Adventist Youth March in Colombia Stirs One Teen to Immediate Baptism
Young members of the Sharat and Amigos de Verdad Pathfinder Clubs march beneath a colorful canopy in Tierra Alta, Córdoba, Colombia, representing the Adventist Church during the national Independence Day parade on July 20, 2025. Marchers showcased their club colors, school uniforms, and messages of hope during parades held across the North Colombia Union region. [Photo: Facebook]
August 5, 2025 | Medellín, Antioquia | Cristin Serrano, UCN and IAD News Staff
While thousands across Colombia marked Independence Day on July 20, with cultural celebrations, nearly 2,000 Adventist youth in northern Colombia took to the streets with uniforms, smiles, and messages of hope.
Amid the nationwide celebrations, the Seventh-day Adventist Church mobilized its youth clubs across northern Colombia. Among the many onlookers, one young girl was so deeply moved by the march that she made a life-changing decision: to give her life to Christ through baptism.
Moved by the testimony of Adventist clubs during the July 20 march, Lebelis Nazar prepares for baptism at the end of the march on July 20, alongside Pastor Edilberto Ospina at the Guaranda district church in the Sucre Department. [Photo: Yaith Pérez]
After speaking with her mother—who expressed support despite not being an Adventist—Lebelis, accompanied by her club leader and some friends, arrived at the local church, where she was baptized by Pastor Edilberto Ospina, from the Guaranda district, at the end of the activity.
“She cried when she came out of the water. We all cried,” said Yoelis Yepes, club director. “This ministry has become a refuge. Here, young people find direction, purpose, and the love of Christ.”
Members of the Oriel Club march with a message of faith during the parade, displaying the phrase: “In Jesus we have victory, and in His name we walk with hope. [Photo: Facebook]
The Jadá Club, to which Lebelis belongs, is part of the Colombian Caribbean Conference, a region where youth ministries has seen notable growth, local church leaders said. Comprised mostly of young people from non-Adventist homes, the club has ignited a spiritual flame that continues to draw teenagers to the feet of Jesus, youth leaders said.
“Our method is Christ’s method: we serve first, then we evangelize—and it’s bearing fruit,” said Yaith Echeverría, district youth leader.
This is not an isolated case.
Members of the Amigos de Verdad Adventurer Club in Tierra Alta, Córdoba, take part in their town’s Independence Day parade on July 20, 2025. [Photo: Facebook]
The march began in Cartagena and has now expanded to 60–65 percet of the districts in the conference, Villegas added. In towns like Turbaco, Carmen de Bolívar, Arjona, Majagual, Valencia, Tierra Alta, and Alta Montaña, the Adventist presence is now part of local protocols—thanks to a consistent testimony of service and social commitment.
Tradition, Honor, and Literature
In Saravena, a town in the eastern department of Arauca, Independence Day also became a deeply mission-focused occasion. There, the Seventh-day Adventist Church is traditionally invited each year because of its positive community impact.
The Bethel Adventist School’s marching band paraded with order and solemnity, proudly representing the Adventist Church and sharing a message of excellence, faith, and civic responsibility on July 20, 2025 in Saravena, Arauca, Colombia. [Photo: Facebook]
A Church That Shows Up and Transforms
Pastor Mauricio Buitrago, youth director of the Colombian Union North, emphasized the spiritual value of these events.
“The leadership exercised by the Colombian Union over local fields is not just about organizing events and expecting support, but about empowering local fields to work through what they already have—engaging in service and witness,” he said.
The JADÁ Club, composed of Adventurers, Pathfinders, and Master Guides, shares messages of hope during the parade in Guaranda, Sucre. [Photo: Yaith Pérez]