Adventists around the world

Abuse addressed in church’s flagship magazine ... An article in the October 11 issue of the Adventist Review, the official magazine of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, addresses the misconception that abuse doesn’t happen in Adventist homes. The article referred to one survey that found only 16 percent of Adventists thought abuse was a major problem in the church. However, the article cites three studies that found spousal abuse in the North American Adventist Church is a major problem that has been growing over the last 20 years. Most women victims interviewed “would not confide in a pastor simply because in most cases the pastor is a man.” When they did go to a pastor, many reported that he offered poor advice. The article shares information on where abused persons can go for help and lists ways that church administrators, pastors and members can combat abuse in the church. The full article can be found at [url=http://www.adventistreview.org/]http://www.adventistreview.org/

article.php?id=1401[/url]. [ANN Staff]

Enterprising La Sierra students win world cup ... For the second time in five years, “Students In Free Enterprise” team from Seventh-day Adventist-owned La Sierra University in Riverside, California, won the SIFE World Cup. SIFE uses classroom knowledge to impact communities at home and abroad and is active on 1,600 colleges and university campuses in 40 countries. La Sierra’s projects included selling bottled water and using the proceeds to help villagers in Ethiopia, establishing Internet cafés in Ghana and providing new shoes for AIDS orphans in Lesotho. This year’s award was announced October 12 at the Hilton Hotel in New York City. La Sierra first won the world title in Amsterdam in 2002. [Larry Becker/La Sierra University/ANN Staff]

Hong Kong health expo draws thousands ... The second annual Seventh-day Adventist-run health and wellness expo in Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong, drew more than 4,000 people last month. A former legislator and Adventist college alumnus was among the invitees. About 20 Adventist institutions participated in the festival, held just outside the city’s Culture Center. “Well-being is a state of mind and a lifestyle,” said James Wu, president of the Adventist Church’s Chinese Union Mission, commenting on the expo’s aim to promote “total health.” Attendees learned about general health, family and spiritual life, and healthy relationships. The church is planning to hold a similar event next year. [NSD/ANN Staff]

Philippines: First graduates of online-only program ... Two students receiving a master’s degree in public health from an Adventist University in the Philippines on October 21 became the first to earn such recognition through the institution’s online program. Anna Nelson, from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Julia Shayunussova, of Almaty, Kazakhstan, become the first students to earn a degree from Adventist International Institute of Advanced Studies (AIIAS) by studying exclusively online. In 2003, AIIAS was the first Seventh-day Adventist educational institution to establish fully online degree programs. The institution’s Division of Online Learning offers the master of public health, master of divinity and master of arts in education with an emphasis in leadership. [Gina Wahlen/AIIAS/ANN]