As protests beset Honduras, Adventist youth march with hope

Adventist youth in La Ceiba, in Honduras, march through the streets of the large city holding signs highlighting each of the Ten Commandments, on June 20, 2015. Images by Adan Ramos/IAD.

July 27, 2015 | Tegucigalpa, Honduras | IAD Staff

Seventh-day Adventist young people took to the streets of major cities in the Central American country of Honduras to draw attention to the Bible and the Ten Commandments as thousands of protesters marched against government corruption.

Thousands of onlookers watch a mime performance by Adventist young people at Tegucigalpa’s central park during a special program which took place after the city march on June 27, 2015.

More than 10,000 young people and church leaders holding signs and banners and riding atop colorful parade floats demonstrated in Tegucigalpa, the capital, as well as in La Ceiba, San Pedro Sula, and dozens of other cities.

“Our Adventist young people gave a clear message to our Honduran population that unless citizens seriously commit to keeping all of the commandments of God, there won’t be positive changes to help the country forge ahead,” said Adan Ramos, president of the Adventist Church in Honduras.

Ramos spoke in the main squares of Tegucigalpa and La Ceiba as Adventist marched and gathered in parks to stage musical performances, give presentations of each of the Ten Commandments, and share information about healthy living.

The recent march was the third national event of its kind organized by the local church since 2013 and an important one, said Ramos. In recent weeks, non-Adventist young people have participated in dozens of marches demanding an end to corruption.

Honduras, which has a population of just 8.7 million, has the world’s highest murder rate, with 90.4 homicides per 100,000 people, according to United Nations statistics of 2014.

Adventists present each ten commandment at Tegucigalpa’s central park.

Ramos said that sharing hope and pointing people to Christian values as the way to create positive change will remain a priority in the coming months, with dozens of additional initiatives in the works.

Thousands of Adventist young people marched to promote Christian values last year, while a national march to end violence against women took place in 2013.

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Honduras has more than 181,200 members worshiping in 678 churches and companies. The church also operates a hospital and several Adventist schools.