THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, June 20, 1996 TAG: 9606180157
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 01E EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DAWSON MILLS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 85 lines
Even before undertaking her latest project, Vivian Anderson was no stranger to long days and hard work.
A former civil service employee, management consultant and substitute teacher, Anderson is president of H.L. Anderson Builders-Construction Management Co., run jointly with her husband, Howard L. Anderson. Her firm has many construction and renovation projects to its credit.
``We build from foundation to finished project,'' says Anderson, a Norfolk resident. ``We've done many churches. The latest is Mount Zion Community Church, on Indian River Road, across from the Ford Plant. My husband did the building, and I did the interior design.
``We're also involved in residential construction and residential and commercial renovation.''
The churches are especially important to this mother of three grown children and grandmother of eight. Raised a Baptist, she became a Seventh-day Adventist in the early '80s, as she recalls.
``I had prayed and asked God to show me truths I had questions about,'' she recalls. ``As I prayed, I stumbled upon the Adventist faith.''
It is that faith that is the basis for Anderson's most recent undertaking. Since the first of the year, she has become an author, editor and publisher. To date, she has produced five books and is hard at work on a sixth.
Her first, ``A World In Chaos,'' featuring quotes from Ellen G. White and the King James Bible, is the longest, at 333 pages. Between its covers she has assembled articles from periodicals, mostly daily newspapers, interspersed with writings by White and herself, dealing with the second coming of Christ.
``It's a labor of love and a work of faith,'' Anderson says. `` `A World in Chaos' took many long hours and long nights. Hundreds of hours. It's almost like a force inspired me to do it. I wanted to complete it in February, but I didn't have it finished until early April. Each time I wanted to end the project, something was put before me to keep me going.''
She approached the editors of those publications whose articles she hoped to include in her book. All, she says, were cooperative, asking only to be included in the credits, except for Time magazine. Time wanted $3,000 to allow ``clips'' to be used. She pulled the Time excerpts from her book and substituted others from other publications.
Her second book, ``God's Three Angels Messages,'' a compilation from three earlier booklets, also was finished in April. That same month she published her third book, ``God's Health Plan.''
That was followed, last month, by No. 4, ``Ellen White's Writings - 1827-1915, A Servant of God,'' containing quotes from the Bible interspersed with White's writings. In the book, the reader learns that White was born and raised in Maine, and, because of an accident when she was 9, received little schooling.
In 1844, she became a Seventh-day Adventist. Despite her limited education, she became a prolific writer, authoring more than 37 books, stories and manuscripts, in addition to many letters.
Those writings have had a profound impact on Anderson.
``This lady is remarkable,'' Anderson says. ``She was inspired by God. I love her writings.''
In late May, Anderson finished book No. 5, ``God's Plan (Natural Laws).'' She's now working on No. 6, ``Fresh From the Garden,'' a cookbook inspired by her faith.
``A dream I have is to open a restaurant,'' she says.
Her books are available through her New Birth & Health Bible Ministries for a suggested donation, ranging from $1.50 to $47.50.
``They've gone as far as Oregon,'' Anderson says, ``as well as Arkansas, Philadelphia, Florida, West Virginia and all parts of Virginia. `His Marvelous Light' Ministries is sending them overseas.''
A local bookstore, Inside Out Consortium, on Virginia Beach Boulevard, has her books in stock. Another bookstore, on Providence Road, is considering taking a shipment on consignment, she said. A bookstore in Ahoskie, N.C., already has taken some on consignment, she added.
Has she run into any skeptics with her high visibility project proclaiming her faith?
``Not yet,'' she said. ``If they're out there, I haven't seen or heard from them yet. I'm inspired, yes, because this is something I love to do, even more than building. I love to write.'' MEMO: Vivian Anderson's books are available from New Birth Health &
Bible Ministries, P.O. Box 4599, Norfolk, Va. 23523, and from Inside
Out Consortium, 6660 E. Virginia Beach Blvd., Norfolk, Va. 23502, phone
466-9197. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by DAWSON MILLS
Vivian Anderson is writing her sixth book, ``Fresh From the
Garden.'' by CNB