In North Colombia, Adventist Church Organizes “I Want to Live Healthy” Cycling Clubs as a Witnessing Tool

As the sport of cycling continues to engage thousands of Colombians, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North Colombia is organizing its members into cycling clubs in order to promote a healthy lifestyle. The first clubs have already been organized in Medellin and Bucaramanga, two of the largest northern cities.

After months of planning, dozens of church members, young and old, cycled on February 6, 2022, bearing the “I Want to Live Healthy” club name on their shirts. They rode about 19 kilometers throughout avenues and mountainous roads in the two cities.

The idea is to promote a healthy lifestyle and share the message of salvation through the church’s I Want to Live Healthy initiative, which aims to promote eight healthy habits that benefit the person’s physical, spiritual, mental, and social well-being, said Pastor Mauricio Buitrago, Health Ministries director for the church in North Colombia and main organizer of the event.

“Being part of the cycling club gets members to testify of our beliefs as the Seventh-day Adventist Church and bring about other opportunities to connect, witness, and serve others,” said Buitrago. Church leaders want to use cycling as a vehicle to engage more and more members to connect with and influence their friends, neighbors, family members, and co-workers.

Cycling is a sport that benefits the mental state of the person, shared Maribel Quintero, a psychologist and the Health Ministries director for the church in the West Central Conference. “Cycling allows us to expand our support network, interact with other [people], and make new friends.”

Right before a group of 30 club members cycled across Medellin, a woman approached them and wanted to find out what the gathering was all about. “She informed me that she was very interested in registering her husband into the club so he can lead a healthy lifestyle,” said Buitrago. She and her husband were immediately added to the club’s WhatsApp chat group, he added.

Besides the physical benefits, the first cycling ride highlighted important values such as solidarity and fellowship, said Nelcy Díaz, one of the club members. “We were able to share with others of the same faith, with friends who practice the same sport, and with those who began this first journey around the city,” she said.

The clubs will meet twice a week to train and strengthen themselves physically before taking part in cycling dozens of kilometers.

“My wish as a club director is just to take [people] to the next level they want to reach, improve their physical performance—and that we will do with progressive activities,” said Mario Martínez, club director in Medellin. “We want this group to grow each day so that not only will we be able to impart this wonderful message to more people, but also to enjoy each outing.”

Leaders from the North Colombia Union are coordinating with those in the South Colombia Union for a joint national I Want to Live Healthy cycling event in November. Already, the church in South Colombia has engaged hundreds of church members in I Want to Live Healthy cycling clubs across its region.

To learn more about the Adventist Church in North Colombia, including its initiatives and activities, visit unioncolombiana.org.

This article was originally published on the Inter-American Division’s website