The National Prayer Breakfast took place on August 23, the Day of the National Flag of Ukraine. Oleksandr Korniienko, the first vice speaker of the Verkhovna Rada, emphasized that it is defined by two symbols of unity—the blue-and-yellow flag and prayer. According to Korniienko, the event was an opportunity to set aside professional, political, and ideological differences to focus on responsibility for the country, respect for human life, and the desire to preserve Ukraine's independence.

The museum exhibition focused on the themes of dignity and respect for human life, documenting the persecution of believers during the Soviet era and, more recently, in Ukrainian territories currently under Russian military occupation. The exhibition drew considerable interest from attendees and was also visited by Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha.

A number of items in the exhibition came from the Adventist Church Archive-Museum collection. Oleg Arutiunov, the director of the Adventist Church Archive-Museum, explained that the partnership between the two institutions began with a chance encounter after which the National Museum's leadership became interested in the Adventist collection, ultimately leading to its inclusion in the exhibition.

Among the items on display were two suitcases handcrafted by prisoners before their release from Soviet labor camps, made to carry their few remaining personal belongings. According to Arutiunov, these were made by Adventist Church members who had been sentenced during the Stalin era for their religious beliefs.

This marks the third time the National Museum of the History of Ukraine in World War II has participated in the National Prayer Breakfast. For the Archive-Museum of the History of the Adventist Church, it was the first time its own artifacts were presented at a national-scale event. Leadership of both institutions expressed hope for continued collaboration.

The National Prayer Breakfast was attended by representatives of state authorities, religious and charitable organizations, military personnel, chaplains, and families of fallen Ukrainian defenders. The event welcomed more than 400 guests from various countries, including Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda, Estonian Prime Minister Kristen Michal, former U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, and members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.

In 2024, the British Library and the Adventist Church Archive-Museum in Ukraine, with the support of the Security Service of Ukraine State Archive and the participation of University College Cork (Ireland), carried out the project "Archives of Religious Communities in the Context of the War in Ukraine."

The original article was published on the Ukrainian Union Conference Ukrainian news site.

The activities took place in the South American Division. In Uruguay, the message was taken to churches, schools, public spaces, and communities.

Awareness walks, fairs, talks with professionals, visits to nursing homes, distribution of the magazine Basta de Silencio (Enough of Silence), and fraternity meetings were some of the actions carried out.

In addition to raising awareness about elder abuse, these initiatives offered an opportunity to connect with the community.

Students from the Montevideo Adventist High School (Liceo Adventista de Montevideo, LAM) participated in workshops on elder abuse held at the Prado and Las Acacias schools.

The workshops aimed to help children and teenagers reflect on respect, care, and appreciation for older people, showing that preventing violence begins in everyday relationships and within the family.

In Curva de Maroñas, the local Adventist Church organized an afternoon tea for senior citizens, with 12 residents participating. The gathering provided an opportunity to talk, share, and strengthen bonds.

In Young, 20 non-Adventist seniors participated in a day that included a talk on elder abuse, biblical reflection, games, testimonies, and refreshments. At the end, the seniors received copies of the magazine Basta de Silencio and missionary books.

In Chuy, the message took to the streets. Volunteers visited businesses to distribute the magazine Basta de Silencio and, in the central plaza, conducted blood pressure and weight checks while sharing information on the care and protection of the elderly.

The activity also continued outside of public spaces. Volunteers visited elderly adults who were ill, providing companionship and care to people in more vulnerable situations.

During the campaign, three grandchildren visited their grandmother, Nora, sharing a moment with her, listening to her, and letting her know she wasn't alone.

Representatives said initiatives like these help the Adventist Church connect with the local community. By sharing with neighbors, students, and people outside the church, bonds are forged, creating opportunities to discuss faith not only through words but also through service and addressing individual needs.

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

The shipment includes kits for installing temporary shelters and water purifiers. The items will go to families affected by the flood that began in Rasuwa and advanced to other regions of the country.

The delivery of shelter kits and purifiers addresses initial needs confirmed on-site. Assistance is also expected to reach communities in Rasuwa and Dhading districts, but destroyed roads and bridges continue to hinder the delivery of supplies.

It is estimated that some 93,000 people may have been affected. At the time of this report, more than 1,000 deaths have been registered, and more than 4,400 people have been reported missing. Homes, roads, bridges, health centers, and power generation projects were also affected.

The ADRA team sent to Nuwakot is assessing the conditions of the communities and defining the response in conjunction with government officials and other humanitarian organizations.

Based on the initial information collected, ADRA Nepal activated its National Emergency Management Plan. Among the needs identified are shelter, access to clean water, food, and hygiene items.

In Nepal, ADRA is monitoring access conditions and preparing new stages of assistance. In addition to immediate attention, measures to support community recovery and restore basic services are also being evaluated.

ANN will report further information as it becomes available.

The original article was published on the South American Division news site based on information obtained from the ADRA Nepal Facebook page.

Kiribati is spread across 33 atolls and islands, four different time zones, and all four hemispheres.

Streaming Kiribati for Christ on the radio means more than half of Kiribati's population has access to the programs. However, the station only covers Tarawa, the capital city.

“Through live stream, we reach the outer islands,” said Kiribati Mission communication director Tarataake Angiraoi. “We also believe there are many Kiribati-speaking people living elsewhere in the Pacific, including New Zealand and Australia. We hope they have been part of our broadcast every day.”

Church leaders have chosen one of the six sites on Tarawa to be live-streamed on the Kiribati for Christ Facebook page, created just one month before the campaign. The page already has nearly 1,600 followers. Each site is also live-streaming to its local church’s Facebook page. Angiraoi explained how this has been made possible through the help of several volunteers from Hope Channel Solomon Islands. “We’re very fortunate that they have assisted us,” he said.

The Church in Kiribati has faced difficulty getting the message out due to opposition from other denominations. “They have the numbers,” said Angiraoi. “They believe they were here first, and when we plan an evangelistic meeting, they’ll plan their own thing to keep their members busy.” Despite potential interest in what Adventists believe, particularly around the Sabbath, the community is often dissuaded by church leaders from attending Adventist events.

“But media cannot be monitored,” Angiraoi explained. Church leaders believe that livestreaming the Kiribati for Christ meetings reaches thousands. “The other church leaders can’t stop them because they can listen through mobile phones or on their own radios in their cars,” said Angiraoi.

Another way the Adventist Church in Kiribati has drawn intrigue from the community is through a youth music video initiative, in which a group of young people is recording an album titled Kiribati for Christ. Their videos, featuring young people singing on the beaches, have garnered much attention on the Kiribati for Christ Facebook page.

“A lot of young people are finding taking part in Church programs fulfilling. Some of them are saying that these music videos are among the most memorable moments in their lives,” said Kiribati Mission youth director Leeden Aluta.

The Church has been able to spread the word about Kiribati for Christ programs through several videos about the recordings that have been posted. Aluta said he thinks of the future videos currently in production as “a post-campaign tool” that they can use to connect people with Jesus.

“Media plays an important part in reaching the unreached,” said Angiraoi. “People have come to know us. But there is more to be done, and we believe that we will cover every part of Kiribati because this is what Kiribati for Christ is.”

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

Since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine war, about 60,000 Ukrainians have been moved to the Chicago area. Every Saturday, new refugees arrive at local churches, seeking spiritual solace and an opportunity to preserve their language and cultural identity. Seeing the needs of the newcomers, congregations decided to act in practical ways by providing food, shelter, and care.

Under the roof of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, Seventh-day Adventists, Presbyterians, and Korean- and Spanish-speaking churches united to meet refugees' needs. Together, they began a joint fundraising project for the Protez Foundation, which provides prosthetics to Ukrainians who have lost limbs during the war.

One of the beneficiaries is Viktoria, a girl from Kherson, Ukraine, who lost her arm and was seriously injured in her other arm during a ballistic shelling attack. The cost of one prosthesis ranges from US$20,000 to US$150,000. So far, the foundation has provided prosthetics to 750 people. More than 3,000 people are requesting help from the foundation.

To raise funds, churches organized a charity event with children's games and treats. The organizers emphasized that, in a usually fragmented city, such cooperation has become an example of how a common goal of helping one's neighbor united people despite religious or cultural differences.

The original article was published on the Ukrainian Union Conference Ukrainian news site.

The launch marks ZCUC's alignment with the General Conference's vision of using digital media to expand the reach of the gospel around the world.

Nelson Simweemba, Publishing Ministries director of the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID), represented Harrington Akombwa, president of SID. Simweemba challenged delegates to embrace the opportunities that digital communication presents for the Adventist Church's mission. The rapid growth of technology, he said, has created unprecedented opportunities to reach people who may never attend a church service, making digital platforms an essential mission field.

Simweemba emphasized that OneVoice27 is more than a communication strategy. It is, he said, a mission movement calling every member to participate according to their gifts—whether through content creation, translation, publishing, or simply sharing gospel messages through personal networks.

Delegates received practical training from Claudious Makiwa from the Zimbabwe East Union Conference. He presented on practical digital evangelism, challenging participants to view every digital platform as a potential pulpit and every smartphone as a tool for evangelism. He stressed that digital mission is not reserved for media professionals.

Makiwa also cautioned against measuring success by engagement metrics.

"The goal is not merely to gain views, likes, or followers," he said. "Our digital communication should lead people on a journey from digital contact to spiritual interest, to Bible study, to connection with a local church, and ultimately to discipleship in Jesus Christ."

Makiwa encouraged delegates with media and communication skills to produce quality gospel content, while urging others to actively share and amplify evangelistic messages through their own social media networks.

Participants at the launch represented churches and institutions from across the ZCUC territory. Speakers throughout the day emphasized that digital evangelism complements traditional public evangelism, extending the Church's witness beyond physical boundaries.

The ZCUC launch forms part of a wider rollout of OneVoice27 across the SID territory ahead of the initiative's global evangelistic emphasis in September 2027. Similar launches have taken place across the SID in recent weeks, including in the Southern Africa Union Conference and the Southwest Angola Union Mission.

The original article was published on the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division news site.

“Hot pavement is a constant concern in the summer at the shelter as well as for any dog owner,” said Steve Lenz, BMHS development leader. “I hope the thermometer will help inform our staff and volunteers more quickly and accurately when we need to use our hot weather procedures to keep our dogs safe."

Previously, Lenz had been taking ground temperature readings with a handheld infrared thermometer when he could and posting the results online. When Natalie Smith-Gray, assistant professor of engineering and computer science at Walla Walla University, reached out to BMHS to ask about potential project needs for her team of engineering majors, Lenz jumped on the opportunity.

BMHS has a crew that walks dogs three times a day, and Lenz often sees other community members walking dogs in nearby parking lots and downtown. He believes the team’s device will have a meaningful impact, both by protecting BMHS animals and by educating the community.

Nathan Gray, Walla Walla University alum, served as the project mentor, and Andrei Maiorov, who recently graduated with an engineering major, served as the student lead. Both remained with the project from start to finish.

Beyond his technical work on the device’s display unit, Maiorov facilitated project progression, procured materials, and maintained communication with the humane society. His team consisted of Kolby Kriegelstein, Noland Oickle, Anna Stefaniv, Barrett Bothwell, and Tyler Sing—some of whom graduated or joined along the way.

The temperature sensor unit is made up of an ESP32-C6, battery, solar panel, IR temperature sensor, and various electrical components. The display consists of an ESP32-C6, RGB LEDs, and various 3D-printed components. In addition to displaying the numeric temperature, the lights change color from cool greens to hot reds for easy reading.

The team hopes the unit will soon be able to send data to Home Assistant, an open-source smart home system, which would then transfer data to the display. This would allow BMHS to connect the sensor to multiple displays as they are added throughout the facility.

After three years of hard work and innovation, Maiorov said this project taught him a lot about managing a team and scheduling them effectively to meet deadlines. His favorite part, though, was “learning about how we can use Home Assistant to connect devices together and realizing how the classes I have taken from my professor have prepared me to take on real engineering projects in the real world.”

The original article was published on the Walla Walla University news site.

As she learned more about Him, Dieny’s interest grew into a personal commitment. Over time, she decided to dedicate her life to Christ.

Encounter with Jesus

Since 2024, constant contact with faith sparked questions in Rodríguez. She began to desire a deeper relationship with Jesus. With pastoral support and the encouragement of her family, she began to study the Bible and gain a more personal understanding of the message she had learned in school. This strengthened her faith and led her to make a decision that would mark a new beginning in her life.

During the "Reunion 2026" program held in June, Rodríguez gave her life to Christ through baptism. She is currently an active member of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and, as she finishes her studies, she remembers that decision as the best choice of her life.

Road to victory

Volleyball continues to hold an important place in Rodríguez’s life. Together with her team, she is working toward qualifying for the national stage of the 2026 School Sports and Para-Sports Games (JEDPA), with hopes of winning a medal. But beyond the pursuit of a sporting victory, Rodríguez is focused on a greater goal: walking each day with Jesus and keeping her eyes fixed on the promise of eternal life.

Rodríguez’s story shows how an educational institution can become a place where students develop their talents and encounter Jesus, said a school representative. Between training, classes, and school activities, Rodríguez discovered a goal that transcends any championship. Her purpose now is to walk with Christ each day and keep her eyes fixed on eternal life.

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

She was accompanied by Sherry Jackson, director of GoodOne, and Dr. Alex Balint, chief operating officer of GoodOne Global, LLC.

Addressing ADRA staff and church leaders during the luncheon, Andersson highlighted the significance of her visit as Board Chair. She emphasized that witnessing the project firsthand would enable her to return home with "stories about the goodness of God, the goodness of the people, and the goodness of the cashew nuts." She also conveyed greetings and appreciation from Erton Köhler, GC president, who thanked the workers for their faithfulness in challenging circumstances.

Andersson expressed appreciation for the warmth and hospitality she experienced in Ghana. She concluded her remarks with a prayer, asking God to continue guiding leaders as they plan for OneVoice27, a movement calling believers to proclaim the life, teachings, and gospel of Jesus on digital platforms.

Isaac Kankam-Boadu, county director for ADRA Ghana, praised church leaders Adeefe Kwakye, president of the South West Ghana Union Conference, and Peter Kwabena Nyarko Duodu, president of the South East Ghana Union Mission, for their support of ADRA Ghana. Kankam-Boadu noted that such collaboration is essential to advancing the Adventist mission.

Church leaders pledged their continued support for ADRA Ghana's work in the country.

The original article was published on the South West Ghana Union Conference Facebook page.

The campaign opened with strong interest from community members. While the official opening of Kiribati for Christ took place on August 15, the Church in Kiribati prepared a two-day program, the Two Days of Fire, to introduce the community to the Seventh-day Adventist faith.

“There is a translation of Seventh-day Adventists in Kiribati, Kaitibong, which just means ‘seventh-day,’” said Taabua Rokeatau, president of Kiribati Mission. “I don’t think it really explains why we are Seventh-day Adventists.”

The Two Days of Fire ran right before the official Kiribati for Christ meetings began. Day one discussed why the Church worships on the seventh day, and day two discussed the Advent.

“From those two days, people wanted to hear more about who Seventh-day Adventists are,” said Rokeatau. “Then we had the opportunity to visit people in their homes and invite them to join the main Kiribati for Christ program.”

The official opening of Kiribati for Christ also featured strong governmental support with the attendance of the Taneti Maamau, president of Kiribati, and two Ministers. According to Rokeatau, the Kiribati government recognizes that the Church plays a major role in helping the nation.

“We’re raising awareness regarding health issues through 10,000 Toes [a health campaign that teaches communities the early signs of diabetes] as well as being very family-focused, and we bring peace to people in the face of what is happening in the world right now,” Rokeatau said. “That’s why the president is so supportive of these kinds of programs.”

The theme for Kiribati for Christ is “I will go to the deeper waters”. Rokeatau explained how the people of Kiribati were very passionate about this metaphor because they are on an island. “Deeper water means to go beyond the shallow water and really see what’s happening everywhere and see how the Church can assist the nation and bring people to Jesus.”

There have been several initiatives to meet the community's needs, such as beach cleanups and health screenings.

“10,000 Toes is a major part of the program,” said Rokeatau. “People come to the health screenings and then, because they are invited, come to the evening programs.”

The original article was published on the South Pacific Division news site, Adventist Record.

According to the National Cancer Institute (INCA), an estimated 7,560 new cases of childhood and adolescent cancer are expected per year in Brazil between 2026 and 2028. In the Sergipe region, INCA estimated approximately 90 new cases of cancer per year among children and adolescents aged 0 to 19 years between 2023 and 2025.

In response, the “Jesus, the Best Gift” project emerged. Made possible by a partnership between Brazil Publishing House (Casa Publicadora Brasileira, CPB) and the Sergipe Mission, the project delivered 70 illustrated children’s Bibles to patients undergoing cancer treatment in the pediatric oncology ward of the João Alves Filho Emergency Hospital (HUSE).

With illustrations, colors, and language more accessible to children and young people, the illustrated Bible presents stories and messages of faith in a playful way. In addition to the Bible, the children also received an edition of the magazine Nosso Amiguinho (Our Little Friend), and parents received the book by Adventist pioneer Ellen White, The Desire of Ages. Organizers said the books are given to help provide emotional support to the caregivers accompanying the child during treatment.

For Jason Rosa, director of publications at CPB, the initiative represents an opportunity to use literature to convey a message of hope to children and families facing great challenges.

“When we deliver literature like this, we’re not just delivering a book. We’re bringing a message of hope, faith, and affection to a child and to the entire family who are going through such a delicate moment. We want each page to be a reminder that there is hope and that these families are not alone,” he emphasized.

Evandro Oliveira, the Sergipe Mission director of the publishing department, said partnerships between Adventist institutions around a common cause, such as “Jesus, the Best Gift,” are fundamental.

“This action shows how partnerships between institutions can make a difference. When HUSE, CPB, and the Adventist Church unite for a cause, we can broaden the reach of this message and offer more meaningful support to children and families,” he explained.

Among the recipients of the literature was Sofia Oliveira.

At 13, Oliveira led a typical teenage life. While doing her schoolwork, she injured her leg. What initially seemed like a minor injury became a concern when the pain persisted for several days.

A search for answers led Oliveira to undergo a series of tests. She was diagnosed with cancer and would need to have part of her leg amputated.

While in treatment, the “Jesus, the Best Gift” project gifted Oliveira and her family a few books. For the Oliveira family, the gesture represented more than just the delivery of a book; it was a demonstration of care and love during a delicate time.

Oliveira’s father, Alberto Oliveira, was moved by the project’s initiative.

“The journey of fighting cancer is not easy. It’s lonely and full of uncertainties. We are constantly between life and death, and to have this support, with gifts that will strengthen our faith and nurture the hope that better days will come, is incredible. We will leave here lighter and stronger, even with the struggle Sofia has been facing. And we will also take home the Word of God,” he said.

For Keila Galdino, HUSE’s humanization manager, caring for a child undergoing cancer treatment also means looking at the feelings, fears, and needs of the patient’s family. Representatives said the project supported those efforts.

“Humanization is fundamental because, when we talk about a child undergoing treatment, we are not only caring for the patient. We are welcoming an entire family,” Galdino said. “These are parents who also feel fear, anguish, and insecurity. Therefore, initiatives that bring affection, hope, and support help to make this period a little lighter, strengthening both the child and those who are by their side during the process.”

“For families like the Oliveiras, small gestures can take on great significance, especially when accompanied by a message of hope. Amid the challenges of cancer treatment, an illustrated Bible can serve as a reminder for a child and their family that they are not alone,” said representatives.

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

Union recently introduced the only OT “bridge” program in the Midwest. “It is designed to build on the foundation that occupational therapy assistants already have,” says program director Emily Rumery. “The full-time pathway allows students to complete the master’s program in just two years. The part-time pathway extends that out by one additional year.”

Students like the hybrid format that blends online courses and two on-site lab experiences each semester.

“My responsibilities of being a mother, wife, taking care of my home, and also my duties at my work are priorities for me,” says Maria Reynosa Martinez from Grand Island, Nebraska, United States. “So, this program lets me be flexible and not neglect any other important roles in my life.”

Rosie Galbraith, a mother of seven from Hamilton, Missouri, appreciates the asynchronous schedule. “We have band concerts and sports and all the things [our kids attend], and so it made it easy for me to manage my schedule and do my homework when I need to do it,” she said.

“I’m happy about such a good report from the accreditors, but not surprised,” said Debbie Eno, vice president for academic administration. “Dr. Rumery and the faculty have done an impeccable job of setting up this bridge program. Our students couldn’t hope for a better learning experience on their way to getting a master’s degree.” 

The original article was published on the Union Adventist University news site.

ASI is a network of business owners and professionals who share their faith at work. This year, the group met under the theme "Hasten the Day, Prepare the Way." About 2,000 people attended, organizers said.

According to organizers, the stand rests on a simple conviction: the mission belongs to God, and every believer has a part to play. The experience seeks to treat media as a tool for that mission, aligned with Hope Channel's goal of reaching one billion people by 2030.

"One billion is never just a number to us," said Sam Neves, vice president for advancement, communication, and marketing at Hope Channel. "It is one billion people with names, families, and stories who have not yet heard about Jesus." Reaching them, he said, will take the whole church.

"The vision was to create more than an exhibit," said Quei Montanari, the lead architect who created the stand for Hope Channel International. "We wanted to design an experience that would move people from discovery to meaningful participation. By shaping the booth as a journey, we invited each visitor to encounter the global mission, connect with its stories, and recognize that, despite the many resources available to us and the different institutions we represent, we are one global church, one family united in carrying the message of eternal hope to the ends of the Earth."

The interactive stand begins at MissionCast, a podcast studio built to give voice to people carrying the gospel of Jesus into the world. Season Cromwell, a Hope Channel field representative and program host, led conversations and interviewed around 70 ministry leaders and attendees over the convention's four days.

"I had the honor of sitting with them and listening to their hearts, listening to the work that is being done and has been done for a very long time," Cromwell said. "Every conversation was different. Every prayer was different. The Holy Spirit led the entire way."

From there, a wall of six screens carries mission stories from around the world. An interactive virtual-reality section lets visitors step into hard-to-reach places. The first episode featured was filmed in Alaska, United States. Future episodes will be filmed in the Sahara and Amazon.

The experience then turns personal. A wheel shows different faces representing 50 people groups with little or no access to the gospel of Jesus and links each face to a Bible verse that is sent to the visitor's phone. Visitors draw a card about one group, write a prayer on paper that dissolves in water, and add their name to a prayer chain that began at Hope Channel's leadership conference in New Zealand in July and now travels with the stand. The design is anchored in Acts 1:8, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Organizers stated 54 people signed on as monthly partners during the stand's run in Phoenix.

One theme kept surfacing, Cromwell said: the call to reach the unreached. "Most of the time I didn't even bring it up," she said, "but it is everything we are doing at Hope Channel International now and across the entire global network."

The stand is made to travel. The structure adapts to three sizes and opens on four sides, allowing visitors to enter from any direction. In October, Hope Channel plans to set it up at the upcoming General Conference Annual Council, where church leaders from around the world gather.

The original article was published on the Hope Channel International news site.

The service project is part of the Breaking the Silence Project. The project's 2026 theme is "Elderly People at Risk: the violence that affects those who need care the most." Students have discussed the theme in classroom settings, and the service project provided a practical application designed to encourage respect, attention, and protection for the elderly.

During the visit, students participated in a program specially prepared for the elderly. Haircuts, hair care, manicures, pedicures, live music, prayer, and a fruit picnic were offered to residents. Students also donated more than 800 personal hygiene kits to the facility.

According to Rafael Santos, the university chaplain, the purpose of the service project was to show students that caring for the elderly goes beyond avoiding physical abuse.

In conjunction with the service day, a Breaking the Silence campaign was held throughout the South American Division on August 22.

In addition to actions in public spaces, churches prepared specific programs for the elderly. Programs included street outreach, distribution of informational materials, visits to long-term care facilities, and activities to foster social interaction with seniors.

Meanwhile, the church in Mansão, Brazil, visited the Mansão Esperança nursing home. The group held an afternoon tea and a service with hymns, a sermon, and individual and collective prayers. Additionally, diapers, food, hygiene products, a wheelchair, and clothing were donated.

Local awareness

For Janaína Boeker, a leader of the project, the Breaking the Silence Project is more than an effort to raise awareness; it is a message of hope.

“We take to the streets to show the importance of valuing the elderly and what they have to offer us. We also want to raise awareness about the risks that the elderly face,” she explains.

According to Boeker, many situations of violence are not easily identified. "Sometimes, we only notice what is visible when we talk about violence, but there are many other forms, especially against the elderly. We have abandonment, neglect, and financial issues," she points out.

Furthermore, property violence and scams often target the elderly. Therefore, Boeker said guidance should involve not only the elderly but also children, grandchildren, other family members, and others in their daily lives.

“It’s important to alert the population because children and grandchildren can learn [the signs of a scam] and be advised to help their grandparents and elderly family members so they don’t suffer this type of violence,” said Boeker.

Church awareness

The project also aims to draw attention to the responsibility of religious communities in supporting elderly people. For Boeker, prevention begins with observation and daily care.

“We must alert our brothers and sisters to take care of these people. Sometimes, an elderly person stops attending church, and nobody asks why they are no longer coming,” she explains.

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

Faced with this reality, Adventist researchers from Peruvian Union University (UPeU) created a device that allows farmers to anticipate frost risk and issue early warnings, enabling them to take preventive measures.

The project was developed by Danny Lévano Rodríguez, who has experience in research and development of technologies related to artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things; Godofredo Quea López; Benazir Francis Herrera Yucra; and David Mamani Pari. Each team member is part of the UPeU's School of Systems Engineering.

The device combines temperature sensors with artificial intelligence models. Unlike general forecasts, the system allows direct monitoring of conditions on agricultural plots and detection of environmental changes that could indicate an impending frost.

According to information provided by UPeU, the device can generate alerts up to 12 hours in advance. This timeframe allows farmers to assess risks and take steps to reduce the impact of low temperatures on crops.

Technology applied to a specific need

The system was tested in the town of Suches, in the Caracoto district of Juliaca, Puno, an area where agriculture is an important part of the family economy. During open-field tests, the device accurately predicted frost over a distance of 5 kilometers and maintained functionality in areas with limited connectivity, such as the Peruvian highlands.

The integration of artificial intelligence and sensors enables continuous environmental monitoring and provides real-time information on field conditions. The device doesn't replace the producer's decisions; rather, it provides additional information to enable more proactive action.

The device is currently being registered as a utility model with INDECOPI, the entity responsible for protecting intellectual rights in Peru.

Service-oriented research

This project is part of UPeU's applied research approach, which seeks to use knowledge and technological innovation to address specific societal needs. UPeU has research and technological development projects in areas integrating artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, and other emerging technologies.

For UPeU, this initiative reflects a service-oriented perspective linked to the care of creation and the well-being of communities. Thus, the university promotes scientific research as a tool for addressing everyday challenges and contributing to the sustainable development of populations.

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

Glen Samuels, president of the Jamaica Union Conference, delivered the closing charge on August 15, 2026, reminding delegates that their professions, businesses, influence, and opportunities are avenues through which God can reach people.

“Real church takes place after we’ve left the building called church,” Samuels said. “Real impact takes place when salt escapes the saltshaker.”

Drawing from Christ’s description of His followers as the salt of the earth, Samuels challenged ASI members to see themselves as stewards of purpose and opportunity, using whatever God has placed in their hands to serve others.

“You have been prepared to serve,” he said. “You have been prepared to preserve the world from moral decay and corruption.”

For Rohan Riley, president of ASI Inter-America, the challenge captured the intent behind this year’s convention theme.

“Our theme, ‘Living in Purpose,’ reminds us that God created each of us for a unique and eternal purpose,” Riley said. “We are not here merely to build successful businesses, pursue rewarding careers, or achieve personal ambitions. We are here because God has a divine assignment for every life.”

Sabbath worship reinforced that message as Roger Hernández, ministerial and evangelism director for the Southern Union Conference, drew from Jacob’s experience in Genesis 31 to address the challenges that can accompany growth and success.

Hernández urged delegates to remain grounded in God as they move into greater levels of responsibility, reminding business owners and professionals that their workplaces can become spaces of sacred influence.

Riley said members’ professions, businesses, talents, and influence are instruments God can use to advance His kingdom. “Whether in the marketplace, the classroom, the boardroom, the clinic, or our communities, we are called to be faithful stewards whose lives point others to Jesus Christ,” he said.

During a panel, ASI leaders reinforced that responsibility, calling for closer collaboration between lay professionals and church leadership, emphasizing that mission cannot be delegated solely to pastors.

“You can’t delegate the gospel. You can’t delegate the commission,” panelists said, noting that Adventist professionals often have access to people who may never enter a church or interact with a pastor.

For Riley, the convention’s impact will ultimately be measured by what happens after delegates return home.

“We came from different countries, different cultures and professions, but we live united in one conviction,” Riley said. “The true measure of this convention will not be what happens inside this hotel,” he added. “It will be what happens when we go home.”

ASI Inter-America currently comprises 53 chapters in 28 countries, including 13 active union chapters, and has supported 10 major mission projects. Recent initiatives have included evangelism, humanitarian assistance, leadership development, digital outreach, business networking, and community projects across the Inter-American Division.

The organization is structuring its work around four geographic regions—the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and Northern South America/North Hispanic Caribbean—to strengthen chapters and make resources more accessible. Riley announced that the 2027 ASI Inter-America Convention will be held in the English Caribbean Union territory.

During the convention, delegates voted in executive officers to serve ASI Inter-America for the next two years. Additional coordinators and executive committee members were also elected.

Teófilo Silvestre, president of the Dominican Union Conference, welcomed the involvement of lay professionals as another avenue for advancing mission. The union serves approximately 313,000 members in 1,712 churches and congregations and operates educational, healthcare, and media institutions across the country.

In Oaxaca, Mexico, Alma Cruz is already putting that approach into practice.

Cruz, a psychologist and ASI leader in the Oaxaca chapter, established Casa Bonita (Beautiful Home) two years ago after seeking ways to use her professional training beyond private practice.

The mental health and wellness center provides affordable—and, in some cases, free—services to approximately 20 to 30 patients each week, including couples, children, young people struggling with addiction, and other individuals and families. Cruz said she wanted the setting to feel less like a clinic and more like a home—a place where people could experience peace from the moment they entered.

The project grew from years of asking God how she could use her training in psychology and family therapy for a larger purpose.

“I said, ‘This is what I have, and with what I have I have to do the best I can,’” Cruz recalled. Over time, she said, Casa Bonita began taking shape beyond what she had initially imagined.

She is also involved with Familias en Crecimiento (Growing Families), a center-of-influence congregation in Oaxaca that connects with professionals and entrepreneurs through seminars, family programs, monthly gatherings, and spiritual ministry. Relationships developed through the initiative have already led some participants to baptism.

“I think now I clearly know what my purpose is,” Cruz said. She hopes the Casa Bonita model can eventually reach communities beyond Oaxaca.

Cruz’s work is part of a wider ASI presence across IOMU. Gustavo Román, ASI director for the union chapter, said each of its 11 conferences has an active ASI chapter, with about 225 members supporting mission and community projects throughout the territory.

That growth stands alongside established chapters such as Tobago, which has operated for more than 26 years and supported dozens of mission projects. Since 2014, the chapter has also supported its media ministry, ASIMEDIA, according to Damian Edwards, one of five team members attending the convention.

“What keeps me involved in ASI is the opportunity to network with others who share the same commitment to mission, to find strategic ways of winning souls, and to see the impact of the projects we support,” Edwards said.

For sisters Verna Clark and Doreph Clark of Limón, Costa Rica, that mission is woven into everyday life. They have not missed an ASI Inter-America convention since joining their local chapter eight years ago and regularly participate in visits to Indigenous communities to distribute food and other needed supplies.

D. Clark, who has operated a beauty salon for 40 years, uses her business as a personal mission field, praying with customers, sharing devotional thoughts, and inviting them to church activities.

“My salon gives me an opportunity to connect with people every day,” she said. “It is a way for me to share my faith through the work I do.”

For V. Clark, the annual gathering provides spiritual renewal and practical preparation.
“We come here to be revived spiritually and to gain better tools to reach the people around us with the message of salvation,” she said. “We’re already planning and saving for next year.”

This year’s special convention offering will benefit two mission projects. One is Adventist World Aviation, which has continued disaster-relief support in Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa in 2025 and established a permanent aviation presence on the island.

The offering will also support Construyendo Esperanza (Building Hope), a community outreach project led by the Alpha Adventist Church in Bonao, Dominican Republic. The project will address serious roof deterioration while creating a multipurpose community center, kitchen, and humanitarian-relief storage area.

Plans include healthy cooking and nutrition classes, health education, family and youth programs, and space to collect and store food, water, clothing, hygiene products, and other supplies for families affected by emergencies.

ASI Inter-America also honored three longtime supporters for their years of committed service to the organization: Carlos Brown of Panama, Margaret Daniel of the Inter-American Division, and Jean Holder of Guadeloupe.

Delegates were also briefed on OneVoice27, the Seventh-day Adventist Church’s global evangelistic initiative, and encouraged to explore how ASI chapters can intensify efforts to share Christ through members’ businesses, professions, and spheres of influence.

Throughout the convention, keynote presentations, seminars, chapter reports, networking sessions, panel discussions, and worship services explored leadership, business, health, digital evangelism, personal development, and practical ways for professionals to apply their skills to mission.

As delegates prepared to return home, Samuels brought the convention back to the image with which he had challenged them: salt must leave the shaker to make a difference.

For ASI members, Riley said, that is what “Living in Purpose” ultimately means—recognizing that success, talent, and influence are opportunities to point others to Christ.

The original article was published on the Inter-American Division news site.

Through presentations, workshops, and small-group discussions, union executive secretaries addressed governance, policy, membership management, records, strategic planning, parliamentary procedures, and other responsibilities, while sharing practical approaches they can apply across their territories.

Gerson Santos, associate secretary of the General Conference (GC), said Inter-America is the first world division to begin training under the newly launched GC Secretariat Academy.

“This is a historic event,” Santos said, explaining that the global program had been launched only days earlier. “Inter-America is beginning the first training of the Academy.”

Building competence for mission

Selom Sessou, associate secretary of the GC and coordinator of the GC Secretariat Academy, said the initiative addresses the need for specialized preparation among executive secretaries, many of whom enter the position after years in pastoral or evangelistic ministry.

“We realized that there is a gap,” Sessou said. The Secretariat Academy is designed to build the “knowledge and competency to perform the task with confidence and accuracy,” while strengthening efficiency, organization, time management, and problem-solving.

During the four-day Academy, participants received training on the role of the executive secretary, working policy, parliamentary procedures, strategic planning, calls and their processes, union reporting, secretariat evaluation, statistical data interpretation, records management, church planting, Adventist Volunteer Service, VividFaith, and software and resources for secretariat work at the local-field and local-church levels.

The Academy’s broader foundational curriculum includes seven modules and 34 lessons covering the spiritual foundations of secretariat, governance and committee management, policy and constitutional integrity, membership management and disciple-making, records and archives, and the mission of secretariat.

Sessou said the Secretariat Academy is intended to provide an ongoing learning environment where leaders can continue developing the competencies needed as administrative and ministry demands evolve.

An agent of mission

The spiritual responsibility of secretariat leadership was also emphasized throughout the gathering.

During a devotional message, Santos reminded participants that church leaders must remain committed to continual growth. “The leadership of God’s church is not a destination; it is a journey of continuous growth,” he said, emphasizing that preserving the church’s unity, integrity, and mission requires both professional development and a life grounded in Christ.

Pierre Caporal, secretary of the IAD, reinforced that perspective in his August 5 devotional, “More Than a Scribe.”

Drawing from the biblical relationship between Jeremiah and Baruch, Caporal described how Baruch’s professional skills became instrumental in preserving and communicating the message God had entrusted to Jeremiah. He challenged executive secretaries to see a similar connection between their responsibilities and their calling.

“One can see in you a simple scribe, or a simple executive secretary, but God sees in you an agent of mission,” Caporal said.

“Let us consecrate all our skills, our professionalism, our influence to God’s mission,” he added.

Caporal also stressed the shared responsibility of church administrators. “The president doesn’t have a different mission from the mission received by the secretary and vice versa,” he said. “The executive secretary receives the same mission.”

Taking the strategy across Inter-America

The Secretariat Academy provides a way to translate that mission focus into stronger secretariat practices throughout the territory, said Álvaro Niño, undersecretary of the IAD.

“The General Conference Secretariat presented its strategic plan, and what we are doing is following through,” Niño said. The IAD is taking the strategy to its unions so they, in turn, can carry it to local fields, with an emphasis on leaders who are grounded in Scripture, focused on mission, and equipped to fulfill their responsibilities effectively.

Niño said organizers intentionally moved beyond a traditional lecture format. Participants worked in small groups that paired experienced secretaries with those newer to the position, allowing them to discuss actual situations, ask questions, and share solutions.

“We wanted the executive secretaries themselves to participate in the process,” Niño said. “We didn’t want it to be only a class; we wanted workshops.”

The approach is particularly relevant as leadership transitions bring new executive secretaries into office. In one union alone, Niño said, nine of 11 local-field executive secretaries recently changed, underscoring the need for structured orientation and professional development.

“One of the reasons for the Secretariat Academy is to have a continuous training program,” Niño said.

To sustain that effort, the IAD plans to host regular follow-up sessions, ideally monthly, and hopes to hold the annual in-person Secretariat Academies. Union executive secretaries are also expected to extend the training to local fields and, ultimately, local church clerks, where much of the denomination’s membership information originates.

Seeing people, not numbers

For Niño, accurate information ultimately must lead to better care for members. Behind church statistics, “there is a face, there is a story, there is a person,” he said. Membership data can help leaders strengthen pastoral care, improve retention, reconnect with those who have left, and disciple active members for service.

Daniel Polanco, secretary of the Dominican Union Conference, offered one example through the union’s redemptive membership review process.

“We have seen in the Dominican Union [a move] from a technical office, an administrative office focused on cleaning lists, crossing out names, to seeing people instead of numbers,” Polanco said. He described secretariat as “an agency of mission” that can foster care, restoration, and reconnection.

Through the Grupo Especial de Revisión (Special Revision Group), or GER, congregations identify members who may be inactive, difficult to locate, or in need of pastoral attention and organize efforts to reconnect with them.

“The GER is not a tribunal that judges,” Polanco said. “It is a team that cares.”

As the executive secretaries return to their unions, the work began at the Academy is expected to continue through local fields and congregations, supported by regular training and follow-up. For Niño, stronger secretariat practices should ultimately translate into better information, more intentional member care, and greater support for the church’s mission.

“Intentionality is what makes the difference,” Niño said.

The original article was published on the Inter-American Division news site.

Their experience reflects the commitment behind a Master’s degree in Family Counseling offered in Cuba by Montemorelos University (UM) in partnership with the Cuba Adventist Theological Seminary (SETAC). Although the program was designed primarily for pastors, professionals in education and psychology are also welcome. The second cohort is nearing completion.

Nine students who began the program in 2023 are completing their final in-person courses this summer. They must then complete a scientific article and submit it to an indexed journal as part of their degree requirements. Graduation is expected in May 2027.

“Few people come to us with doctrinal or theological questions; most are looking for help with problems between parents and children, marriages, and other family situations,” Moya said. Those realities of pastoral ministry, he added, motivated him to pursue further training despite financial and transportation challenges.

Training amid technological challenges

Each summer, UM professors travel to Cuba for four to six weeks of intensive instruction, rotating through courses that generally last one to one-and-a-half weeks.

Lucio Olmedo, Ph.D., graduate studies coordinator for UM’s School of Psychology, said the in-person model is largely necessary because of limitations in internet connectivity and electricity. Although the seminary has solar panels and an internet antenna, the infrastructure is sufficient mainly for registration, submitting assignments, and other basic academic tasks, but not for sustained videoconference classes.

The curriculum includes psychological foundations of emergencies, crisis care, sexuality across the life cycle, domestic violence, crisis intervention, and research.

For Oses, the training has already changed how he approaches pastoral ministry.

“The program has allowed me to rethink my own worldview and, at the same time, help transform the perspective of many of the congregations I serve as a pastor,” Oses said.

He added that the course on domestic violence showed him the importance of addressing the issue more intentionally with churches and families. Crisis intervention training has also helped him accompany people through difficult situations with greater sensitivity and a more strategic approach.

Adapting training to Cuba

Teaching in Cuba has also challenged UM professors to adapt classroom examples and methods to the realities students encounter in their communities.

“The effort to communicate the concepts of each course while respecting the culture of the place where we are teaching is extremely valuable,” said Marcelo Moroni, Ph.D., director of UM’s School of Psychology.

For mental health professionals, Moroni added, recognizing how family circumstances and mental health challenges differ from one region to another enriches their professional practice.

The goal, he said, extends beyond earning a degree.

“Helping prepare professionals who will respond to the needs of the church and the community is a fundamental part of our missionary commitment,” Moroni said.

Support beyond academics

During their visits to Cuba, UM professors bring clothing, medications, personal hygiene items, and, when possible, nonperishable food to assist students, families, and others connected with the seminary community.

“The solidarity of the professors has also been evident during the difficult circumstances our country is experiencing,” Oses said. “That gesture demonstrates their commitment to us not only as students, but also as people.”

Moya said the country’s economic conditions would have made it difficult for him to access a similar graduate program without the university’s support.

“We value the university’s commitment to our group and its interest in supporting our education,” he said.

Looking Ahead

The partnership between UM and SETAC has produced two cohorts. The first began before the COVID-19 pandemic and, following disruptions caused by the health emergency, concluded in 2023 with three graduates.

The second began with approximately 17 students and now has nine completing the program. Emigration has been among the factors affecting student retention.

As UM, SETAC, and Adventist Church leaders in Cuba consider opening a third cohort, current students are focused on completing their remaining requirements.

For Moya, the years of study and long journeys ultimately come back to service.

“We hope all this effort will bear fruit,” he said, “and above all, that we can serve God wherever He calls us.”

The original article was published on the Montemorelos University’s news site.

Areas around Timure and Syabrubesi suffered some of the heaviest damage. Floodwaters swept through homes and settlements, damaging hydropower facilities, roads, and bridges. According to Nepalese authorities, the disaster damaged 19 vehicle bridges and approximately 40 kilometers (24.9 miles) of roadway.

The Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force have deployed rescue teams to the affected areas and are continuing search-and-rescue operations. Damaged roads and bridges and disruptions to communication networks have complicated efforts to reach some communities. Hundreds of people, including tourists, hydropower workers, and security personnel, remain missing or out of contact.

Experts are investigating the cause of the flash flood. Some experts say a large ice or glacier collapse in the Tibetan region blocked a river and created a temporary lake that later burst, sending a sudden surge of water downstream. Others have raised the possibility that an earthquake recorded shortly before the flood may have contributed to the collapse, although authorities have not established a direct connection.

At present, no deaths or injuries involving Seventh-day Adventist Church members in Nepal have been reported. However, search-and-rescue operations remain underway, and church leaders are continuing to monitor the situation.

The Northern Asia-Pacific Division has requested prayer for those who have lost family members and homes, the safe recovery of those still missing, and rescue and relief personnel. Additionally, the division has requested prayers for Seventh-day Adventist churches and members as they remain safe and seek opportunities to provide comfort and support to affected communities.

ANN will report further information as it becomes available.

The original article was published on the Northern Asia-Pacific Division news site.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Adventist Church in the ECD territory focused on physical evangelism. When the pandemic shut down the world, those face-to-face connections moved online. Years later, people continue to spend more and more time in the digital world.

Moses Maka, secretary for ECD and speaker at the summit, offered a simple description of how ministry is evolving: “The fishing point has changed.” This reflected the opening message by Yohannes Olana on the 19th.

Maka challenged content creators to recognize the internet as a mission field filled with people searching for hope, meaning, answers, and connection. The challenge, he said, is not simply to put Christian content online, but to intentionally meet people there and lead them toward Christ.

The stories that emerged from the ECD Content Creators and Influencers Summit show how the shift has already begun.

For Steve Biko, it began with Sabbath worship.

Biko recalled how the pandemic forced his church to rethink the way it served its members. When churches could no longer gather in person, he, along with church leaders, developed an online Sabbath service to keep the congregation connected from home. Although the initial concept was meant for members, the broadcast soon reached further into the community.

The quality and consistency of the online service caught the attention of the Kenya Broadcasting Corporation, which began streaming the church's service and broadcasting it through its national platform.

What had begun as an effort to serve one congregation suddenly became an opportunity to reach a much wider audience.

For Biko, the experience became more than a COVID-era solution. It demonstrated what happens when the Church uses available technology to meet people where they are.

The pandemic created a similar turning point for digital evangelist Esther Namatovu.

While quarantined at home, Namatovu began exploring online platforms to share the gospel. She developed multiple digital ministry platforms, including Advent Discoveries and Salvation by Faith.

The journey was not without setbacks. One of the platforms Namatovu built, Advent Discoveries, grew to about 800,000 followers before she lost access to the account. The experience reshaped her understanding of digital ministry.

Numbers, she realized, could measure reach, but they could not measure faithfulness. For Namatovu, the real ministry begins after someone stops scrolling. She likened the comment section to a dining table: just as Jesus sat and ate with people, digital ministry requires creators to stay, listen, engage, and build relationships.

Namatovu proposed that a single comment can open a conversation, and a private message can become an opportunity for prayer, Bible study, and discipleship. “Don’t just post and go away,” became part of her philosophy. Her inbox is not merely a place for messages, she said; it can become a place for discipleship.

Namatovu's experience also taught her the importance of building ministry with others. Digital evangelists, she noted, should not try to carry the work alone but bring fellow missionaries into the journey. In a space where consistency can easily become pressure and numbers can become an obsession, Namatovu's measure of success is simpler: faithfulness to God.

Adventist pastor Joshua Mbithi King’oo experienced that transition firsthand.

King’oo, a student at the University of Eastern Africa, Baraton, began streaming worship services on Facebook from home during the pandemic. His initial goal was simple: to help people worship when they could no longer gather physically.

The public response led to the creation of Light FM Kenya, an online radio ministry. What began during a season of isolation evolved into a digital platform comprising a website, mobile application, and an expanding online community.

King’oo philosophy is captured in a simple conviction, “We are called not for likes, but for lives.”

His ministry does not end where the screen does. Since 2023, King’oo and his team have continued engaging in physical evangelism through Bible studies, door-to-door outreach, street ministry, and evangelistic work in Nakuru, Kenya, and beyond.

For King’oo, the digital and physical mission approaches do not compete, but rather complement each other.

The Church in ECD did not stop at learning to broadcast during a crisis. Individuals discovered how to build a ministry for an increasingly online world. That lesson now finds expression in OneVoice27.

As the Content Creators and Influencers Summit closed, delegates were given a statement of commitment and a charge to carry the gospel beyond the summit, into their platforms, networks, communities, and everyday digital spaces.

This article was provided by the East-Central Africa Division.

Hargy, who earned a bachelor’s degree in biophysics from Southern, will pursue a research project titled “Fasting and Refeeding in Human Intestinal Stem Cell Regeneration and Cancer Risk” at Ege University in İzmir, Turkey.

Fulbright awards are competitively granted on the basis of merit to students and scholars who participate in academic and cultural exchange between the United States and other countries. The Fulbright Program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, is the nation’s flagship international academic exchange program.

“I’m blessed that these two opportunities have integrated so well—my Fulbright research in İzmir is an extension of the work I began last summer at MIT [Massachusetts Institute of Technology], which is the same lab I plan to return to after my Fulbright year,” Hargy said. “I’m excited to do research in Turkey, and this experience will provide a strong foundation for my doctoral work.”

At Southern, Hargy served as Student Association (SA) president and was active in the Society of Physics Students. He credits his professors and mentors with helping prepare him for advanced research.

“Southern taught me to aim high in my professional work and to always stay grounded in my faith,” Hargy said. “Serving as SA president reframed how I view leadership as less about being in charge and more about serving, listening, and investing in others.”

Following his Fulbright year, Hargy plans to pursue a doctorate in biology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also received a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to support his doctoral studies.

The original article was published on the Southern Adventist University news site.

A preliminary assessment by the Southwest Colombian Mission identified damage to 23 Adventist churches and reported 382 church members whose homes were destroyed or partially damaged.

The response has included search-and-rescue support, damage assessments, emergency assistance, food distribution, and efforts to identify the needs of affected families throughout Chocó, one of the areas impacted by the earthquake.

Rescue team deploys to Quibdó

Responding to a request from Chocó, Colombia, authorities for emergency assistance, a six-member team from the Adventist rescue organization GARSA Medellín traveled from Antioquia on August 10, arriving in Quibdó at approximately 2am the following day. The team brought search-and-rescue capabilities, an ambulance, and prehospital emergency support.

Working alongside local authorities and risk-management officials, the rescuers supported emergency operations and assessed damaged structures to help determine whether affected homes could be safely occupied.

“Fortunately, by God’s mercy, there have been few fatalities and few people reported missing,” said José Sepúlveda, coordinator of GARSA. “What we have found are many damaged homes that will no longer be safe to inhabit.”

The team remained in the area until the requested search and assessment operations were completed.

Hundreds of Adventists affected

District pastors’ reports compiled by the Southwest Colombian Mission identified damage to 23 Adventist churches across Chocó. Thirty-nine homes belonging to 142 church members were destroyed, while another 240 members reported partial damage, bringing the number of affected members to 382.

Some of the largest concentrations of reported damage were in the Central Chocó, Southeast Quibdó, Quibdó Horeb, and San Juan Baudó districts. Communication difficulties in some areas complicated efforts to gather information, church leaders reported.

Beyond documenting structural losses, the assessment helped identify families in need of immediate assistance and those unable to return to their homes due to unsafe conditions.

ADRA mobilizes assistance

ADRA Colombia activated its emergency response on the morning of August 10 and began seeking additional resources to assist affected communities.

The North Colombian Union Conference contributed funds to ADRA Colombia to strengthen the response, while the agency established collection centers in Pereira, Manizales, Medellín, Bogotá, and Cali. Donations focused primarily on hygiene kits and bedding.

Based on assessments conducted during the initial phase of the emergency, ADRA Colombia projected that approximately 670 families would receive assistance.

The humanitarian effort expanded on August 19 when more than 800 food packages were distributed to affected families in Quibdó through a joint effort by the North Colombian Union Conference, Southwest Colombian Mission, ADRA Colombia, Adventist church members from Medellín, and other entities across the union territory. Combined with 400 packages provided by other donors in the preceding days, more than 1,200 food packages have been distributed.

Representatives of the North Colombian Union Conference and Southwestern Colombian Mission joined Jair Flórez, director of ADRA Colombia, and other volunteers and church members during the distribution.

The food assistance addressed one of the most immediate needs identified among affected families while continuing a response that began with emergency operations and damage assessments.

Serving beyond the immediate response

Joel Jaimes, president of the Southwest Columbia Conference, said the coordinated effort reflects the church’s commitment to accompany families beyond the initial emergency as they begin recovering from the earthquake. He encouraged members to continue praying for affected families throughout Chocó, particularly those who have lost their homes or remain unable to return to them.

The response, he said, puts into practice Jesus’ words in Matthew 25:40— “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me”—by turning Christian compassion into tangible support and hope for people facing difficult circumstances.

The original article was published on the Inter-American Division news site.

Thirty AdventHealth hospitals in Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, and North Carolina earned a total of 180 “High Performing” ratings across specialty care, procedures, and conditions, including heart care, cancer surgery, joint replacement, stroke, and pneumonia. Together, the ratings reflect the breadth of advanced care available to patients across AdventHealth.

U.S. News & World Report evaluated nearly 4,500 hospitals across 14 adult specialties and 23 procedures and conditions using a detailed methodology. Only 16 per cent of evaluated hospitals earned a Best Hospitals designation, including 10 AdventHealth hospitals named Best Regional Hospitals, a designation based on performance across multiple types of care patients seek most often.

For patients in Central Florida, the results reflect access to nationally recognized specialty care without leaving their community. AdventHealth Orlando was ranked the Number One hospital in the Orlando metro area and Number Two in Florida, with recognition in six adult specialties at the national, state, and metro levels and 24 High Performing ratings.

AdventHealth Orlando placed among the nation’s top 50 for cardiology, heart, and vascular surgery; diabetes and endocrinology; gastroenterology and GI surgery; and obstetrics and gynecology. It also earned state and metro specialty rankings for cancer care and rehabilitation.

People in Volusia and Flagler counties in Florida also have nationally recognized care nearby, with AdventHealth Daytona Beach ranking number 1 in the Deltona-Daytona Beach metro area and Number 11 in Florida. Its rehabilitation program ranked Number One in the metro area and Number Four statewide.

Eight AdventHealth hospitals earned Best Regional Hospital recognition in Florida, including three in the Tampa Bay area.

The results also demonstrate the reach of AdventHealth’s advanced care across communities in multiple states, with AdventHealth Shawnee Mission ranking Number Two in Kansas, and AdventHealth Redmond ranking Number 13 in Georgia.

“These recognitions reflect the incredible skill and commitment that our team members bring to patients every day,” said Michael Cacciatore, MD, chief clinical officer for AdventHealth. “For patients and families, that means having access to advanced medicine and whole-person care, close to the people and places that matter to them.”

U.S. News & World Report offers patients a resource for deciding where to seek care by evaluating hospitals in complex specialty care and commonly needed procedures and conditions.

For AdventHealth, the recognitions reflect a broader commitment to make care easier to access, understand, and navigate—because caring for people comes first. By connecting clinical expertise with coordinated, consumer-centered support, AdventHealth aims to be a trusted health partner at every stage of people’s lives and health.

“Strong care outcomes matter because of what they make possible for people,” Dr. Cacciatore said. “We approach clinical excellence as a key part of whole-person health that addresses the body, mind, and spirit. That is how we help people move forward with greater health and hope so they can live their life to the fullest.”

The original article was published on the AdventHealth news site.

Across 15 sessions, attendees discovered how creativity can bring new life to almost every area of ministry—from discipleship, children’s ministry, and worship environments to songwriting, live painting, podcasting, videography, content creation, and social media.

The program featured keynote speaker Nick Kross, South Pacific Division Public Affairs and Religious Liberty director. In addition, other creative ministry leaders also shared presentations on other areas like social media, song writing, and videography.

“Together, these gifted ministry leaders demonstrated that creativity is not simply reserved for artists, musicians, or media professionals; it belongs in every part of the church and can become a powerful doorway through which people encounter Jesus,” said Creative Conference organizer Charmaine Patel.

“Through compelling stories, practical insights and heartfelt presentations, attendees were challenged to listen more closely to the Holy Spirit, step boldly into their calling and use their gifts with courage, purpose and faith.”

Patel said the Creative Conference was more than an event: “It was a call to awaken the gifts God has placed within His people. It invited the church to dream bigger, embrace new possibilities, and communicate eternal truth with fresh vision."

“The church does not need creativity for creativity’s sake. It needs creativity surrendered to God—creativity that reveals Jesus, reaches hearts, and builds a vibrant, Spirit-led, and mission-focused church," she said.

The original article was published on the South Pacific Division news site, Adventist Record.

Plastic litter is one of the most pressing environmental threats facing Kiribati. The nation generates roughly 9.7 tonnes (10.7 tons) of plastic waste daily, much of which ends up littering beaches and entering the marine environment.

The initiative brought together local Adventist churches for a clean-up along the Dai Nippon Causeway, where participants often gather for the Walk4Life program—a Trans Pacific Union Mission health and wellness initiative to combat high rates of chronic diseases across Pacific nations through physical activity.

Plastic bottles, food packaging, broken glass, and even marine debris were some of the discarded items scattered along the beach before volunteers began the clean-up.

The initiative was conducted in partnership with Kiribati’s Ministry of Women, Youth, and Social Affairs. Minister Ruth Cross Kwansing sponsored the activity by donating $A1 (US$0.71) for every bag of garbage collected. Funds raised through the clean-up were distributed to participating local churches according to the number of bags they collected and will support local Kiribati for Christ programs.

“We appreciate the government and the minister who is looking after church ministry,” said Kiribati Mission President Taabua Rokeatau. 

“Rubbish all around the country is currently an issue in Kiribati. I am very happy that we, as Seventh-day Adventists, are recognized as one of the organizations actively helping the government with this,” he said.

Among those taking part was Betio Seventh-day Adventist Church member Tairati Toakarawa, who is blind. With guidance from other church members, he contributed to the clean-up, saying serving the community reflected Christ’s example.

“We copy the work of Jesus when He was on Earth. He helped people and showed that He was there to help them,” said Toakarawa.

The original article was published on the South Pacific Division news site, Adventist Record.