Adventist youth mobilize to spread joy and hope in Mexico City

Kevin De La Fuente (center) of the Narvarte Adventist Church shakes hands with a man after befriending him at the park during the youth event in Mexico City, on Oct. 10, 2015. Nearly 200 Adventist youth took to the streets to spread cheer and hope. Image by Alma Oliva/IAD

October 29, 2015 | Mexico City, Mexico | IAD Staff

A group of Seventh-day Adventists in Mexico City rallied together recently in streets, parks and hospitals to bring joy and offer hope.

“Our city is in need of the healing love of Jesus Christ,” said Joel Omaña, youth leader at the Narvarte Adventist Church and organizer of the event.

Young people gather around those in need of prayer in Mexico City. Image by Narvarte Adventist Church

“Today nearly 10,000 people were impacted with the message of love in Mexico City by an army of young people filled with the Holy Spirit,” said Omaña of the Oct. 10 event.

The group of nearly 200 from the Narvarte, Coyoacán, and Central Adventist Churches in the city divided into 17 groups. Each group moved through the different stations to make cards, and paper origami toys for sick children in two nearby hospitals. Family members waiting to see their ill children outside the general hospital were also prayed for and fed in another station.

Dozens headed to the Chapultepec national park where kiosks awaited for onlookers. They were taught about the eight natural remedies under the church’s “I Want To Live Healthy” initiative.

Church members take the time to make cards and origami paper toys for sick children at the nearby pediatric hospital. Image by Dania Aragon/IAD

In another station, young people distributed hundreds of copies of the “Steps to Christ” through the streets of the city and walked the busiest streets in the historic section to perform stories of the Bible through drama presentations.

According to Omaña, young people also took the time to talk and listen to people and share hope in Jesus.

In addition, a couch was set out in the middle of a park so that onlookers could visit and learn about the Sabbath and its benefits much like the Sabbath Sofa initiative began by young Adventists in England a few years ago.

Jose Fernando Montemayor, a member of the Coyoacan Adventist Church, said he enjoyed being part of the outreach initiative. “I enjoy these activities so much more because if you would ask me to go preach or visit someone on a Sabbath afternoon, perhaps I wouldn’t do it , but here, we are together in groups brightening up someone’s day,” he said.

Dania Aragon of Narvarte Adventist Church, was part of the organizing group guiding the youth in the card-making station for children in the nearby pediatric hospital. She loved the opportunity to bring cheer to sick children.

Young people hold a banner at a traffic light which reads “This is how love overcame” making reference to John 3:16.

“We could not enter the hospital because the children are very ill. Only one family member is allowed at a time. Families travel from far away and they stay outside so they eat and even sleep there until their children are released,” said Aragon. “We provided meals to all the waiting families and prayed for their children.”

At the end of the initiative, young people returned to the Narvarte Church to share their outreach experience across the city.

It does not take much but the love for Jesus, a joyful spirit and a young people on fire for Jesus to be part of this activity, said Omaña.

“We are all called to preach the gospel today and we hope that the wave of influence can reach other churches so that we can share hope and finish the preaching of the gospel,” Omaña added.

Organizers are already making plans for another city impact next year.