Hadessa: A Family Rooted in Faith

Hadessa comes from a remarkable line of Seventh-day Adventists—she is a fourth-generation SDA. Her mother is Samoan, from Apia, and her family’s journey to faith began over a century ago.

It all started with her great-grandfather, who held a high position in the Methodist Church. One day, he noticed an SDA pastor walking through his town and was handed a pamphlet called True Story, (Telemony in Samoan) printed in Samoa in 1911. Curious about the Sabbath, he invited the pastor to his home. During that visit, he received a book, studied it carefully, and soon began Bible studies with the pastor. He was eventually baptized, marking the start of a faith that would shape generations.

Her great-grandfather had originally planned to move to New Zealand to become a mechanic, not to enter ministry. But inspired and encouraged by the pastor, he pursued pastoral work instead. That decision set the course for Hadessa’s family, showing how literature and personal encounters can bring an entire family into the SDA Church. – A personal testimony from the LE Hall