Adventist Leaders Commit To Strengthening the Health Message Across Inter-America

January 31, 2020 | Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | Libna Stevens/IAD

Seventh-day Adventist leaders from across the church in the Inter-American Division (IAD) vowed to double their efforts in strengthening the health message across the vast territory, and live by it as they lead the church and engage church members to become agents of change in their communities.  The pledge from the dozens of top church administrators, and health ministries leaders from each of the 24 major church regions, came about as Inter-America’s 2^nd Health Summit drew to a close in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, on Jan. 25, 2020.

The four-day “Your Brain, Your Body, Your Heart” health summit focused on the need for church leaders to promote the healthy living as they serve, educate and evangelize.

The summit featured a discussion panel where experts answered a series of questions on the presentations discussed during the four-day event.  The event also featured dozens of lectures and seminars on rest and its benefits, curing high blood pressure, depression, mental health and the minister, Adventist philosophy of diet, mind0body-medicine, diabetes and its risks, nutrition, cancer prevention, Alzheimer’s disease, public health community impact, the importance of educating children, learning through play, updates on the “I Want to Live Healthy” initiative, and more.

Waking a comatose patient

“A few years ago, I was given a great challenge to shine the light of the health message across the Inter-American Division territory,” said Belkis Archbold, health ministries director for the church in Inter-America and main organizer of the event.  “We had a comatose patient,” said Archbold, referring to the health message, “but at the same time it was breathing so we started cardio-pulmonary resuscitation.”

“I have been able to see that there is an awakening across our churches, so I invite you to help me fulfill it,” said Archbold. “I know that together we will be able to make the difference in spreading this message of health…that from ordinary [ministry], we can take it to be extraordinary.”

As Pastor Elie Henry, president of the church in Inter-America, was holding a lighted candle representing the health message to be spread across the IAD territory, he reminded leaders to make the light of Jesus shine in their regions.

Health message as in integral part of the gospel

“You understand that this is a special light,” said Pastor Henry. “We are bearers of a magnificent message of hope, and we are important vessels called to let others know they were wonderfully created by God with a purpose.”

Pastor Henry reminded leaders to ensure that the message of health is an integral part of the everlasting gospel they spread and they should do their part in motivating church leaders and members in following that vision of serving, educating and evangelizing every day throughout their countries and islands.

Church leaders read a special pledge together as a commitment of dedication:

Realizing that my body is the TEMPLE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, I PLEDGE by the grace of God: To keep it from everything physically harmful and morally impure, to stay loyal and faithful to the Health laws of God’s Word, to live in harmony with the counsels of the Spirit of Prophecy, to be an example to the faithful, a living testimony before the world.

Training local church health directors

Pastor Guenther Garcia, president for the church in Guatemala, was convinced about the urgency of the call to recommit to integrating the health message in reaching more communities back home.

Several years ago the church launched the “I Want to Live Healthy” program, which includes the eight natural remedies. The program was done in partnership with several government entities in Guatemala. But since the launch, there have been changes in those government offices, and the program did not have the success intended, he said. However, Pastor Garcia’s administration is supporting a special three-day training and certification for local church health ministries directors so they can teach and promote the “I Want to Live Healthy” program in their communities. The training will be held in May.

“We are committed to getting more serious about teaching and training our local church health directors across the 1,000 congregations in the country, because it is essential we all take this to a higher level of promoting health in more communities,” said Garcia.  Church leaders are also looking at how to reach so many ethnic groups with the health message in remote areas there, he said.

The church operates a health clinic there in Guatemala City and about 40 Adventist medical and health professionals offer free medical services and check-ups on weekends throughout different cities and communities every month, explained Garcia.

“Guatemala City has more than 3 million people and we have that challenge ahead of us to offer a healthier lifestyle for them,” said Garcia. Plans are underway to establish small health clinics that can teach about the eight natural remedies, offer classes on home gardening, and provide natural medicine practitioner services to needy communities across the country.

Making a difference through a health center of influence

Maria Pimentel, MD, is a pediatrician who divides her time as the health ministries director for the church in the East Dominican conference in San Pedro de Macoris, in the Dominican Republic.

The health summit was just what she needed to strengthen her ministry in her pediatric office, the church’s center of influence she manages, the hospital she works at and the university at which teaches.

She is very clear about her mission to serve, teach and witness for Jesus as she connects with so many in need every week. She, along with several other medical and health professionals, fund and offer services every Tuesday morning. “Patients only have to pay 100 pesos which is the equivalent of $2 US dollars, and we are able to provide medicines for free,” said Pimentel. She and a gynecologist, dentist, family medicine practitioner, psychologist and nutritionist all pay a fee every month to keep the rent and the center open every Tuesday.

Sometimes they recruit donations or services from other medical doctors in the area and businesses that can support the services there, she explained.  But it’s challenging at times to help so many in need and spread the health message intently in the region.

On Sundays, the center of influence offers free healthy cooking classes, pharmacy technician classes, physical therapy assistant training, and more, while many churches in the area rotate in cleaning and tidying up the center every week.

The center is a one-of-a-kind center that has been running for 13 years and one that deserves to be imitated, said Archbold, who has met the physicians and visited the center and its activities recently.

The health ministries in the East Dominican region doesn’t stop there.

Dr. Pimentel shares that they regularly hold activities and training at different Adventist churches with the ‘I Want to Live Healthy’ program, in different schools, teaching parents how provide healthier foods to their children especially those with special needs children.

She and her team have mobilized churches to take part in collecting food and diapers, toys and school supplies throughout the year to be distributed in needy communities every quarter. “It is all about bringing health and hope to those around us, together as Adventist professionals, as church members following the example of Jesus,” said Dr. Pimentel.

To view the online program on Inter-America’s Health Summit closing ceremony, and other daily presentations, Click HERE

To visit our photo gallery of the online event, Click HERE