For three days, 917 young people, leaders, and volunteers participated in I Will Go Argentina, held at the River Plate Adventist University (Universidad Adventista del Plata, UAP) in Entre Ríos. Under the theme "To the Ends of the Earth," the event combined training, testimonies, workshops, and volunteer opportunities to prepare participants to serve in diverse contexts and cultures.

The program included nine workshops on discipleship, evangelism, health, volunteering, cross-cultural mission, and digital communication. Participants could choose from options such as Discovery Bible Study, focused on discipleship; From Passion to Mission, which addressed how to use personal talents and interests as tools for service; and sessions on intercultural preparation, evangelism in riverine and indigenous communities of the Amazon, and the mental health of missionaries.

Beyond presenting opportunities for those who wish to travel as volunteers, the event showcased different ways to participate in mission. A profession, talent, daily activity, or social media can become tools for serving others.

Marcia McEdward, a nurse and missionary who spent part of her service in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, and Lebanon, shared her experience in a workshop. Through her work in health programs, she built relationships with people and supported them through processes of change.

For McEdward, not everyone is called to a cross-cultural mission, but everyone possesses gifts that can be used to serve. She used her story to demonstrate how a profession can serve as a means of connecting with others and sharing their faith. She invited young people to pray, discern, and learn to trust in God before making decisions about their future.

Ready to serve

The training was reflected in the results of the Mission Schools of the Argentine Union and UAP. During the meeting, 150 participants received their certificates, and it was reported that approximately 60 volunteers are about to depart to serve.

Currently, there are 30 Mission Schools operating in Argentina, as well as an online option. The training program includes content relating to service and first aid as part of the preparation for those who will participate in missionary projects.

The importance of preparation before going into the field was also highlighted by Dieter Bruns, director of the Adventist Volunteer Service (AVS) offices of the South American Division. During the opening, he explained that South America has gone from being primarily a region that receives missionaries to one that sends volunteers to different parts of the world.

For Bruns, this growth presents a challenge for new generations. The mission is not limited to sending people to distant lands but can also unfold among the different cultures and places each person lives. He emphasized the importance of combining enthusiasm with preparation, prayer, and a willingness to serve. “The mission is not yours, but the Lord’s,” was one of the central ideas of his message.

Learning to serve across different cultures

Cross-cultural mission was another key theme of I Will Go Argentina. Nathaniel Powell emphasized the importance of understanding and respecting other cultures before attempting to communicate a message. Developing an open mind, observing, listening, and building genuine connections can become a bridge for sharing faith.

Along the same lines, Renato Carvalho stated that mission is not limited to an activity or an international trip. “Mission is not what you do. Mission is how you live,” he expressed. He said perspective, talents, professions, relationships, and everyday activities can also become opportunities for service.

The meeting provided an opportunity to learn how the mission can be carried out in areas such as health, education, communication, sports, humanitarian aid, and maintenance. The diversity of proposals demonstrated that there is no single profile for those who wish to participate in missionary projects.

Social media as a mission field

Digital communication was another topic discussed during the conference. Jorge Rampogna, Communication director for the South American Division, and Carlos Magalhães, director of strategy for the South American Division, reflected on the need to understand digital platforms as a new mission field.

During the meeting, OneVoice27, the global Adventist initiative that seeks to mobilize the Church to share a message of hope under a common communication identity, was presented.

Magalhães also drew attention to the existence of an “invisible church,” made up of people who approach faith through social media without necessarily having face-to-face contact with a community. This reflection raised new possibilities for those who wish to use their communication and technology skills in service of the mission.

Opportunities to serve in different parts of the world

During the Missionary Fair, participants learned about volunteer projects in different countries and regions. Representatives from various institutions presented service opportunities in Spain, Italy, Brazil, Sweden, Asia, and the Middle East.

Among the proposals were the Sagunto Adventist Campus, the Villa Aurora Adventist University Institute in Florence, ADRA Argentina, and the Nuevo Tiempo Network of Argentina. The options included education, communication, health, culinary arts, maintenance, sports, humanitarian aid, and media.

Initiatives aimed at young Argentinians were also presented. The “Dream Big” project, promoted by the Argentina Union Conference, seeks to support young people who wish to access university education at UAP and integrate them into colportage.

UAP and AVS presented the Volunteer project, which combines Adventist publications and volunteer services to provide training and resources to young people interested in participating in missionary projects.

A challenge that continues after the meeting

The I Will Go Argentina program began in 2011 with just three students and has since been adopted by the Seventh-day Adventist Church worldwide. This year, the gathering once again brought participants together around the same question: how to use personal gifts to serve God and others.

The closing session was marked by the plenary talk “Find the One,” presented by Alejandro Brunelli, president of the Argentina Union Conference. His message reminded the audience that the love received from God can also reach others. The rector of the Argentina Union Conference, Horacio Rizzo, encouraged the participants to recognize that God has a place and a task for each person.

With 917 participants, 150 people certified in the Mission Schools, and around 60 volunteers about to go into the field, participants said I Will Go Argentina left them with knowing the mission can begin before packing a suitcase and can develop in a profession, talent, conversation, screen, or an everyday decision to serve.

The original article was published on the South American Division Spanish news site.