29 July 2009
Health seminars enrich skills to reach out
Three successive events were held to enrich volunteers who are involved in the health ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Myanmar (MYUM), July 29 to August 9.
Hopping from one venue to another, Pastor Abraham Carpena, health ministry director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the southern Asia-Pacific region (SSD), joined the team of presenters leading out in the activities of the three events in coordination with the health ministry department of MYUM.
The first of the training events, July 29-31, was held in Yangon, the capital city of Myanmar, for 28 community healthy promoters. The team conducted lectures, presentations, and demonstrations on NEWSTART (Nutrition, Exercise, Water, Sunshine, Temperance, Air, Rest, and Trust in divine power), massage, and hydrotherapy.
On August 3-4, the team went to Pathein, the capital city of the Ayeyarwaddy division about 140 miles from Yangon. Attended by pastors and church leaders, the health training focused on Regeneration.
About 180 miles further from Yangon, the team travelled to Mawlamyine, the capital of the State of Mon, to meet with 37 participants, who were as enthusiastic as those who attended the two previous training seminars. Also focused on Regeneration, the training enabled the participants to have greater zeal, pledging themselves to reach out to their community with the health message in order to expand the everlasting kingdom of God in their own field.
These events made it possible for the participants to learn that the health ministry forms the Christ-centered support group as a tool for evangelistic efforts and activities.
“What a great advantage for us to understand the Adventist health principles and how we can use these for reaching out to people of their health needs,” said Ms Khin Sa Htay, one of the participants. “This is not only good knowledge to be imparted to others, it is more beneficial if we practice them ourselves,” concluded all the participants. [Htway Lay/Myo Chan]
