July 25, 2007 – La Sierra, Medellin, Colombia…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
After an hour-long bus ride and 288 grueling steps, a group of Adventist youth were able to bring smiles to the faces of the children in La Sierra, the poorest sector in the city of Medellin, Colombia. The activity was one of many going on as part of Inter-America's Youth Leadership and Prayer Convention which ends Saturday, July 28.
The young people, who comprise the youth delegation from North Mexico, traveled to La Sierra to pray with and sing to approximately 150 children in the community. Then they passed out toys to each child.
“It was such a beautiful experience,” says Esmeralda Montes, a third year elementary education student from Montemorelos University. “It confirms the love of my career and I am thankful for everything that God has given me because it is through this simple act you realize how blessed you really are and in turn commits you to share the gospel.”
That commitment was shared by many of her peers who skipped the convention’s afternoon seminars to spread joy and love to the needy children in the sector, situated on the eastern face of La Sierra Mountain.
Service projects like these are not new for young people in North Mexico, according to Guillermo Mendez, district pastor from northwest Mexico who accompanied the youth on the trip.
Pastor Mendez says that this type of service project is an activity “our pathfinders, master guides, and young people are involved every year and in some areas once a month.” Pastor Mendez, who pastors three churches, said that this service has helped them enter many areas where there was no Adventist presence.
“The young people bought the gifts themselves before they arrived in Medellin,” says Pastor Mendez.
“This activity in La Sierra today is serving to launch a project I’ve had in mind for some time,” said Pastor Walter Ramos, who pastors the 600-member Central Seventh-day Adventist Church in Medellin, and who is also in charge of La Sierra.
Ramos, who was contacted by the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Colombia in charge of coordinating service projects during the youth convention, says that after today’s project, plans to establish a permanent church in La Sierra may be accelerated.
“Our plans are to reserve a home in the community and use the help of a newly baptized member in La Sierra community to gather the children every Sabbath for Sabbath school activities, lunch and craft activities,” says Pastor Ramos.
Adventist young people will continue with community service projects in Medellin throughout the week.
For more on Inter-America’s youth convention, go to www.interamerica.org
