Issuu

Spring 2022

A quarterly journal of Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists

Stand

STANDING TOGETHER

LEADERS IN UNIFORM MINISTRIES STAND UP

CAMP KULAQUA - TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

STAND UP AND WALK BY FAITH “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7 In 2015, Sara Claudia Tillman was a college student with big plans for her future. Then, a routine surgery led to unforeseen complications. While at home recovering, Sara was found unresponsive and was rushed to the hospital. Her life was saved, but she lost her sight and part of her hearing. It was an enormous challenge to adjust to life without sight, to relearn how to do everything as a blind person. Yet, Sara’s faith in God helped her stand up and overcome. “He’s the reason I’m able to get over each roadblock I encounter,” Sara shared with reporters who asked how she was able to go on. “It’s definitely the reason I’ve had such a positive attitude.” Today, Sara’s passion is helping people learn how to “walk by faith, not by sight,” something she knows well. She says 2 Corinthians 5:7 has become her motto. “I have seen this verse ring true in my life both spiritually and literally as I navigate the world without my sight.” What does it mean to walk by faith and not by sight? According to Sara, it means 1) to keep moving, even when you don’t know where you are going, 2) to understand there is more than what can be seen, and 3) to trust God, even when you can’t see Him working. These may be familiar experiences for all of us, having gone through the past two years of uncertainty. We may have been knocked down, but if we know we are to walk by faith, we can stand up and press on. Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Faith is taking the first step, even when you don’t see the whole staircase.” Our Spring 2022 issue of Florida Focus is all about standing up. During this year, you will hear a lot about pressing on. “Press On” is the theme of our regular constituency session, Camp Meeting, and is the call that will drive our decisions and conversations during 2022. Standing up is a crucial first step toward pressing on. I pray this issue encourages you to stand up. In these pages, you will read stories of those who have stood up for Christ and for their neighbors, who have stood up in their churches to make a difference. You will learn how the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Florida and beyond worked together to help victims of the crisis in Ukraine and provided necessary aid to our brothers and sisters across the world. It is my hope that, when faced with seemingly insurmountable challenges, we choose to stand up and keep walking together, by faith. While on the topic of Press On, I am looking forward to seeing you at Camp Meeting 2022. We were immensely blessed by last year’s first-ever virtual Camp Meeting, but there’s nothing quite like breathing the fresh Camp Kulaqua air and joining together in fellowship. Whether you join us in person or stream the event, I know we will all be blessed by the message of the Lord through our main speaker, Dr. Carlton Byrd. May the Lord bless you always,

Allan Machado, D.Min. Florida Conference President

Table of CONTENTS 4

STANDING TOGETHER

SAY “NO” MORE, AND STOP FEELING GUILTY

CHARACTER IS BUILT ON WHAT WE STAND FOR

LEADERS IN UNIFORM MINISTRIES STAND UP

STAND UP FOR THE REAL RUTH?

CAMP MEETING

CAMP KULAQUA - TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH

LITTLE READERS

SIN MIEDO

ABC CAMP MEETING SPECIALS ABC BOOKS & FOODS

ABC DELIVERY SCHEDULE

FLORIDA CONFERENCE IS HIRING

Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® and mailed free of charge to constituent members with nonprofit standard postage paid in Orlando, Florida.

FLORIDA FOCUS is published quarterly by

Florida Conference of Seventh-day Adventists® 351 S. State Road 434, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714-3824 (407) 644-5000 • www.floridaconference.com • floridafocus@floridaconference.com President: Allan Machado floridaconference Executive Secretary: Tim Goff floridaconf Treasurer: Elisa Rahming florida.conference Editor: Raquel Levy Editorial Staff: Gladys Neigel / Public Relations Department

Standing Together

Florida Conference Delivers Critical Humanitarian Aid by Raquel Levy In the Bible, followers of Christ are urged time and time again to step up and help others. Proverbs 3:27 tells us to never withhold good from those who need it when it’s in our power to act. In Paul’s letter to Galatians, he expresses the importance of carrying each other’s burdens (Galatians 6:2) and using our freedom not to please ourselves but to serve one another humbly (Galatians 5:13). In one of His most well-known teachings, Jesus reminds us that when we help those who are hungry or thirsty, when we welcome the stranger, clothe the needy, look after the sick and visit those in prison, it’s as if we did those things for Him (Matthew 25: 34-40.) This is especially true in times of crisis. FRONTLINE AID FOR UKRAINE CRISIS On February 24, the world was shocked to see a major escalation of the Russo-Ukrainian conflict when Russian forces invaded Ukraine. In the weeks since, we have seen thousands of deaths and millions of people displaced. Upon seeing the tragedies unfolding, the Seventh-day Adventist Church mobilized to help those on the ground in Ukraine. 4

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In addition to Adventist Development and Relief Agency’s (ADRA) efforts to help Ukrainian refugees, Florida Conference is working directly with the Adventist Church in Ukraine to help feed, heat, and transport victims. Offerings from Florida Conference given to aid the Ukraine crisis are received the next day in Kyiv. In just the first week, funds were used to purchase a bus that brought bread for 10,000 families at the center of the conflict and hundreds of gallons of fuel to help people get out of Kyiv. After supplies are dropped off, the empty bus is then used to transport people out of the capital. More than 2,000 people are evacuated weekly. As offerings are received every week, the work is ongoing and the number of people helped continues to increase. As of mid-March, Florida Conference offerings have totaled nearly $130,000. “I believe this project exemplifies the best of what the Seventhday Adventist Church has to offer,” said Doug Hardt, senior pastor of the Markham Woods church in Central Florida. Hardt, who was a missionary overseas in the former Soviet Union for a number of years, has been working closely with the Adventist church in

the center of Kyiv. “It’s unusual for a humanitarian effort to see such instant gratification, to know that donations are helping real people and making a difference in a matter of days. Thanks to our worldwide system, we can work with division, union, and conference treasurers to get funds where they are needed.” Hardt also expresses the importance of this project. “Unless you have lived or spent time in a war zone, you don’t realize the urgency of getting people to safety. These offerings help people get out of a place where bombs are landing. This is the frontline of aid, a crucial first step: get people to safety and keep them alive.”

You can donate to Ukraine Crisis Relief through your local church, or via AdventistGiving.org by entering the desired amount in the “Ukraine” field under “World” offerings. Scan here to donate to Ukraine Crisis Relief. Florida Conference also supported No Child Hungry and City of Destiny Church in Apopka, Florida to pack one million meals for Ukraine refugee relief. Executive Secretary Tim Goff, along with the Adventist Community Services department of Florida Conference, worked with City of Destiny to recruit 1,850 volunteers to assemble and pack the meals in just 24 hours. On Saturday, March 5, at 6:10 p.m. the thousands of volunteers cheered as they hit their goal of one million meals. Organizers were grateful for the huge influx of volunteers from local churches, Pathfinder clubs, academy students, Florida Conference staff, pastors, and committee members. Meals were flown into Poland and arrived the next day.

A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY IN CUBA In November 2021, Florida Conference, Southeastern Conference, and AdventHealth learned of a rare opportunity to send aid to Cuba. As it’s uncommon for the Cuban government to receive aid from the United States, the six-week window in which aid could enter the country free of charge was an opening that could not be passed up. “This opportunity meant the world to us,” said Conrad Duncan, VP for General Management and Adventist Community Service director for Florida Conference. “We have always wanted to help the Cuban people and never had the chance. Once we learned of the six-week window, nothing or no one would stop us from answering this call from the Lord.” The two conferences and AdventHealth had to work quickly to meet the deadline. Supplies and donations had to be on the ground in Cuba before the end of the year. Thanks to the Lord, the generosity of local church members who donated funds or supplies, and an advance of $10,000 from Florida Conference, essential aid arrived in Cuba on December 29, 2021, and was received by the President of the Cuban Union Conference. Inside a 40-foot container were more than 40,000 pounds of food, hygiene products, and medicine, a total investment of $31,000. These provisions included items very hard to come by in Cuba, such as milk powder, cooking oil, acetaminophen and ibuprofen, face masks, and much more. “It was a joyous experience to work with AdventHealth and Southeastern Conference on this project,” said Duncan. “I’ve been blessed to work with them many times, but this one was special. To be able to meet the needs of the Cuban people is one of the best things we’ve been able to accomplish.”

FLORIDA FOCUS | SPRING 2022

Say “No” More, and Stop Feeling Guilty by Efrain Duany, D.Min., LMFT In my early years of pastoral ministry, I felt guilty every time I said no to a request. Due to my lack of boundaries, and the need to feel accepted and loved by others, I had the tendency to say yes to everything. If I said no, I felt like I was not fulfilling my ministry, or that I would be rejected. I worked hard to make my members comfortable, often at the expense of my family. I was overly focused on being liked, engaging in activities I didn’t want to do just to please others. Why did I behave like this? First, I was taught that ministry was more important than my own needs, or even my family’s needs. I was raised in a pastoral family, and I remember my dad serving day and night without limits. Since God was first in his life, ministry was also first. Second, I had a false identity. I believed that my worth as a person and a minister came from the acceptance of others. Third, I had low self-esteem. I thought that I needed approval to feel that I was loved. My biggest problem was that I did not recognize my behavior as a problem. I thought I was being generous and kind, but it was a negative coping skill in disguise. I must confess that I suffered tremendously because of these actions, but my main regret is that I put my family in second place. When I could have been enjoying my family and making core memories with them, I was chasing other families’ problems instead. With God’s help, I realized the negative effects of my behavior and decided to change my life. I began to read books and listen to podcasts about boundaries in ministry. I found friends to whom I could become accountable and began to share my experience with them. I found a good Christian counselor that helped me grow emotionally and understand the identity I had in Christ. Setting personal boundaries helped me define my identity and I began to say no without feeling guilty. What are boundaries? Boundaries are like the property lines around a home. It is that imaginary line, or sometimes a real line, that defines your space. For me, this process started by practicing self-awareness. Without self-awareness, I did not know where my boundaries were placed. My boundaries were not clear, and I allowed people to enter my space. Sadly, I also encroached on the boundaries of others. 6

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When you do not know where your boundary is, you will not know where another person’s line is either. Developing healthy boundaries helps you care for others. I learned to have a stable foundation and I was not distracted or depleted by insecurities or blind spots. In my learning process, I discovered that Jesus set boundaries in His ministry and said no many times. Jesus knew exactly who He was. When Satan came to tempt Him, He rejected Satan’s false identity. He argued that His identity was not in His actions, performance, possessions, or popularity, but in the fact that He was loved and cared for by His Father (Mathew 4:1-11). Jesus set personal boundaries by accepting his limitations. Even though He was God, He was also human, and He accepted His need for nourishment, rest, and more importantly that He could only be in one place at a time (John 6:3; Mark 1:38). Jesus made His personal care, and His spiritual life, a priority. Many times, He departed from the crowds to replenish His emotional energy and spend time with The Father (Luke 5:15-16; Mathew 16:23). Today, I challenge you to say no without feeling guilty. Are you asking yourself, where do I even begin? First, begin to say no and remember that you were created to please God, not anyone else (2 Corinthians 5:9). God will accept you unconditionally. Do not be driven by the agenda of others, make it a priority to please God in everything that you do. Second, begin to say no and say yes to what is important to you. Warren Buffet said, “Successful people say no to almost everything.” If you said no more, what could you say yes to? Maybe to more quality time with your family, more self-care, better mental health, or more time with God. Saying no is sometimes saying yes. Third, begin to say no and stand your ground. Some people will not take no for an answer. They will urge you and come up with all kinds of creative solutions, but you must stand your ground and repeat your initial response. No one should force you to do something that you do not want to do. Today is the day to stand your ground without feeling guilty. I know that it can be tough to say no, but remember that saying no is a sign of respect to your God, and yourself.

CHARACTER IS BUILT ON WHAT WE

STAND FOR

by Alexander E. Schlussler

It is never easy to stand up to the crowd and speak on behalf of the oppressed. When we stand up for anything that goes against the accepted norms of the surrounding culture, we risk being persecuted by them as well.

for. The Apostle Paul said, “Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also the interest of others,” Philippians 2:4. To be concerned with the issues others face is to have empathy for their situation.

Speaking out against all forms of oppression is always the right thing to do. Prevailing opinions should never intimidate us. Yet the truth is, regardless of what others think, ultimately, our values determine what we will or will not stand for. Values are the primary element of our psychological make-up and our identity.

When coaching, or even conversing with loved ones, empathy is an important tool. You have probably experienced situations when you have shared your heart with someone who is hearing you, but not really listening. You could likely tell this person had no interest in listening to your problem or challenge, much less standing up to help you. Expressing empathy for others helps them not only feel heard, but think more clearly about their situation and share those thoughts confidently.

Simply put, our values cause us to say yes and no to everything we encounter in life. If we value the rights of others, then we will most certainly stand up to who or what may be attempting to take them away. In the end, we are defined by what we value, what is most important to us. It has been said that character is built on what we stand for, and reputation on what we fall for. The apostle Paul tells us, “Let us not be weary in doing good; for at the proper time, we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have the opportunity, let us do good,” Galatians 6:9-10. Standing up for the rights of others in many cases is more important than standing up for our own. When people seek to suppress freedom for some, and we remain silent, we become responsible for that oppression, and we may well become its next victim. The great scientist and philosopher Albert Einstein said, “The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything.” No matter how we respond to the events that happen around us, be it for, against, or neutral, we have chosen what side we stand

Expressing empathy can also help you grow as a person and a follower of Christ. The more you support and stand up for others, the more you’ll be willing to do it again. The best part is, we need not feel lost or unsure where to begin. We have the best example of empathy and action in Jesus Christ. George S. McGovern, a former senator, once said, “Empathy is born out of the old biblical injunction ‘Love the neighbor as thyself.” When asked which is the greatest commandment, Jesus speaks clearly, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments,” Matthew 22:37-40. There are many ways to stand up for your neighbor, your brother or sister in Christ, as He commanded. Why not start with empathy? You will find that it becomes easier—second nature, even—to speak up and stand up for others.

FLORIDA FOCUS | SPRING 2022

by Pedro Perez, Florida Conference Director of Adventurers, Pathfinders, and MCC

Most of us stand up every day in ordinary and familiar ways. To get out of bed, we stand up. To get out of a car, we stand up. If we have been sitting at work, we stand up. If we eat at a table, we stand up when finished. There are other instances of people standing up that really catch our attention. When someone does something uncommon and chooses to stand up to lead, it captures our interest and can cause us to want to slow down in reflection. Let’s take a moment to look at leaders in uniform ministries who decided to stand up in extraordinary ways:

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Miguel Pabon Miguel had some previous experience in Pathfinder ministry in other places but not at Melbourne Church where he attended. When an opening arose in Pathfinders, he and his wife decided to step up and take over leadership of the Pathfinder Club. Soon the Club was growing, and Adventurer kids were also attending. After learning there wasn’t an Adventurer leader, Miguel and his wife felt impressed to start an Adventurer Club. In addition, a Deputy Director, Margaret Gary, decided to stand up and help, too! The Adventurer Club would not be the same without her. She, along with the other leaders, adults, and the young people they recruited have been part of an answered prayer. They are proof that the Lord cares for His children, that He will call and equip His servants to work for good in their lives. The Club started with three and now has 15 young Adventurers! When a leader chooses to Stand Up and serve, God has a way of taking a willing heart and opening a door full of ministry opportunities.

Alex Flores While helping a neighborhood with cleanup after multiple hurricanes hit Central Florida in the summer of 2004, Alex Flores dreamed of what it would be like to have a team of young people trained and mobilized to do good and serve communities when disaster strikes. Growing up, Alex was not your typical kid. He had attended a military-themed private school from grades 1-12, was in Junior ROTC in high school, and had two years of Air Force ROTC while attending the University of Central Florida. As an adult, he helped with Pathfinders and wondered what was available for kids once they aged out of Pathfinders. When the opportunity came to work with the Conference as the State Drill Director, he agreed and helped take drill ministry to another level during his eight years as director. When Florida Conference first launched the Medical Cadet Corps in 2019, Alex was asked to be the First Officer. He is humbled to see how the combination of his military background, discipline and structure, and connection with Pathfinder ministry all served to prepare him for his current role. Alex is excited to see MCC grow and continue to be a place for young adults and adults alike to belong and serve communities, especially in times of disaster and need.

Alex models what it means for a leader to stand up by taking on a new role to help launch a new ministry. Sometimes it is easier to stay with the familiar, but Alex decided to transform his background into a new ministry that will bless many. He looks forward to seeing how God will build MCC while he watches even more young people and adults find fulfillment in serving God through their communities. For more information regarding Medical Cadets Corps visit: www.floridaconference.com/mcc

Hector Hiraldo “I will stand up”, said Hector Hiraldo as he became the Pathfinder Director for the Poinciana Spanish Pathfinder Club in 2019 at age 18. Hector had watched his director while he was a Pathfinder. As he got older, he knew he wanted to help, be actively involved in ministry, and work with kids. After having been a Pathfinder himself for eight years, dreaming about the TLT (Teen Leadership Training) program, and getting a chance to serve as Pathfinder staff, Hector felt ready to take on this role. He had a good relationship with the elder that oversaw Pathfinders, and the elder agreed to be the Deputy Director. The biggest challenge was finding enough leaders to stand up and help, so he looked to other young people, 18-25-year-olds, to round out his staff. Hector is now 21, and he is still the Club Director. Yes, he has kept this Club going through the Pandemic—no small task. What makes his story even more impressive is to think how he stood up at a time when so many were walking away from church. What a compliment to the pastor and church for believing in and supporting a young man who was ready and willing to stand up and serve! Who are the leaders in Uniform Ministries (Pathfinders, Adventurers, Medical Cadet Corps) that have taken the challenge to stand up in your church? Are you one of them? If so, thank you! If you are a local church leader, why not talk to your pastor to plan a special Sabbath celebration for your leaders in uniform who stand up? Why not invite them up front one Sabbath and acknowledge them for standing up and make an appeal for other leaders to stand up and join them? A special thanks from Florida Conference Pathfinder/ Adventurer/MCC Department to all those leaders, who over the years and especially during the pandemic, have chosen to stand up! We salute you, and thank God for you! To learn more about Pathfinders and Adventurers, visit www.floridaconference.com/pad FLORIDA FOCUS | SPRING 2022

STAND UP FOR THE REAL RUTH? by Anderline Bredy, M.Div. And he said, “Who art thou?” And she answered, “I am Ruth thine handmaid: spread therefore thy skirt over thine handmaid; for thou art a near kinsman” (Ruth 3:9 KJV). Although the story of Ruth and Boaz speaks to the hidden romantic in us, the text brings to light some new thoughts on God’s redemption and restoration plan within the role of a ga’al, which is often translated as kinsman-redeemer, (Ruth 2:20, 3:9). Leviticus 25 defines a kinsman-redeemer role as the act of a relative redeeming the property of another relative by paying the price of the property, (Leviticus 25:25-30, 47-55). The purpose of this role was redemption from material destitution to restoration of livelihood and ultimately identity. A ga’al functions to redeem us from spiritual destitution and restore us to abundant new life, which we later apply to Jesus, (John 10:10, Ephesians 1:7; and Hebrews 9:12). The framework for this perspective draws from a time of famine in Bethlehem and a time of judges, (Ruth 1:1). The physical famine is the force that drives Elimelech to move his family, which included his wife Naomi, and two sons: Mahlon and Chilion, to Moab where their sons married Ruth and Orpah, (Ruth 1:1-5.) The text also speaks of a spiritual famine as the catalyst for Elimelech, whose name means “God is my king,” to move. In the time of judges, we are told there was no king and “everyone did what was right in their own eyes,” Judges 21:25. Judah was to be a tribe of kings to fulfill the messianic prophecy as given by God in the garden of Eden and confirmed by the lineage of David and Jesus, (Genesis 3:15). To depart from the land was a disregard of the covenant made to God, (Deuteronomy 23:3) and of Elimelech’s birthright. Moab had long been a political and moral enemy, (Numbers 21:29; Jeremiah. 48:1-9; and 2 Kings 3:26-27) and excluded relations of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 23:3). Elimelech lost everything to “what was right in his own eyes” including his life, his sons, and his reputation, (Genesis. 13:10, Judges 21:25, Ruth 1:3-5, 20-22). After the death of her husband and sons, Naomi, whose name means pleasant, returned to Bethlehem with Ruth, who was unwilling to depart from the ways of God to honor her mother-in-law. Naomi refutes the joyful welcome and names herself bitter because she perceived that “the Lord has testified against me and the Almighty has afflicted me,” Ruth 1:20-21, 2;1-3. 10

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Naomi assumed her life and Ruth’s life were a spiritual famine, or broken covenant with God, and deemed herself unworthy of her name, Leviticus 25:25; and Ruth 4: 4, 6. Naomi represents the spiritual destitution of complex grief and trauma due to repetitive loss that crushes the spirit, (Psalms 34:18). Ruth entered Bethlehem carrying the physical destitution as a widowed, childless, abandoned, impoverished, minimum wage immigrant worker, grieving, marginalized, a caretaker, and consoler, (Ruth 1-2). There are two turning points in this story that speak to a broader perspective of ga’al. The first turning point of this redemption and restoration plan is found with Ruth as the ga’al of Naomi’s faith journey, (Ruth 1: 11-18). Ruth’s name is often translated as friend or companion, but the suggested etymology of her name reveals the potential alternate meaning of vision for revelation/understanding or a pasture or shepherd. Ruth’s courage and faithfulness is acknowledged within Boaz’s blessing of Ruth under the covenantal name of God, “The Lord God of Israel,” for “full reward,” Ruth 2:8-12. Is there payment for Ruth’s actions? Or is it possible that Ruth was to redeem the spiritual destitution of Naomi and the children of Israel in terms of their loyalty and faithfulness to God? Further, Ruth should have been banned from fellowship with God’s people, (Deuteronomy 23:3). Instead Ruth is blessed under God’s promise that all families will be blessed because of Abraham, and Boaz becomes ga’al of this promise by redeeming the physical destitution of Ruth and Naomi, (Ruth 4:11-12, 24-22; Gen 12:2-3). The second turning point of this redemption and restoration plan is often highlighted by Boaz as ga’al, whose name means “in or with strength.” Ruth’s loyalty and faithfulness is risked by Naomi to name Boaz as the ga’al, (Ruth 3:1-5, 9-11, 18). It is to be noted that Ruth, adorned as a bride, seeks out her redemption at the cost of her reputation; thus, the image of God seeking after us is not exemplified here. This speaks to a foreshadowing of a faithfulness that will risk it all to follow Christ, (Luke 14:23-33), indicating the shift to Boaz assuming his role as the tangible kinsman-redeemer. Boaz questions Ruth’s identity, and her response establishes the following: 1) her old identity, 2) her new identity, 3) his purpose, 4) and his new identity (Ruth 3:9; Genesis 32:27-29). Ruth displays the inclusivity of God in redeeming and restoring all. Our divine ga’al, Jesus, who opens the seals for our restoration as a lamb that was slain, calls to all the Ruths and Boazes in His lineage to stand up (Ruth 4:1-12; Matthew 1:1-6, Exodus 6:6; Isaiah. 6:1, 35:9; and Revelation 5:5-6).

Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong. 1 Corinthians 16:13

TAKING A LEAP OF FAITH by Phil Younts, Camp Ministries Director

FLORIDA FOCUS | SPRING 2022

Camp Kulaqua was privileged to build a 60-foot high tower called the Tower of Faith. From the time it was built a few years back, we’ve seen it enrich and benefit our visitors and summer camp attendees, both physically and spiritually. On this tower, four activities will challenge our youth and anyone else who is brave enough to try it. There is a beginner’s rock climbing element, an advanced rock climbing wall, a “Zip of Faith” zip line, and a free-fall leap known as the “Leap of Faith.” Of the four elements, the Leap of Faith is the most challenging. As you stand at the top of the 60-foot tower, wearing a body harness that connects to a cable on your back, you must walk out on a narrow jump platform without holding on to anything. You are called to jump off the platform believing that the cable catches you halfway down. At summer camp, campers are rotated as cabin units through some of the activities, including the Tower of Faith. The Christian activity staff are not only trained with needed safety skills, but are also trained in methods of encouraging and teaching life lessons from their activities. One sunny afternoon at summer camp, the Cardinal Cabin and its eight girls arrived at the Tower of Faith with their counselor. After they were all harnessed up and instructed on the safety procedures they started the tall climb to reach the Leap of Faith. The first young lady stepped up to the platform, was hooked up to the cable, and listened as the instructor guided her to move slowly, take a big breath, and leap off the tower. She tried but could not make herself jump, standing frozen in fear. The instructor and her cabin mates tried to encourage her to jump, but to no avail.

The instructor asked her to step back onto the security of the waiting area and watch a few of the other girls jump. After seeing a few of her cabin mates leap off the tower successfully, she hooked up to the cable and inched her way out to the narrow jumping platform. She again listened to the instructions and tried to force herself to make the jump. She knew that she wanted to jump but her fears were standing in the way. She even tried closing her eyes but nothing worked. Now, with tears in her eyes, she stepped back onto the safety area and continued to watch as others jumped and cheered with glee. Her counselor put her arm around her and tried to encourage her to try again. By now, all of the girls had jumped except for her. She stepped out onto the platform, the instructor hooked her up, she inched her way out to the jump-off point... and again she froze in fear. Knowing how important it was for this young lady to overcome her fear, the instructor spoke gently to her and suggested they kneel right there and then and ask Jesus to give her the courage to stand up and take the Leap of Faith. When their prayer was done, she stood up, took a death breath, and jumped out into mid-air! When she landed, her cabin mates cheered her on. She had overcome her fears and completed the leap. At Camp Ministries, we hope that when this young lady faces what seem to be insurmountable challenges throughout her life, she will remember that day at the Tower of Faith. She will remember how Jesus helped her do what seemed impossible. She will stand up for Jesus, and take the leap of faith.

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The Fiery Furnace

with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego Read Daniel 1, 2:46-49, 3:1-30 to answer the puzzle below!

STAND UP FOR JESUS Have you heard the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego? Sure, they had unique names, and a very special story. Nebuchadnezzar was a powerful king who ordered a huge golden statue of himself. When the statue was done, King Nebuchadnezzar forced everyone to bow down to it. Scared of the king, almost everyone bowed down. Except three young men: Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They told Nebuchadnezzar that they only worshipped the true God and they would not bow down. They stood up for Jesus, knowing it was the right thing to do. This made the king so angry that he had the three young men thrown in a fiery furnace, which was heated seven times hotter than usual. The king expected them to die immediately, but they stood firm inside the furnace. Even more incredible, the king saw four men inside, instead of the three he had thrown in. When they walked out safely, even King Nebuchadnezzar praised God!

Across 2 . Who was the fourth person that appeared in the fire? 4 . King Nebuchadnezzar was furious because the three men refused to ____________. 5 . Four of the captives were given new names: Belteshazzar. Shadrach, Meshach, and ____________. 6. Babylonia was filled with ____________. worshippers and the four men were faithful to God. 7. The Babylonians thought these four men were ready for ____________. 9. The king threw the three men into a ____________ ?

Down 1. The four men studied and trained for _______ years 3. Babylonian ____________ plotted a scheme to get rid of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 4. The Israelites were under the capture of the __________. 8. Building began on a giant ____________ that everyone was required to worship.

1. 3.

2. 4.

Color Me In!

FLORIDA FOCUS | SPRING 2022

STAND UP FOR OTHERS God had a special plan for Esther. Esther was a Jewish woman who became the Queen of Persia by marrying the king. The king’s most trusted official, Haman, had an evil plot to eliminate all the Jews in the kingdom because he was angry with them. Esther’s uncle Mordecai asked Esther to beg the king to not kill their people. He even said to her, “I think you were made queen for such a time as this.” But there was a problem: it was forbidden to go see the king without an invitation. But Esther couldn’t wait, she had to risk everything to go talk to him, and she did. God was with her, and instead of being punished, the king welcomed her, understood that what Haman wanted to do was very wrong, and stopped his evil plan. All because Esther was courageous and stood up for others!

STAND UP FOR YOURSELF A long time ago, in the town of Jericho, lived a man named Zacchaeus. He was a tax collector, and was not very popular. People did not like him because tax collectors made a lot of money, sometimes by cheating. One day, Jesus was passing through Jericho and a huge crowd gathered to see Him. Zaccheus was eager to see and talk to Jesus, but the crowd was too big and no one would let him pass. He also wasn’t very tall, but he wasn’t going to let that stop him. He climbed the tallest tree, and as Jesus was passing by, he called out to Zacchaeus and said “Zacchaeus, come down! I must visit your house today.” The townspeople did not like that, and began to complain. They said it was wrong for Jesus to visit such a sinner. When he heard this, Zacchaeus said he would change. He promised to give half of his money and possessions to the poor, and would pay back all the people he cheated, four times more! Jesus reminded everyone that, even though Zacchaeus had sinned, he was still a son of God, just like everyone else. Zacchaeus stood up for himself by refusing to be turned away by the crowd, knowing just how important it was for him to meet Jesus.

QUEEN ESTHER

Sin Miedo por Rafael Escobar

“Saludos, pastor Escobar, estamos listos para comenzar la mudanza.” Con esas palabras comenzó hace unos siete años atrás un viaje que me enseñaría que ser un discípulo de Cristo no es un nombramiento que te dan, sino una experiencia de crecimiento espiritual que se fortalece paulatinamente y que nos permite expresar sin miedo que somos seguidores de Jesucristo a diario. Estuve años pastoreando iglesias, siendo el “pastor” y sin embargo, ¿qué pasaría cuando ese pequeño prefijo no estuviese más? Llegué a mi destino, ahora era tiempo de no ser más el “Pastor” Escobar, sino Rafael Escobar, el seguidor de Jesús.

testificación por Jesús llegase a otro nivel. El apóstol Pablo le escribió a los Romanos en el versículo 1:16 diciendo; “No me da vergüenza anunciar la buena noticia, el evangelio, gracias a que yo sè que es poder de Dios. Esa es la parte central en la que tú y yo podemos entender que en el momento que nosotros, sin miedo, nos levantamos para testificar de las buenas noticias, se nos confiere una ayuda sobrenatural y el Espíritu Santo se encarga de usarnos como sus instrumentos para demostrar el poder de Dios, lo que siempre será mucho más efectivo y poderoso que cualquier titulo que se pueda ostentar.

Debo reconocer que me incomodaba un poco la idea, me sentía incompleto. Cuando la gente preguntaba ¿cómo te llamas? resultaba muy fácil colocar el prefijo de “pastor ” y gracias a eso, explicar mis funciones, dar testimonio y como consecuencia recibir aceptación de una forma natural.

Esta nueva realidad me hizo conseguir un trabajo para ayudarme económicamente. Dios dirigió mis pasos hasta un lugar que tenia que ver con fuego y sería también mi prueba de fuego como discípulo. Con un inglés quebrado y en medio de muchos retos sociales y profesionales, comencé en la Academia de Bomberos para convertirme en un bombero del estado de Michigan.

En aquel momento había llegado para mí el tiempo de estudiar en el seminario, ya no era más el pastor, era sólo un estudiante que por largo tiempo ahora tendría que testificar por Jesucristo sin tener la ayuda de un prefijo. Debo reconocer que tuve temor, esta nueva realidad estaba obligando a que mi

Nunca olvidaré estar sentado en el medio de todos los muchachos de la estación de bomberos y recibir las primera pregunta, “Cuéntanos, ¿quién es Rafael Escobar?” Pensé en segundos decir soy el pastor, pero ya no seria posible, estaba asustado, pensé en solo decir lo básico y no hablar de Jesús, no

FLORIDA FOCUS | SPRING 2022

hablar acerca del sábado que sabría que seria un punto difícil en la academia y entonces recuerdo que les dije; “Soy un estudiante en Andrews University, casado,tengo una perrita llamada Cookie,” respirè y también dije, “Soy un apasionado del evangelio de Jesús, adventista del séptimo día, me encanta decirle a la gente que a pesar del dolor tenemos esperanza en Cristo, estoy aquí preparándome para servir a este mundo de dolor en el nombre de Jesús ” El ambiente allí era diferente, no era la burbuja de la iglesia, me enfrentaba al mundo real, donde incluso yo, el pastor, sentía miedo. Pensé que se burlarían, pero no, hubo un silencio y el jefe se bomberos dijo; “¡Good!” Y para mí fue suficiente. Jesús te ha llamado a ser sal y luz, a testificar sin miedo de que le sigues. En 1 Corintios 1:18, Pablo escribe, “El mensaje de la cruz es una ridiculez para los que van rumbo a la destrucción pero nosotros, que vamos en camino a la salvación, sabemos que es el poder mismo de Dios.” No tengas miedo, crece en tu fe testificando sin miedo lo que Jesús hizo en tu vida. Siempre recordaré ese día en que dejé el miedo y testifiqué, porque entonces Dios me mostró su poder. Habla de Cristo sin miedo!

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