“If you won’t work on Saturday, then you don’t have a job.” These were devastating words for Hachko, a newly baptized Seventh-day Adventist. But with courage and faith, Hachko said, “Okay, then I don’t have a job.”

Life was not easy for young Hachko on the island of Chuuk. At age 17, she became a bride to a non-practicing Seventh-day Adventist due to an arranged marriage. “Every day he would go straight to the clubs and drink after work,” Hachko said. “We didn’t speak to each other, and every night I would cry a lot.”

In 1965, when she was 22 years-old, Hachko was visited by a Seventh-day Adventist pastor from Pohnpei who knew her husband used to be a church member. This was the first time she heard about Jesus. The pastor showed her slides sharing the good news. When he finished sharing with her, the pastor asked her if she wanted to be baptized. Hachko said, “No”. “I didn’t have Jesus in my heart yet” explained Hachko.

The seed was planted, but ten years went by until Hachko heard any more about Jesus. In 1975, another Seventh-day Adventist pastor moved to Chuuk from the Philippines. The pastor started giving English Bible studies to Hachko in her home. Hachko began to understand English, but she would not talk back to the pastor at all. For two years Hachko went around giving Bible studies with the pastor and other believers, slowly learning and using English more. “But I still didn’t have Jesus in my heart,” said Hachko as she pressed her hand against her chest, motioning to her heart.

In 1977, there was an evangelistic meeting held by Sid Nelson on the island of Chuuk. Hachko’s Filipino neighbors, Mira and Peter, kept inviting Hachko to the meetings. “I always made excuses not to go. ‘Oh I’m too busy,’” said Hachko. Finally, she gave in and went with her neighbors to the meetings. It was at those meetings that Hachko saw the Sabbath in the Bible and began to believe in her heart. She memorized the fourth commandment in her native tongue and took it to heart. After the evangelistic meetings, Hachko decided it was finally time to be baptized. On March 26, 1977, Hachko was one of the first four Chuukese people to be baptized on the island.

Once accepting the Sabbath for herself, Hachko was out of work for three weeks because of her choice not to work on Sabbath. After the store struggled without her, Hachko was finally asked to return to work without having to work on Sabbath. “Thank You, God!” Hachko rejoiced, grateful for the Lord blessing her commitment to follow Him.