More than 2,000 Seventh-day Adventists and their friends recently walked across the island of St. Vincent on Saturday night May 4, 2024, during an annual walk to promote healthy living under the church’s “Let’s Move to Live” initiative.

Adventist delegations and friends from villages across the coastal region gathered early in the evening, to do warm up exercises and invite onlookers to join the three miles long route.

This is the second event by the church on the island and was a collaboration between the island’s Ministry of Health and the health ministries department of the church in St. Vincent, organizers said.

“It keeps getting better,” said Brent St. Jean, said health ministries director of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Mission. “We see the rise of non-communicable diseases in the church and outside of the church and we recognize we need to join forces with the Ministry of Health to have a more targeted approach,” said St. Jean.

Hundreds of members wore glow bands across their necks as they participated in the family. The walk was also an opportunity to share the love of God through health, hope, and fun.

Persons were eager to take part in the hour-long aerobics exercises led by Keron Constance. "Let’s do it,” he said as he encouraged the hundreds to move for life.

“As regular aerobic exercise helps us live better, we believe that with the exercise of faith, we can trust God to lead our lives according to His loving prescription for health,” added St. Jean.

Henry Snagg, president of the St. Vincent and Grenadines Mission, was among the group that joined a church activity. “What a great idea to motivate everyone to live a healthy lifestyle,” he said. “This was so well organized.”

St. Jean said it was important to involve as many people outside the church in the event as possible. “They are our friends, and it is the field that Jesus has left for us to show the hope of salvation.”

Among those taking part in the walk were church members, government workers, private sector businesses, and persons from various denominations. “We were so delighted to have them join us,” added St. Jean. It was not only about encouraging them to finish the walk but also to allow for inclusion of people with physical challenges, explained St. Jean.

Church leaders thanked sponsors and government agencies for providing security during the race.

St. Jean congratulated church leaders in the St. Vincent region for their annual event promoting the Adventist world church’s Let’s Move to Live. “More than 21 million Seventh-day Adventists around the world are working in favor of moving to live,” he said.

“For now the church in St. Vincent will continue promoting a healthy lifestyle to its members and friends through activities to improve eating habits, physical exercise, favorable environmental aspects and many other aspects that involve health in a wholistic way,” St Jean said.

The original article was published on the Inter-America Division website.