San Jose, Costa Rica…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
More that 1,000 Seventh-day Adventists took to the streets of San Jose, Costa Rica, to spread literature and encourage young people to take a stand against drug use. The march brought pathfinders, master guides, and Seventh-day Adventists from schools and churches in south central Costa Rica for the September 24 event.
“Toward a New Life, Youth Without Drugs,” was the theme of the day's march, the first of its kind in decades, says Alberto Yax, communication director for the church in the South Central region.
“The main purpose of this march was to make the mission of the Seventh-day Adventist Church better known, and a call to young people to say NO to drugs,” he added.
Wearing their uniforms and holding signs that read “Drugs are not the solution…love your life”, participants shared messages of encouragement with hundreds of onlookers as they shook the streets of the capital city of San Jose from the Central Park to La Democracia Park, some eight blocks away.
As the hundreds of marchers gathered at the La Democracia Park afterwards, government representatives were present to offer congratulations to the Seventh-day Adventist Church for its efforts in spreading positive messages to the young people of today, according to Yax.
Church leaders also participated in the march.
The event was broadcast live on the church's radio station “Radio Lira” as onlookers were interviewed and flyers and missionary magazines were distributed to all in attendance.
Nestled between two Central American countries, Costa Rica has more than 54,000 Seventh-day Adventists worshiping in 155 churches.
