Headlines: Kenya Dorm Fire Kills Three
Kenya Dorm Fire Kills Three. Three students, aged eight, 10, and 12, burned to death when their wood-frame dorm at the Seventh-day Adventist Labuiywo Primary School in Tinderet Constituency caught fire. Early assessments cite an electric fault and the layout of the building for the death of three students. Ninety-five other pupils escaped unharmed. From All Africa, “Kenya: Nandi School Closed After Three Students Died in Weekend Inferno.”
Adventist Church Supports Vaccination. The Seventh-day Adventist Church has issued an official statement on vaccines, saying it “encourages responsible immunization” and has no faith-based reason to discourage believers from participating in immunization programs. From Adventist Review, “Adventist Church Adopts Stance on Vaccines.”
Jamaican Adventists Focus on Special Needs. The Jamaican Seventh-day Adventist church has identified the second week of March each year “Special Needs Awareness Week,” and the second Saturday in the month “Special Needs Awareness Day.” The declaration, the first to be made in the World Church of Seventh-day Adventists, was made during a Special Needs Summit hosted from March 6-8, 2015 at Camp Verley, St Catherine. The summit, using the theme “A Ministry Whose Time Has Come,” will bring awareness of persons with disabilities in Adventist congregations throughout Jamaica. Plans include improving physical accessiblility to buildings, and offering training, employment, and membership on committees/boards to disabled members. From Jamaica Observer, “Adventist Church Declares Special Needs Awareness Week.”
Adventist Congressman Hears from Veterans. Democratic Congressman, Rep. Raul Ruiz, an Adventist, was thanked many times at a forum he organized for Southern California veterans at the Desert Hot Springs VFW. Congressman Ruiz listened to many who complained angrily about their experiences with the VA Loma Linda Healthcare System. Ruiz expressed his disappointment in the system and promised to try to find answers to their problems. From Desert Sun, “Rep Raul Ruiz Hears Vets Concerns Loud and Clear.”
Coming Soon: The Seventh-day Adventist 7 Bridges Marathon. The Georgia-Cumberland Conference of Seventh-day Adventists will serve as presenting sponsor for Chattanooga’s “7 Bridges Marathon” this year with plans to continue the sponsorship in the future. The course crosses Chattanooga’s seven bridges and includes parts of downtown Chattanooga. The race is Chattanooga’s only full marathon with more than 2,400 runners expected to compete. From The Chattanoogan, “7th-Day Adventists Sponsoring 5th Annual 7 Bridges Marathon To Promote Health And Fitness.”
Pam Dietrich taught English at Loma Linda Academy for 26 years and served there eight more years as the 7-12 librarian. She lives in Redlands, CA.
