March 30, 2008 – Miami, Florida…[IAD Staff]
A group of Adventist church leaders and educators from Inter-America took a special tour of the Holy Land earlier this month. The more than 100 regional education directors, university president and educators visited the pyramids of Cairo, Egypt, Mount Sinai, Jerusalem, and Canaan, among others. It was the first such tour organized by the church’s Office of Education in Inter-America.
The trip was designed to enrich educators’ knowledge of biblical history and reaffirm our beliefs, said Dr. Moises Velazquez, director of the Office of Education for the church in Inter-America and organizer of the tour.
“Our educational system, as part of its teachings, provides information on the development and historical background of our church and our Christian beliefs,” commented Velazquez. “This trip was called the evidence tour of what is taught in religion and theology classes in our institutions,” he added.
“What really impressed me the most was the climb to Mount Sinai,” said Benjamin Lazaro of Montemorelos University, in Mexico. “Climbing up to it was a challenge, but being there was worth it,” he added. The nearly-two mile climb took place at sunrise one morning, much like the climb the Prophet Moses took as he received the 10 commandments from God
“This trip helped us to have a better idea of the location of places where Bible stories took place,” said Gabriel Camacho, president of the Adventist university in Navojoa, Mexico.
Raul Lozano, education director for the church in South Mexico, said the trip made him realize the importance of missionary offerings.
“The trip also gave us a clearer determination to support the region with missionary offerings,” he said. “I was moved when I heard the president of the church mission in Egypt explain the challenges they face to communicate the gospel in the midst of a Muslim country.”
“We walked where He [Jesus] walked, we touched the things He touched, we saw things He probably saw. I leave with a better perspective of what it was like then. I know Adventist education has a different vision,” said Lozano.
