Pathfinder Visit to Homeless Shelter Leads Former Addict to Baptism

The Martinsburg church Pathfinder club met Jeremy Cortez while volunteering at a local homeless shelter where Jeremy worked.

Jeremy Cortez and Mariella Florian talk about Jeremy’s testimony while recording “Faith Alive and Music” for Chesapeake Conference’s 2021 virtual camp meeting, “The Gathering: Empowered to Share.”

Jeremy Cortez was curious about Seventh-day Adventists. When the Martinsburg (W.Va.) church Pathfinder club came to visit the local homeless shelter where the former drug addict and resident of the shelter now worked as staff, Jeremy decided to ask some questions.

“The whole time we were [at the shelter] he was asking me questions about the church,” says Mariella Florian, Martinsburg church member. “The first day he was curious about the Sabbath. [He wanted to know] why Sabbath and not Sunday.”

“I was curious because I’d heard about Adventists before, but I hadn’t met any,” says Jeremy. “[Mariela] did a great job explaining [what Adventists believe]. And the kids that came in and the parents that came in were different. I was like, ‘I want to check that church out.'”

Jeremy showed up at the Martinsburg church the next Sabbath to learn more. Jeremy began taking Bible studies with Pastor David Livergood and was baptized on October 24, 2020.

To watch Jeremy’s testimony on “Faith Alive and Music,” visit the Chesapeake Conference YouTube channel.