08 March 2009 b

Regeneration Training kicks off in Peninsular Malaysia

First to happen in Peninsular Malaysia, the regeneration training of the church’s health department made impact on the 45 participants from Penang and Johor Bahru. The meetings were held at the Adventist Community Health Center, March 8-9.

Its theme, “Building Support for the Weak” that guided the 3-day event made a contribution to the life of the participants who travelled hundreds of kilometers to attend the training.

Pastors Abraham Carpena ang Gration Perera, health directors for the Adventist church in the southern Asia-Pacific region(SSD) and southeast Asia (SAUM), respectively, helped the participants understand the complexities that attend to processes of coping with drug addiction and recovery from this debilitating practice. These participants also discovered how the church can be a support group to wayward youth as they take their journey back to life without drugs.

Videos and a skit highlighted the event. The skit on “Burdened Family,” spelled out the effects of drug addiction not only on the user but on everyone in the family.

Carpena and Perera led out also in the commitment service. The church elder, who prayed for those who stood to commit themselves to start a support group in their community, invoked God’s blessing upon everyone to become a part of a unified effort to save people for God’s kingdom.

“This indeed will make impact to the community as our church gets involved with this initiative,” said participants.” [Jane Yap/AND]