University Students Challenged To Be Agents of Change During Annual PCM Weekend

October 25, 2022 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

Hundreds of Seventh-day Adventists studying in public universities across the Inter-American Division (IAD) took the time to fellowship, gain spiritual and professional development, as well as impact communities through the annual Public Campus Ministries (PCM) Weekend, Oct. 14-16, 2022.

The annual event is intended to empower Adventist students to be grounded in the mission of Jesus, the church, and engage their peers in a life-long relationship with Jesus. The weekend included young Adventist professionals during the “I’m the Change Agent. I Choose to be Faithful,” theme this year.

“The weekend was meant for Adventist students to make a positive change among their peers, professors and their campuses, take the time to reflect on God’s guidance and blessings in their life, and become an agent of change for good in their community,” said Pastor Hiram Ruiz, PCM director for the Inter-American Division and main organizer of the event.

Throughout the 120 officially organized PCM associations, or team groups, of more than 4,000 members across the IAD, university students took part in special online worship and training sessions on Saturday from an auditorium in Bocas del Toro, in Panama.

Kleber D. Goncalves, director of the Global Mission Center for the Secular and Post-Christian Mission of the General Conference, was the keynote speaker. He encouraged students to make their choices count in their lives. “The small decisions that you make will have a greater influence in the big decisions that you will make in the future.”

Goncalves reminded young people to not be surprised by the adversity that comes their way and to love God because that will make a difference in the decisions they make each day. He also reminded the audience and online viewers that God can use any adversity for their own good, for a purpose. “God has a way to get you through every moment and every circumstance in your life, but you must let Him lead you. Trust God,” he said.

In reflecting on the story of Daniel and his friends, Goncalves motivated university students to live with integrity according to God’s principles, have self-control, and have the courage to stand for what is right.

More than 1,000 university students and young people in David, Chiriqui, distributed literature in several communities.

In the Southeast Mexican Union, more than 600 university students and young people marched and cleaned up beaches, held health brigades, and distributed magazines through Isla Mujeres.

In the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union, dozens of PCM members joined with the Adventist Development and Relief Agency to take part in a special project distributing medicines and food boxes to needy families.

In Monterrey, Mexico, university students painted murals encouraging children to read and study in school while showcasing dozens of interesting careers they could pursue as they go to school. In addition, a group of PCM members sat in parks inviting people to sit on a park bench and be listened to without judgement for hours.

Hundreds of Adventist university students gathered in the Marianao Adventist Church in Havana, Cuba, for a weekend of spiritual gathering the week before, Oct. 7-9, 2022.

In El Salvador, dozens got together to pray throughout campuses in San Salvador for them to be able to take their exams on Friday instead of Saturdays.

All across the IAD territory “University students were challenged to identify an area on campus where they could plant trees, look out in the community around them to see if there is a house that looks like it needs repairs, if a homeless person needs more assistance, see if potholes could be filled and whatever else they see,” said Ruiz.

 

“As never before, it is necessary to encourage and support this new generation that can make a significant difference in the leadership of the church where they study or where they work,” he added. “PCM chapters help retain young people, develop their leadership skills and help create mentors for the next generation.”

To view the recording of Inter-American Division’s PCM Weekend,

 

For English, HERE

For Spanish, HERE