Enditnow Mobilizes Thousands Across Inter-America to Stand Against Violence
Seventh-day Adventists of all ages march along Vía España in Panama City on Aug. 22, 2026, carrying signs denouncing physical, psychological, verbal, economic, and sexual violence as part of the Enditnow emphasis. The march was among activities held across the Inter-American Division to raise awareness about abuse and violence and promote compassion in local communities. [Photo: Courtesy of the Metropolitan Panama Conference]
August 26, 2026 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News
Thousands of Seventh-day Adventists took their message against abuse and violence beyond church walls on Aug. 22, filling streets, parks and public spaces across the Inter-American Division (IAD) with marches, community programs, prayer and acts of service as part of the global Enditnow emphasis Sabbath.
From The Bahamas and the Caribbean to Mexico, Central America, Colombia and Venezuela, church members carried banners calling for an end to violence, distributed literature, held educational programs and reached vulnerable people with food and other practical assistance.
Children and young people march through communities in the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union region on Aug. 22, 2026, holding signs against violence and abuse as part of the Enditnow emphasis. [Photo: Courtesy of the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union]
For Sandra Pinto, women’s ministries and children and adolescent ministries director for the IAD, seeing that message move into communities across the territory was significant.
Young people in Antigua hold signs reading “Break the Silence, Stop the Violence” and “Hands Are for Helping” as they march through the streets on Aug. 22, 2026, as part of the Enditnow emphasis. [Photo: Vaughn Joseph]
Young people, women and entire families prayed for people in need, provided food to vulnerable families and offered encouragement and guidance to those experiencing hardship, she said.
“It was faith moving beyond the four walls of the church to embrace the pain of the community,” Pinto said.
Dozens of church members march through the streets of Nassau, The Bahamas, carrying an Enditnow banner and signs calling for an end to violence and abuse before gathering for a public rally on Aug. 22, 2026. [Photo: John Garcia]
In Nassau, members of the South Bahamas Conference marched along East Street before gathering at Rawson Square for a rally that was broadcast on national radio. Church leaders, advocates and community representatives addressed domestic violence, child abuse and gender-based violence.
Ann Marie Davis, wife of the prime minister of The Bahamas, told participants that compassion must lead to action.
Senate President J. Lashell Adderley speaks during the Enditnow rally in Nassau, The Bahamas, on Aug. 22, 2026, calling on churches and communities to speak out against violence and abuse. [Photo: John Garcia]
Senate President J. LaShell Adderley challenged churches to recognize their responsibility toward people experiencing abuse, while Marissa Mason-Smith, chair of the Protection Against Violence Commission, urged participants to continue speaking and acting after the rally ended.
Marchers carry signs denouncing violence against women and children as they make their way through the streets of Panama as part of the Enditnow emphasis. [Photo: Courtesy of the Panama Union]
Marches Carry the Message Into Communities
Similar public demonstrations took place elsewhere across the territory.
Children in Panama learn about violence and why it is not acceptable as they participate in a coloring activity on August 22, 2026. [Photo: Courtesy of the Panama Union]
In Antigua and St. Kitts, marches organized by the South Leeward Conference responded to concerns over crime and violence. Participants in Antigua stopped at four locations to pray for victims and their families, while in St. Kitts young people used stops along the route to encourage their peers to prioritize mental health. Radio, television and online coverage extended the message beyond those participating in person.
Holding signs against all forms of violence and abuse, church members march through the streets of Antigua on Aug. 22, 2026, stopping along the route to pray for victims and their families as part of the Enditnow emphasis. [Photo: Vaughn Joseph]
Hundreds also took to the streets in Nueva Concepción, Escuintla, in southern Guatemala, where peaceful walks were accompanied by health services and awareness programs. Participants of all ages distributed literature and carried signs calling attention to domestic and gender-based violence.
Church members march through southern Guatemala on Aug. 22, 2026, raising awareness against violence and abuse. [Photo: Courtesy of the Guatemala Union]
Compassion Becomes Service in Colombia
In Colombia, congregations translated the Enditnow message into both public advocacy and practical service.
Enditnow marchers in western Venezuela take a stand against violence and abuse on Aug. 22, 2026. [Photo: Courtesy of the West Venezuela Union]
In Cartagena, they delivered 16 “comfort baskets” containing food, personal-care items, and messages of hope from children and adolescents to older adults. In Santa Marta, Women’s Ministries members, Pathfinders, and Master Guides distributed literature and messages of hope around the bay, while on San Andrés Island, members provided 100 meals and clothing to people experiencing homelessness.
In Cartagena, women’s ministries and children and adolescent ministries members spend time with an older adult during the distribution of “comfort baskets.” [Photo: Courtesy of the North Colombia Union]
Across the South Colombian Union, the prevention message moved from pulpits into parks and public squares through sermons, Sabbath school programs, seminars, workshops, marches and acts of kindness.
In Bogotá, Colombia, church leaders offer a welcoming space for people needing encouragement, with a sign inviting passersby, “If you are having a bad day, sit here.” [Photo: Courtesy of the South Colombian Union]
Lady Oviedo, children and adolescent ministries director for the South Colombian Union, urged parents and guardians, as the first line of protection for children, to educate, observe, and act.
“A child who is suffering does not always say it with words,” Oviedo said, urging families not to remain silent when they suspect abuse but to report it and seek help.
Church members hold signs after a community walk in Colombia, where they raised awareness about violence and abuse and prayed for those in need. [Photo: Courtesy of South Colombia Union]
Churches across Mexico also adapted the emphasis to their local communities.
At the Mérida 61 Adventist Church in Yucatán, in the Southeast Mexican Union, nearly 100 people attended workshops and a roundtable examining different forms of violence from the perspectives of professionals in psychology, law and nutrition. Local pastor Josué Contreras said addressing violence helps reinforce the church as a safe community for women, children and families.
Women’s ministries leaders in the Southeast Mexican Union lead a panel discussion to raise awareness about violence and abuse as part of the Enditnow emphasis. [Photo: Courtesy of the Southeast Mexican Union]
Awareness programs were reported in churches in the southern region of the Dominican Republic as well.
In Chihuahua, Mexico, church members hold a sign offering prayer to those in need while others serve hot food to passersby as part of the Enditnow emphasis. [Photo: Courtesy of the North Mexican Union]
The Aug. 22 mobilization was part of a monthlong Enditnow emphasis across Inter-America that began Aug. 1 with daily social media videos, reflections, compassion challenges, and digital resources encouraging members to recognize abuse and respond in practical ways.
Pinto said the digital component has been especially important because abuse often thrives in isolation. Sharing messages of compassion, resources, and encouragement, she said, can help break the stigma and potentially connect someone experiencing abuse with needed support.
“Love Without Hitting,” “No More Violence,” and “Stop the Violence” were among the messages held by children during a special Enditnow program at a park in Toluca, State of Mexico, on Aug. 22, 2026. [Photo: Courtesy of the Central Mexican Union]
But the commitment cannot end with the campaign, Pinto emphasized. “Abuse is a heartbreaking reality that affects millions of people every day,” she said. “We cannot allow compassion to become an event that happens only one month a year.”
Pointing to the biblical call in Proverbs 31:8 to speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, Pinto said the responsibility extends well beyond marches and campaigns. “True religion does not look the other way,” she said. “It remains, protects and restores every day of the year.”
Enditnow marchers take to the streets in the Dominican Republic, sharing messages of compassion and calling for an end to violence and abuse. [Photo: Courtesy of the Dominican Union]
Enditnow is a global Seventh-day Adventist initiative that raises awareness about abuse and violence in all its forms and calls church members to help create safer homes, churches, and communities. Through education, prevention, advocacy, and practical support, the initiative encourages Adventists to speak up for those who are vulnerable, respond with compassion, and help connect those experiencing abuse with appropriate resources and assistance.
Michelle Greene, Cristin Serrano, Laura Acosta, Johana García, Kay White, Victor Martínez, Abdiel Patraca, Gaby Chagolla, and Bernardo Medina contributed information to this report.