In the Dominican Republic, Adventists continue sharing hope during national outreach campaign

Pastor Cesario Acevedo, president of the church in the Dominican Republic, distributes backpacks with church leaders during the citywide visit in Juan Pablo Duarte in Azua in southern Dominican Republic, on Oct. 22, 2016. Image by ADRA Dominican Republic.

October 31, 2016 | Azua, Dominican Republic | IAD Staff

Hundreds of people gathered for the special program put on by the church at the Juan Pablo Duarte Park. Image by Dominican Union.

Seventh-day Adventists in the Dominican Republic shared messages of hope with hundreds of people in the city of Azua in the southern part of the island during a citywide impact on Oct. 22, 2016. Church leaders and members provided music and drama performances on Bible prophecy and distributed magazines at the Juan Pablo Duarte Park.

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in the Dominican Republic distributed dozens of backpacks filled with school supplies to needy children of the city in coordination with the Hispanic Association for Citizenship Development in the Dominican Republic.

The initiative is part of a national campaign by the Adventist Church to share hope in cities and communities that are affected by the escalating violence affecting the island and around the world.

“You see the wars affecting us daily and how the condition of this world is deteriorating,” said Pastor Cesario Acevedo, president of the church in the Dominican Republic, as he reflected on the Book of Daniel 2. “You can find the greatest hope in Christ Jesus, who can bring peace and justice, and help you in all the problems we have every day.”

The national hope campaign began earlier this year, said Acevedo and so far three cities in the southern part of the island including Azua, San Juan and Barahona. “We are taking this to our national district in Santo Domingo to cover all 32 provinces on the island,” he added.

Each child received a backpack full of school supplies. Image by ADRA Dominican Republic

Adventist education and local Adventist school leaders also took part in the day’s event as well as the church’s main Adventist radio station Radio Amanecer.

Pastor Acevedo said the focus next year will continue with the beasts of Daniel 7 in across as many cities as they can visit every month of the year.

“We have a responsibility to proclaim the soon coming of Jesus and prepare disciples for the Kingdom in every city, in every community here in the Dominican Republic,” said Pastor Cesario. “People urgently need this hope of salvation.”

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Dominican Republic has more than 286,500 members worshiping in 1,291 churches and congregations. The church operates a hospital, a university, a radio station and dozens of secondary and primary schools.

To learn more about the church in the Dominican Republic visit adventistasrd