With sounds of national music, enchanting images, and thunderous applause, Israel Leito, president of the Inter-American Division (IAD) stated during the report of his Division at the Adventist World Session that “if you still wonder whether God changes lives...it is in this division.”
Inspirational and spiritual stories from around the IAD were shared with the audience, with the image of a butterfly and its metamorphosis interlaced throughout a creative multimedia presentation.
Richard Bacca, an ex-prisoner from the Caribbean Union, spoke to the crowd about how he gave his life to Christ and became a spiritual advisor for the prisons of Trinidad.
The report highlighted Christian education, radio and music as ways that are making an impact in the IAD. “Eight hundred students were baptized last year as a result of Seventh-day Adventist education,” said Miguel Ramos, a Church leader in the Puerto Rican Union.
Three primary challenges in the IAD include the financing of higher education, the provision of health care, and the construction of chapels for the growing church membership of 2,000,000 members.
As the IAD delegation filled the stage to the sounds of music and applause, hundreds of balloons were released from the roof of the SkyDome, representing the theme of the IAD report–“unfolding new wings and growing strong in the light of God’s love.” |
