiritual health.  

Twenty-two people came through the tent. Ari Muljono, one of the volunteer nurses, remarked how remarkable God’s plans are. Providentially, the Edmore church, health fair tent and Daniel’s Kitchen, a local Adventist center of influence, were all within a few blocks of each other, “so we can let people know where to find us,” she said.  

The divine commission has not changed. Christ's way of presenting truth cannot be improved upon. The Savior gave the disciples practical lessons, teaching them how to work in such a way as to make souls eager to hear the truth. He sympathized with the weak, weary, and oppressed. He fed the hungry and healed the sick. He constantly went about doing good. By His loving words and kind deeds, He lived out the gospel to men. 

The Edmore church is simply following in His footsteps.