In Venezuela, hundreds of Adventists take part in a 7-day prayer marathon

Hundreds pray during the first seven-day prayer marathon organized at Venezuela Adventist University in Nirgua, Venezuela, May 13-21, 2016. Images courtesy of Venezuela Adventist University.

June 1, 2016 | Nirgua, Venezuela | Thairubys Contreras/IAD Staff

Students pray during the seven-day prayer marathon.

Hundreds of students, children, teachers, staff and leaders at Venezuela Adventist University (Instituto Universitario Adventista de Venezuela) engaged in a historic prayer marathon that lasted more than 186 hours during a spiritual emphasis week, May 13-21, 2016.

University leaders wanted this year to be different during the week of prayer. Instead of holding a prayer marathon for the first 24 hours of the week like they have done the last three years, they, along with theology students, organized a seven-day prayer marathon on campus.

The theme for the week, “Lord Transform Me”, was taken from the Inter-America evangelism initiative of the same name. The initiative seeks to involve all church members in the mission of the church to bring about spiritual transformation.

“We cannot call this week a ‘week of prayer’ if prayer is not a priority,” said Mauro Leon, a fifth-year theology student who was among the organizers of the event.

“Prayer is a personal need, but it is more powerful when is collective,” said Leon. The prayer marathon was organized because the people of God expect the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and that’s why we should be in constant prayer, added Leon.

Prayers were raised every day for the economic situation in Venezuela, the Adventist institution and its projects, three unions of the inter-American Division, for a spiritual revival and transformation for each church member, as well as prayer requests that came up on campus and through the internet.

Prayers are offered in sanctuary themed prayer room.

“We cannot go through a week of constant prayer without something taking place, something has to happen,” said Royer Rivera, third-year theology student. Rivera was motivated to organize a prayer vigil in his home with fellow classmates.

“It was wonderful to see how people who always said it was hard for them to pray spent long moments in prayer and they later shared their answered prayers,” said Gerdimar Vivas, a business major student.

“The Holy Spirit responds when the people of God pray,” said Pastor Daniel Armando Gonzalez, who was the week of prayer guest speaker. “The secret of success for the Christian is found in prayer.”

The prayer marathon was a new thing for Gonzalez. “I could see the difference in me, I could sense that others were interceding in prayer for me and that drove me to pray more intently.” He believes other institutions should organize prayer events like this one.