August 20, 2009 –
Hundreds gathered at Inter-America's 10th Adventist-laypersons Services and Industries (ASI) Convention which began last night at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael, Barbados-a territory in the Caribbean Union Conference.
The feature address was delivered by Senator Irene Sandiford-Garner, a minister of State in the office of the Prime Minister of Barbados, who represented the Hon. David Thomson, Prime Minister of Barbados. In her address she commended the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the East Caribbean Conference for sustainable development of the people of Barbados and Dominica-the territories that comprise the Conference.
Senator Sandiford-Garner emphasized that we are in a global recession that is now negatively impacting small states. “The Barbados economy has shrunken by three percent and unemployment has risen by ten percent,” said the Senator. She added that “we need to lead our citizens from a culture of consumption to one of income generation. But such a shift will not come quickly…We need institutions to help create that shift.”
She appealed to ASI to “help move the nation into a new economy.” She posited that ASI has the right structure, strategy, pragmatism, and mission focus to provide a model for Barbados: A model to show people how to start their own businesses.
The Senator also highlighted the work of the Adventist Church in areas of education, health care, community welfare, and literature distribution. She noted also that the Church provides a range of services for its members: “Your holistic approach to the wellbeing of your members and the wider community set you apart as a caring organization,” said the Senator.
She briefly recounted the history of ASI, tracing it back to Madison College, an Adventist self-supporting institution established in 1904 near Nashville, Tennessee. “I am intrigued by ASI throughout the world,” said Mrs. Sandiford-Gardner. She observed that though the professions represented in ASI do vary, “they use their resources and influence to spread the gospel, no less than is expected of ministers.” She added that “when men of business, farmers, lawyers . . . become members of your church they also become servants of Christ … sharing Christ in the Market Place.”
In his response to the address by Senator Sandiford-Gardner, Pastor Leon B. Wellington, secretary of ASI Inter-American Division and a vice-president for the church in Inter-America, pledged on behalf of ASI Inter-American to “extend our hand to help in building Barbados and the wider Caribbean region.”
Also in attendance at the opening ceremony were Juan Pablo Rosa, president of ASI-IAD, Pastor Theodore Jaria, secretary of ASI Caribbean Union, Mr. Victor Johnson, president of ASI Barbados Chapter, and administrators of the East Caribbean Conference.
The opening ceremony also included a parade of nations, a cultural presentation and keynote address by Pastor Dr. Clem A. Murray, program producer at 3ABN.
The convention ends on Saturday, Aug. 22, 2009, with a national convention of Adventist Churches at the Sir Garfield Sobers Sports Complex. The lectures and expo commence on Aug. 20, at the Barbados Beach Resort.
