Scholarship Recipients
Grateful scholarship recipients respond with heartfelt thanks to donors and devotional book contributors
Students receiving scholarship awards are excited about their scholarships. Some write letters of gratitude. Some search for us at congresses and other meetings, even the quinquennial General Conference Sessions. Some have opportunity years later to visit our Women's Ministries office at the Seventh-day Adventist World Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland USA.
Keep in Touch
If you received a scholarship from Women's Ministries, let us know how you are using your degree. Send us a photo and updated contact information.
Scholarship Recipient Zaliya Recounts Her Conversion Experience
"I was born into a non-Christian family, and according to custom, I kept the traditions and holidays. Once while browsing the Internet, I accidentally found an article which said that women who fasted during Lent would have beautiful children.
"I began fasting, and wanting to do everything right, I looked on the Internet for information about how to properly fast. One article said that in order to properly keep Lent, it was necessary to read the first four Gospels.
"In these books I read about Christ. I saw His self-denying life, His love for people, and His kind heart, which was always open to the poor, sinful and suffering. It couldn't help but touch my heart.
"When I got to His crucifixion, my tears flowed. Even though I had to go to work by bus very early, I was crying when everyone else was sleeping. I realized that I fell in love with Him. That's how I met Christ."
—This is how Zaliya answers a question on the scholarship application form
When Scholarship Recipient Masha Discovered Without a Doubt That God Would Never Leave Her
"My personal experiences with God began early enough. I knew from childhood that He exists and that He answers my prayers. With the passage of time my faith went from strength to strength, at different stages of my life, I perceived God in different ways. As a child, I perceived God more as a father, like a dad. In my teens, God became a friend to me. Unlike earthly friends, I understood He would never betray or deceive me.
"I saw God's hand in my life when in 11th grade I had to choose between my future education and my faith. It was necessary for me to take exams that to get a certificate. I prayed throughout the year that exams would not be set on Sabbath. However, at the end of the year, I learned that all exams would be on Saturday. I was upset but decided to trust God. I had tried to study well so that the teachers would allow me to take the exam on another day.
"Once in a geometry lesson, a teacher called me to the blackboard and asked me to do a sum. After I had done the sum, she told me, “You have done everything right, and I'll give you best mark. But you must understand that you are ruining your future. You won't be able to find a job where you wouldn’t have to work on Saturdays. You will not be able to study at the university; you will simply fail all the exams. What if you fall in love with an unbelieving guy? What if you have to give birth on Saturday?"
"It hurt me to listen to this whole lesson. Everyone around me thought that I was going to make the wrong choice. Since the 5th grade I had never broken Sabbath, despite the fact that this choice was not always easy for me. However, at that moment I was especially worried. I thought, “What if my teachers and classmates are right? What if I don't achieve anything in life?"
"My relatives are believers. They knew how I tried to study well and respect our teachers, but even they told me that there is nothing wrong if I went to the exam on Saturday. “After all, you have been faithful to God for all six years, it's okay if you break the Sabbath this time,” they said. It was not easy for me, but I prayed a lot and decided that I would be faithful to God to the end. The moment was my step of faith into the unknown. I believed that even if I didn’t get an education, God would never leave me.
"The Sabbath of the exam, I stayed in church and tried to focus on the church ministry. After worship the headmistress of our school called my father. After the telephone call, my father said: "Masha, you can take the exams on other days. They will try to make sure that the authorities of our city don’t know about this." Hearing this, I almost burst into tears of joy. God heard my prayers! I was able to pass all the exams and received a certificate.
"Now I am actually grateful to God for all those difficulties, because of them I learned to trust Him. I was also able to testify to the whole school and teachers about God, for Whom nothing is impossible. It may be easier to live in the world where you do not need to defend your principles, but in fact, God wants us to be salt and light, even if other people do not understand you and see no point in this."
—Khametova Mariia Sergeevna
Where Are They Now?
MARINA, a music major at Zaosky (Russia), graduated, married a pastor, gave birth to two girls, earned a degree in Educational Science, teaches music and serves in church as a music leader. She is very thankful to GC Women's Ministries for the wonderful scholarship program!
After completing an Economics major, AlLIONA, from Moldova, now lives in London, works in her profession, serves God and is very thankful for the contribution of GC Women's Ministries!
An Economics major from Russia, OLGA now serves as an accountant at Central-Siberia Mission in Novosibirsk.
IRINA, from Ukraine, graduated with a Music major and now studies at a musical conservatory in Rostov. She is very talented, writes hymns, directs, a choir, and thanks the Lord that GC Women's Ministries helped make all her dreams and plans come true!
SVEtLANA, Economics major from Russia, successfully graduated, but at the moment unfortunately does not have a job.
IVANNA graduated with a Music major and now serves the Lord with her musical talents in Ukraine.
Published in SOS Scholarshipping Our Sisters newsletter, 2021 Q1
Letters from Women Who Receive Scholarships
Student from China Wants to Give Back in the Future
Huiyu, Wang of China (center) receives SOS Scholarship Award from Lisa Clouzet, Northern-Asia Pacific Division Women's Ministries director (left) and Nilde Lust, associate director
Received April 5, 2018
Dear of members of Women’s Ministries office!
This is Huiyu, Wang from mainland China. At present, I am studying for a master degree in the College of Education, Adventist University of Philippines. However, I have finance struggling. Therefore, a few months ago, I applied for the General Conference Women’s Ministries Scholarship for my schooling purpose. By God’s grace, scholarship program coordinator Raquel Arrais responded and informed me that they have received my application and granted me with this scholarship. She also shared background information about the scholarship program with me. I was so impressed by your work.
Therefore, with the humblest and most appreciative heart, I am writing to express my deep thanks to these women who contributed their time and skills to write books in order to help others as well as who are in care of office work. Here, I committed myself that the money received will only be used for financing my schooling and cost of living.
Once I take my place in the working world in future, surely, I will reach out to help and make my contribution for other young women who are struggling financially.
Thank you very much for these women and their work gain. May God bless them all and their ministry work for the Lord.
Sincerely yours,
Huiyu, Wang
