South American Division Report–“Fulfilling the Mission”
Territory: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.
Statistics: Churches–5,846; membership–1,623,479; population–275,271,000. (1999 statistics from the Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook)
“Fulfilling the mission” was the focus of the South American Division’s (SAD) report to the Adventist World Session. Before the video presentation began, the stage was filled with the presidents of each of the Unions, their wives, and Union members in national dress and waving flags.
The report focused on the work of a particular family, person, or company in each of the nine Unions that was making a contribution to “fulfilling the mission.” “The South American Division report does not mention numbers, it does not mention statistics--it speaks of lives,” said Ruy H. Nagel, president of the South American Division. “These are stories of the people who fulfill the mission.”
One story highlighted a missionary in La Paz, Bolivia, who returned to the Adventist Church after an absence of seven years and successfully conducted evangelistic meetings. Another described the Belem Adventist Hospital, which for almost 50 years has acted as a missionary institution dedicated to saving lives and providing funding to support new churches. “The greatest objective we all have is winning souls for Christ,” said Dr Merari Reinert, General Director of the hospital.
The report also outlined the story of a successful Brazilian businessman who sponsored more than 60,000 study scholarships because of the help he received from the Adventist Church when he was a student. Another section described a family who, in the past five years, has established 10 new churches, run two to three evangelistic series per year, and encouraged 2,300 people to be baptized. “God opens the doors, and we advance through faith,” said Adriana de Melo Campos.
The report featured the significant contribution that Granix, a food manufacturing company, has made to the church--including its donation of $160,000 in 1999 for bibles and evangelistic literature. “There is a testimony that I cannot keep to myself,” said Mr. Benjamin Reichel, Director of Granix. “An institution that dedicates finances to the preaching of the gospel in addition to its normal tasks can observe God’s hand guiding it each day.” |
