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Knarik regularly greeted
her neighbor Anahit
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in the mornings on her way to work.
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They would often stop to talk,
and their friendship grew.
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One day, my neighbor told me
that a new café was opening.
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It was a healthy, vegan café
called Dr. Veggie.
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I was interested in it
because I love living a healthy lifestyle.
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I work at a bank,
and it was near the café.
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So every day I had lunch there.
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This café in the center
of Yerevan, Armenia,
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was run by Adventists
as an urban center of influence.
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Knarik knew that her neighbor
was a Seventh-day Adventist,
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but she didn't really understand
what that meant.
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Knarik believed in Jesus,
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but had no interest
in attending any churches.
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I remember clearly
the first time I went there.
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There was something good
inside these people.
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A spiritual peace and calmness
that I had never met in anyone else.
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Knarik started participating
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in the various activities
the center offered.
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One of them was a trivia night
about Bible topics.
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After the first night,
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she realized there were so many things
she didn't understand about the Bible,
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so she started reading more.
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Knarik decided it would be best
to visit the Adventist church
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to get some of her questions answered.
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After attending church for about a year,
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I was invited to a healthy lifestyle camp.
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I decided to be baptized there,
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and it was the happiest day of my life!
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Knarik is so grateful
for her neighbor Anahit
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and for the people in the Dr. Veggie café.
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Urban centers of influence
such as Dr. Veggie
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can be a crucial bridge between
the Adventist church and its community.
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Yerevan is Armenia’s largest
city and capital,
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with more than a million people.
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One third of the country's
population lives here.
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As cities like Yerevan increasingly become
one of the biggest mission challenges,
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Adventists have the opportunity
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to create meaningful connections
with those around them.
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Unfortunately, it's expensive
to do mission work in cities.
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The Dr. Veggie café
had to close its doors suddenly
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due to the high cost of rent.
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This loss is felt
by the Adventists who run it,
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but even more so by the community members
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who have found it to be a fun,
safe space to spend their time.
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Dr. Veggie has an opportunity to reopen,
but they need your help!
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This quarter, a portion
of your 13th Sabbath Offering
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will help reestablish Dr. Veggie
in a new, improved building.
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This will give them the opportunity
to own the space and provide stability,
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so they can focus
on building relationships,
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such as the one they built with Knarik.
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Please pray for the future of Dr. Veggie
and the Adventists in Yerevan
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who have a passion for mission.
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Thank you for supporting
this 13th Sabbath Offering!