Zimbabwe Adventist Youth Blood Drive Breaks Local Records – News Shorts
Zimbabwe Youth Blood Donations Break Local Records. Over 300 Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Seventh-day Adventist youth donated blood, a record-breaking number for the Matabeleland region. The church commemorated its Global Youth Day by combining community service with reaching out to the people. Apart from donating blood, Global Youth Day activities included street marches, lifestyle and health lessons on diabetes, nutrition, and cancer awareness presentations. Free blood pressure and blood sugar tests were also offered. Pastor Busi Khumalo, Seventh-day Adventist Southern African Division Youth Director, said, “There is a lot more to religious faith than simply going to church and listening to sermons. The true practice of religion involves the revelation of God’s love in living out Jesus’ gospel commission." From Chronicle Zimbabwe, “SDA youths break blood donation record.”
Jamaica Conference Youth Become the "Hands and Feet of Jesus Christ." Thousands of youngsters from the Central Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists became the "hands and feet of Jesus Christ," rendering assistance to the needy in St. Catherine, Jamaica, through "Operation Save a Youth" 2017. President of the Central Jamaica Conference, Levi Johnson, said, "The theme is transformation. It is our intention that each life, each home, each community and zone will be touched, and transformation will take place. These . . . young adults . . . are here to preach a sermon, not verbally, but to show the practical side of Christianity." From The Jamaica Gleaner, “Children Lead In Being the ‘Hands and Feet of Christ’ Through OSAY!”
Ghana Women's Ministry Donates Toiletries and Clothing to Prisoners. Pastor Lambert Badge Owusu, the Youth Chaplain Director of the Mid-West Ghana Conference, helped present 50 bags of personal items to the inmates of the Sunyani Central Prisons. The Women's Ministry of the Sunyani Central Seventh-day Adventist Church provided toiletries, tooth paste, sanitary pads, soap, bottled water, and second-hand clothing for male and female inmates. Pastor Owusu said the interest and welfare of members ought to be the priority of every godly church. “It is important . . . for the church to support the needy in society.” From Ghana News Agency, “SDA church supports central prisons.”
Brazilian Adventist High School Students Can Take National Exam on Sunday. Sabbath-keeping Brazilian students have won the right to take the National High School Exam (Enem) on two consecutive Sundays instead of a Saturday and Sunday. A public vote held by the Ministry of Education of Brazil resulted in changes to the Enem. More than 600,000 people voted, and 64 percent favored holding the Enem on Sundays. Recently, individuals in Brazil have fought to have their rights respected when faced with situations that involve freedom of thought and worship. By changing the Enem testing day, the Brazilian government showed it is interested in understanding the reality of thousands of people who not only see Saturday as the Sabbath but as an opportunity to obey a divine commandment. The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Brazil praised the efforts of the Ministry of Education and Brazilians who participated in the vote for respecting the faith of Sabbath observers. “Sabbath-keepers, especially Seventh-day Adventists, are not seeking more privileges than other candidates,” said Erton Köhler, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South America. “Quite the opposite, they desire to have the same opportunity when it comes to such an important program that can not only guarantee but define the professional future of thousands of people.” From Adventist News Network, “Brazil’s National High School Exam will take place on Sundays.”
Loma Linda University Reaches Out to Under-served Black Men at Desert Health Fair. Health professionals from Loma Linda University and Desert Regional Medical Center with Loma Linda students staffed booths at a black men’s health fair in the Desert Highland Gateway Community in North Palm Springs. Susanne Montgomery, associate dean of research at the Loma Linda School of Behavioral Health, said the purpose of her research and the healthcare fair was to address inequalities in healthcare, something she said affected many of the attendees. Attendees filled out a health survey, got their blood pressure, glucose, and cholesterol levels taken, and had their weight and body mass index measured. The volunteers at each station discussed the results with each patient and helped develop recommendations for how they could get or keep those measurements at healthy levels. From The Desert Sun, “Grad student focuses on healthcare disparities between black and white men.”
Loma Linda University Professor Receives Outstanding Leadership in Health Care Award. HealthCare Chaplaincy Network (HCCN) presented its prestigious Pioneer Award for Outstanding Leadership in Health Care to Elizabeth Johnston Taylor, Ph.D., RN, a professor at Loma Linda University School of Nursing during its 4th annual Caring for the Human Spirit Conference in Chicago, attended by health care professionals from around the world. Taylor has pursued research exploring the intersection of spirituality, religiosity, health, and nursing for the past 25 years. With a clinical background as an oncology nurse, she has written articles, book chapters, and books aimed at helping nurses understand and support patients’ spiritual health during health-related transitions. "Although it is startling for me to think of myself as a ‘pioneer,' I am re-inspired by this honor to continue to explore the frontiers of how nurses—the clinicians most frequently with patients—can better provide spiritual care," Taylor said. In announcing this year's recipients, Rev. Eric J. Hall, HCCN's president and CEO, said [the] honorees "have led the way in their respective sectors with valuable insight and commitment. Their monumental efforts to change the status quo have not only helped to transform the health care field, they have helped to improve lives." From PRWeb, “HealthCare Chaplaincy Honors Two Pioneers for Outstanding Health Care Leadership; Recipients Are Upaya Zen Center Founder, Loma Linda University Professor.”
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, California.
Image Credit: Chronicle Zimbabwe
If you respond to this article, please:
Make sure your comments are germane to the topic; be concise in your reply; demonstrate respect for people and ideas whether you agree or disagree with them; and limit yourself to one comment per article, unless the author of the article directly engages you in further conversation. Comments that meet these criteria are welcome on the Spectrum Website. Comments that fail to meet these criteria will be removed.
