Inter-America: Students across Adventist schools and universities take time to pray

A student from the Ignacio Manuel Altamirano Adventist School in Mexico City, Mexico, prays during Inter-America’s special day of prayer activities in Adventist schools and universities on Mar. 7, 2013. Image by Abel Marquez/IAD

March 13, 2013 – Miami, Florida, United States…Libna Stevens/IAD
Thousands of students attending Adventist schools and universities across Inter-America took a day off from class work on March 7 and spent their time in prayer, Bible study, and worship activities instead. The special day marked the third consecutive year that church leaders, teachers and students throughout Adventist schools and universities have engaged in spiritual revival activities focused on promoting a daily prayer life on campus.

Dr. Gamaliel Florez, education director for the church in Inter-America. IAD File Photo.

“In Inter-America, we consider prayer to be so important that we have set aside academic activities for a day,” said Dr. Gamaliel Florez, education director for the church in Inter-America.
According to Dr. Florez, the message on the importance of prayer in the life of students and teachers is three-fold.
“Firstly,” he says, “God is the most important One in our educational system for we depend on Him for everything. Secondly, church leaders stand alongside our teachers and students and are concerned for their salvation. And, thirdly, we care and pray for our neighbors and local authorities.”
In Puerto Rico, these messages were visible on the campus of Antillean Adventist University (AAU) in Mayaguez, the hub of the territory-wide event. Nearly 1,000 church leaders, teachers, students, parents from the area Adventist schools and the community at large engaged in a series of activities the moment each one entered on campus.
“As each person entered the campus, there was a prayer station where they and their needs would be prayed for,” observed Dr. Florez, who traveled and took part in the special program.

High School students of the Ignacio Manuel Altamirano Adventist school in Mexico City, write their prayer requests onto helium balloons before releasing them on Mar. 7, 2013. Image by Abel Marquez/IAD

Students were given a special passport that would guide them to several stations throughout the campus such as a tent where they could read a verse in the Bible in English, Spanish, French, or Portuguese, a praise tent where students sang hymns and praise songs, an electronic testifying station where each one could send text messages on the cell phone, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to five of their friends, an intercessory prayer station where friends prayed for friends, as well as a performance by the AAU gymnastic team with several presentations inspired by the Bible, among other activities.
In addition, a central message was featured at the assembly campus auditorium where many students were challenged to give their life to Jesus and later witnessed the baptism of a fellow student.
“It was so moving to see students participating in the day’s activities,” said Dr. Florez, “to see the teachers supporting and encouraging students, who were touched by the activities, to seek a deeper spiritual relationship with God, was a true blessing.”
A representative of the Mayaguez mayor’s office spoke to the assembly and thanked the church for such activities and attested to the benefits of prayer and trust in God.

Students from six preparatory schools in East Jamaica gather for a day of prayer celebrations at the Kencot Adventist Church in St. Andrew, on Mar. 7, 2013. Image courtesy of East Jamaica Conference.

The day’s activity at AAU fit in perfectly as the church was in the middle of a week of prayer on campus, said Pastor Abiezer Rodriguez, pastor of AAU campus church and organizer of the day’s activities.
“Our main goal was to reach the heart of our students for Jesus,” said Rodriguez. “There are hundreds of our students who still need to seal their choice for the Savior, and the day’s activities were a testament to the importance of a daily prayerful life with Him.”
Elsewhere on the island, dozens of primary and secondary schools took part in prayer celebrations.
In Jamaica, some 400 students gathered from six Adventist primary and secondary schools at the Kencot Seventh-day Adventist School in St. Andrew, East Jamaica, to pray during a worship program. Church leaders and educators joined the activity and challenged students to live their life immersed in prayer.
Dinorah Rivera, children’s ministries director for the church in Inter-America, challenged pupils to pursue a life of prayer.

Delegates from the Ministry of Labor including Rosa Lidia Sitán (right), watch the special prayer program celebrated at the Orion Adventist School in Jocotenango, Sacatepequez, Guatemala, Mar. 7. Image by Gustavo Menendez/IAD

“Live a life of example in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity,” Rivera said. “Allow your characters to be molded into the character of Jesus as you pray each day.”
Students had the opportunity to pray together and share their experiences in answered prayers.
In Mexico City, dozens of Adventist schools participated in the prayer activities with music, drama performances, and more. The more than 230 students at the Ignacio Manuel Altamirano Adventist School in Mexico City wrote prayer requests on white helium balloons before praying and releasing the balloons into the sky.
In Guatemala, 27 primary and secondary schools held special prayer programs that included poems, drama presentations, a prayer request ceremony and more.

Students at the Orion Adventist School pray outside for the prayer petitions placed in a box.Image by Gustavo Menendez/IAD

Community and district leaders were invited to the Orion school in Jocotenango, Sacatepequez where they were given a gift Bible and were prayed for.
“It’s wonderful to how in the past three years, there is growing enthusiasm during the special day of prayer throughout educational institutions in our territory,” said Dr. Florez. “I have been able to see how students and teachers take one with greater enthusiasm this special day and more importantly they recognize the great importance for a victorious Christian life.”
Church leaders and educators will continue to promote prayer, Bible study and sharing of the gospel to Inter-America’s more than 173,000 students attending 1,002 schools including 14 universities across its territory.

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