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Adventist Youth in Papua New Guinea Help Catholic School—and More News

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In what some observers called a first, Adventist Youth Ministries members in Papua New Guinea donated food and cleaned the Sacred Heart Primary School, a Catholic-supported institution. The Adventist young people donated 1,000 Kina worth of food to the teachers as a "token of appreciation for educating children in the area," according to The National.

Joy Zebedee, a primary school and youth leader, "said their generosity was in line with the ministrys catchphrase: 'I will go and sustain a community.'"

Zebedee said they resolved to clean and donate food stuff to teachers after completing a youth week of prayer in Faniufa on the southern fringes of Goroka.

“Breaking religious barriers to help others is the best thing one can do in a Christian society like Papua New Guinea,” she said.

Many commentators said it was the very first time in the history of the Sacred Heart Primary that a group from the [Adventist Church] had formally entered their premises to clean and donate food stuff to the teachers.

Head teacher Moses Kamel thanked the Faniufa Adventist youths ministry for “its bold and historical decision to clean the institution and donate food stuff.”

—From The National, "Catholic School Gets Donation from SDA Youths."

Adventist Biking Pastors Share the Gospel in Scotland

A group of Seventh-day Adventist pastors has been sharing the gospel while biking through areas in Shetland, Scotland, a story in the Shetland Times recounts.

The “Reflecting Hope” project has drawn inspiration from a 19th century odyssey by Philip Ainslee Reekie, who experienced a life transformation after finding meaning in Christianity.

Mr. Reekie left his job as an engraver to cycle thousands of miles across Australia to share his story.

His experience is said to have begun when he met pastor Tom Kent, who shared with him the gospel.

And it is a descendent of Tom Kent who is behind this week’s island odyssey.

Anthony Kent—who now lives in Washington DC—is the great-great-grandson of Tom Kent, and is speaking this weekend at Islesburgh Community Centre.

According to the Shetland Times, Adventist pastors from both Norway and Scotland participated in the trip.

Fellow pastor Wilfred Masih said he was delighted to be in the isles.

“We’re cycling through Shetland. We’re having conversations with locals, talking to them about hope.”

He said the talk at Islesburgh would focus on the evidence for the existence of Jesus Christ—“and what that actually means”.

—From the Shetland Times, "Cycling Pastors Bring Message to Isles."

Loma Linda University Graduates Two Sets of Twins

Loma Linda University this May graduated two sets of twins as physicians and pharmacists. Lauren and Karen Bathan, who grew up in Loma Linda, will both pursue careers in internal medicine, Lauren at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria and Karen at Kaiser Santa Clara in NorCal. Chino natives Christopher and Luis Chan are now graduates from LLU's School of Pharmacy. "Christopher was accepted into a PGY-1 pharmacy residency program at Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center in the fall, and Luis plans to start working at a local community pharmacy this summer," according to Lucas Combos reporting for Patch.

The Bathans follow in the footsteps of their mom, a nurse practitioner, and dad, a physical therapy assistant, but are carving their own paths.

"Although our parents first influenced us to have a healthcare career, we decided to become doctors to lead patient care," Lauren said.

"The culture of compassion and practice of whole person care was the perfect foundation for how we want to practice medicine," Karen added.

. . .

Born to immigrant parents from China and Hong Kong, the Chans are practicing Buddhists and said they applied to Loma Linda because of its faith-based academic health sciences center and learning environment.

"We chose LLU School of Pharmacy after interviews with other schools because everyone was so welcoming here," Christopher said. "The faculty truly cared about our success—we weren't just another candidate like other places."

"Having the opportunity to integrate our faith practice as part of our studies helped us get through," Luis added. "Although our religions are different, we are connected to God and believe in the mission to Make Man Whole."

. . .

Representatives from Loma Linda University tell Patch that while other sets of twins have graduated from the school before, this is the first time two sets have done so at the same time.

—From Patch, "2 Sets of IE Twins Make History, Graduating as Doctors on Same Day."

Additional Site Proposed to be Named in Honor of Desmond Doss

An additional site in Lynchburg, Virginia, may be named in honor of Desmond Doss, adding to the several which have already been named in his honor. Virginia Representative Bob Good presented a bill on May 15 that proposes naming Lynchburg's Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic be named after Doss, who was a native of the city, writes Bryson Gordon for The News & Advance.

Doss was a Seventh-Day Adventist who became a medic in the Army, saving at least 75 lives during the Battle of Hacksaw Ridge in Okinawa, Japan.

Aside from receiving numerous awards from the military for his service, Doss’ story was famously portrayed in the two-time Academy Award-winning film “Hacksaw Ridge,” directed by Mel Gibson.

Good’s bill would change the name of the clinic in Lynchburg to be known as “Private First Class Desmond T. Doss VA Clinic,” according to the resolution.

“The brave men and women in uniform who have given so much to defend our country and preserve our freedoms deserve to be honored and remembered,” Good said in a statement.

“Heroes like Desmond Doss forged legacies that are more than worthy of commemoration. I can think of no better way to honor him in Lynchburg than to put his name on the VA clinic which serves the veterans to whom our community is so indebted.”

—From The News & Advance, "Rep. Bob Good Introduces Bill That Could Rename VA Clinic after Desmond Doss."

Trinidad Seventh-day Adventist Elementary Students, Parents, and Staff March against Violence

The Sangre Grande Seventh-day Adventist  Primary School in Trinidad sponsored an anti-crime march, organized by principal Denise Elliot and her staff, according to The Guardian Trinidad & Tobago. "During the event, students, parents, and teachers, led by Pastor Clive Dottin, walked . . . into the Main Street of Sangre Grande armed with messages on placards that read, 'Protect Our Kids;' 'Let us love one another;' 'The World Needs more love;' 'Say no to Violence;' 'Put down the Guns;' and chanting 'Stop the Violence.'"

Dottin says it is time for the countrys leaders [to] listen to young voices crying out for an end to the violence and crime afflicting T&T. . . . He congratulated principal Denise Elliot and her staff for the march, noting crime had touched the school following the murder of a six-year-old.

“They are still in pain for a child who never live to fulfil her dreams, she was shot and killed. In addition, the criminals had no sympathy, they later burned down the house. It is rivalry and revenge by gangs who are destroying the young and having havoc on society. This is where we are. It is a revenge society,” Dottin said.

. . .

Principal Elliot said the school is in a hot spot and has been negatively impacted by crime. She too appealed for all to join forces together against crime.

“It is our purpose to fight crime,” she said.

—From The Guardian Trinidad & Tobago, "Pastor Dottin Says Youth Crying Out for Change."

 


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 Yucaipa, California.

Photo by Spencer Wungin on Unsplash.

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