March 30, 2012 – Villa Clara, Cuba…Libna Stevens/IAD
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Cuba held its first-ever children’s ministries director’s convention earlier this month.
More than 200 leaders and pastors gathered in Villa Clara, Cuba to network and enrich their shared experience of working with the children of the church.
“This event has been like a dream come true,” said Maria del Carmen Abreu, children’s ministries director for the church in Cuba. “Our goal is to continue impacting the lives of our children here in Cuba, where we can carry on teaching the Christian values which have been cherished in the decades past.”
Dinorah Rivera, children’s ministries director for the church in Inter-America, gave a series of seminars to the dozens of teachers who were eager to learn better ways of reaching children with the available resources and materials the church has to offer.
Rivera challenged them to feed themselves spiritually so they can continue being true disciples of Jesus. “It is the only way you can teach and discipleship children,” she said. “Children learn what they see, and it doesn’t matter what we say, what we do will remain instilled in their minds and hearts.”
Leaders were also challenged to continue investing more time in children, to learn how to be better teachers and help in educating parents in the ways of God with patience, love and care.
The church continues to be challenged in Cuba, said Rivera. “There is a grave need of materials,” she said, “and our teachers sacrifice what little they have to instill Christian values in children across churches on the island.”
