March 14, 2011 – Portmore, St. Catherine, Jamaica…Nigel Coke/IAD
Prayer, praise and thanksgiving were the themes of the day as hundreds of children, youth and adults came out to the Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (JAMU) “Constant in Prayer” for children and youth at the Portmore Seventh-day Adventist Church in Portmore, Jamaica.
The program, which was spearheaded by the children’s and youth ministries departments of JAMU, emphasized prayer and what children and young people need to do to enhance their spiritual life.
The highlight of the day came at the end when 31 year-old Lavar Thomas, an Information Technology Consultant decided to give his life to Christ and be baptized. Thomas, who was invited to church that day, felt something special when he was prayed for by a member.
“I could hear God speaking to me through this person,” Thomas said. It caused me to reflect on my life and the purpose for which God has made me. Throughout the course of the day I felt the need to let go and let God take control of my life. It was about me and God.”
Thomas gave his testimony of the search for the truth after he studied books given to him by Pastor Levi Johnson, president of the church Central Jamaica. One of them the “Constant in Prayer” manual by the Inter-American Division made a difference.
“It brought me in familiarity with the conferences and their requests and the special projects that they are praying for. Before, I was not encouraged to pray, but the book actually showed me that the church is active and serious about prayer and its mission. Each day prayed for the Conference listed.”
Thomas will be among the many persons who will be baptized on the “Day of Pentecost,” on March 19, 2011 at the Northern Caribbean University Gymnatorium, in Mandeville, Jamaica, the main site for the headquarter office.
In his greetings to the church, Pastor Everett Brown, president of the church in Jamaica challenged the children and young people to make good use of their time for God.
“Use the social networks and pages to glorify God,” said Pastor Brown. “Use it to send a prayer, the word of God and to encourage faithfulness to God. “Constant in Prayer” is not an event. It is a means of opening ourselves to be used by the Holy Spirit for revival reformation and renewal. This will help us to grow spiritually and to be better witnesses for Christ.”
The messages for the divine service were delivered by 11 year-old Gavieal Gordon and 15 year-old Brendon Coleman from the East and Central Jamaica Conferences respectively.
Earlier, Pastor James Daniel, Field Secretary of the (IAD) did a presentation titled “The Power of Prayer” in which he admonished the children and young people to guard the avenues of the mind because “the battle is for the mind, which controls the entire body.”
“It was quite refreshing,” said Jodian Walker, a 23 year-old dental hygienist. Going there I anticipated that we would have been praying, but I did not expect it to be so spiritually refreshing. One of the things I left with is that if a Sabbath can be spent in prayer, praise and thanksgiving, then I can do that each day of my life in similar way.”
“I believe the objectives of the day were met,” said Pastor Charles Blythe, youth ministries director of JAMU. “It was a major success based on the expression of the many persons during and after the program. We are now expecting that this will be replicated in the local churches. It is not an event. It is a process that we expect to be continued in the daily lives of our young people as they seek to have a closer walk with God.”
“Constant in Prayer” is the spiritual revival and reformation program of the IAD and its 21 church regions including JAMU. It is a call to the church at all levels to recognize the importance of prayer in the spiritual life of its church members.
