July 24, 2020 | St. John’s, Antigua | Eulalie Semper, Health Director
The Seventh-day Adventist Church continues to promote a healthy lifestyle, especially in the midst of COVID-19. Lifestyle matters, and every individual, fully endowed with the power to think and to do, is encouraged to make heathy lifestyle choices that will improve quality of life. The Seventh-day Adventist Church endorse the counsel given by Ellen G. White in 1905: “Pure air, sunlight, abstemiousness, rest, exercise, proper diet, use of water, trust in divine power-these are the true remedies.”
The Health Department of the South Leeward Conference extends congratulations to the health associations in the different territories for the excellent work that they have been doing in keeping the membership and public educated during the threat of a pandemic that has devasted lives and has the potential to cripple world economies.
On July 21, 2020, the health associations from all the territories in the South Leeward Conference met to discuss the current health situation in each territory and to find ways to best manage the threat of COVID-19. The associations are privileged to have experienced professionals from different categories of the health sector who are well qualified to provide relevant and updated information that can guide the Adventist church.
Dr. Carson Greene, the president of the Conference, reminded those health leaders that it is a privilege to serve, especially at this time, for the Adventist Health Message is an entering wedge to hearts and it should not be taken for granted.
It was noted that the church should continue to be vigilant, since the cases of COVID-19 are increasing daily, and our territories, with their open borders, are still in danger. It is absolutely critical that the Adventist Church does not relax our guard. Instead, it should continue to lead out in practices that can reveal that the organization will do everything within its power to protect its membership and community. The protocol compiled by the Health Department is one such indication that the threat of COVID-19 would not to be taken lightly. All congregations are required to follow the established protocol.
We commend the teams across the South Leeward Conference for their hard work and for intentionally impacting the territories in the following areas of ministry:
- Montserrat, for the sanitization training
- Nevis, for the radio programs and emphasis on lifestyle matters
- Kitts, for the health awareness focus
- Antigua, for COVID-19 radio programs in both Spanish and English, health education and executing a plan to inspect churches.
There is much to be done, but the church leadership is confident that this team of health professionals, that is passionate, willing and committed to excellence, will make a positive difference in the South Leeward Conference.