March 12, 2009 – San Juan, Puerto Rico…[Libna Stevens/IAD]
Committed to making a positive difference, thousands of Seventh-day Adventists in Puerto Rico skipped church service last sabbath, Mar. 7, to distribute messages of hope in their communities, which are plagued with increasing violence.
Church members passed out a free 16-page magazine entitled “A Look at the Puerto Rican Family.” The massive distribution effort is the second island-wide activity of its kind for the church. Early last year some 250,000 magazines were distributed.
“It has been a tremendous activity again this year,” said Pastor Freddy Sosa, communication director for the church in Puerto Rico. “This year’s magazine was a continuation of last year’s project which launched a preventive campaign in favor of the family offering necessary guidance to parents in their daily life at home.”
According to Sosa, some 350,000 magazines were distributed house-to-house and throughout businesses in one single day. At a cost of more than $106,000 for the printing and radio and television promotion of the activity, church leaders believe that it is was worthwhile investment to improving the ailing youth society today.
The magazine had a special focus on children, offering articles on helping children in their moral and spiritual life, effects of dropping out of school, educating children with disabilities, obesity, communicating with children, among others.
During a press conference held days before the activity, Puerto Rico’s Adventist Church President Jose A. Rodriguez said that the purpose of the publication was to guide and educate families on the island.
“We are aware of the problems which parents and children face today and we are accepting the challenge to continue promoting the integral education so that our society can have the useful tools to make the correct decisions,” said Pastor Rodriguez.
This effort is one of many begun last year to focus on the need for a violence-free lifestyle among families and children which the church began last year and give a larger visibility for the church, said Sosa.
Just last month, the church begun a series of 60-second daily television messages on Puerto Rico’s largest television station WAPA during morning prime time every weekday, said Sosa. Soon after, Puerto Rico’s Univision television station began broadcasting the same 60-second reflection message during their prime time morning program.
The segments range in topics from hate, suicide, and crime to how following Christ can lead to happiness.
“We are so excited because we have received such positive feedback from viewers and dozens of calls have come into our union office from people in need of counseling, help and guidance,” he said.
The segments are planned to continue throughout the year. They're part of a larger project the Adventist Church in Puerto Rico has in providing solutions to the social problems on the island. For now, Sosa said the church has not planned on distributing the magazine next year but other initiatives and community activities will continue.
There are more than 36,000 Seventh-day Adventists in Puerto Rico worshiping in 330 churches and congregations. Made up of regional territories, the church operates two radio stations, 20 elementary and secondary schools, as well as a university on the island.
