Part of the cyclist group of Seventh-day Adventist get ready to take off to pedal through Bogota, the capital city of Colombia, during a 40-mile journey to promote the “I Want to Live Healthy” initiative across the main streets and avenues there as well as to celebrate the 100 years since the Adventist Church was organized in the city. More than 200 cycled in Bogota and 80 from the Boyaca department, state centrally located in the mountainous region, took part in the activity on Feb. 27, 2022. [Photo: Juan Alvis]
March 10, 2022 | Bogota, Colombia | Laura Acosta and Inter-American Division News

More than 200 cyclists rode 40 kilometers throughout Colombia’s capital city to launch the start of dozens of initiatives and activities to commemorate 100 years since the Seventh-day Adventist Church was established there.  Children, young people, and adults pedaled across the main streets and avenues of Bogota, on Feb. 27, 2022, to promote healthy living to onlookers and business owners.

Wearing shirts bearing the logo of the I Want to Live Healthy–an initiative of the church in Inter-American Division (IAD) territory, about promoting the eight natural remedies, or healthy habits, professional and amateur cyclists shared smiles and hope.

Pastor Alvaro Niño (right), president for the church in the South Colombia Union, and Pastor Leonel Preciado (left), health ministries director for the union embrace before they pedal 40 kilometers through Bogota, Colombia. [Photo: Juan Alvis]
Another group of 80 Adventist cyclists in Boyacá, a state centrally located in the mountainous region in the country, took to the main roads wearing their I Want To Live Healthy shirts.

“This [activity] is all part of us celebrating 100 years since the Adventist Church was organized in Bogota and to also begin commemorating the establishment of the Inter-American Division being celebrated this year,” said Pastor Alvaro Niño, president of the church in South Colombia. Niño also took part of the cycling initiative as a member of the church’s I Want to Live Healthy Cyclist Club.

“We are a group sharing hope, we are a church of hope, and for this we are inviting our membership across the region to also form additional I Want to Live Healthy cyclist clubs.

A group of cyclist pose for a group photo after making the 40-kilometer journey throughout Bogota, Colombia, on Feb. 27, 2022.[Photo: Juan Alvis]
The event began at 8:00 a.m. at the Enrique Olaya Herrera National Park in the eastern part of Bogota with prayer and praise songs before cyclists took off.

Diomedes Lucumy, a young adult member of the cyclist club, was impressed by the church’s message of healthy living. “One day I had the opportunity to cycle more than 500 kilometers from Bogota to the Cauca department and I decided to wear my I Want to Live Healthy uniform, and I wore it proudly because I want to motivate persons to exercise,” he said.

Pastor Leonel Preciado, youth ministries department for the church South Colombia, said it’s been a joy to have Lucumy as part of the church’s cycling club. Ever since Preciado extended an invitation to Lucumy to join the club, his commitment has been inspiring.

Diomedes Lucumy joined the church’s “I Want to Live Healthy” cyclist club and has taken part in many of the activities carried out by the club. He recently travelled 500 kilometers wearing the club’s shirt through a trip across Colombia. Church leaders say the initiative aims to reach others like Lucumy who have not joined the church yet. [Photo: Juan Alvis]
“Diomedes was the first member of our club who purchased the uniform shirt and the first to travel 500 kilometers wearing it,” said Preciado. “He is not a member of the church but he trains, takes part in every impact activity, is passionate about healthful living, and invites young people and his fellow cyclist friends to live healthy.”

The plan is to reach out to more people to take part of the cyclist club the church organizes, said Preciado. It’s about sharing the message of I Want to Live Healthy and the love of Jesus, he added.

As the cycling activity was taking place, a group of women walked alongside the cycling route on the main streets distributing literature about the healthy-living initiative.

A group of church members show flyers of the healthy initiative [Photo: Juan Alvis]
“Many persons approached us to find out more about the activity,” said Zharick Bohórquez, a young person from the Northwest church region. “We were reassured that this message of ‘I Want to Live Healthy’ is so that young people, pastors, and children can share, taking the eight natural remedies and hope to the community,” she said.

The cycling club concluded its journey at the Adventist Coliseum in the city. “This was an extraordinary impact that can lead the mind and heart of persons to know Jesus as their personal Savior,” said Niño.  Pastor Niño encouraged participants to join upcoming I Want to Live Healthy activities.

Additional activities led by the church will include health expos, blood drives, tree planting, cycling routes and a grand cycling celebration where 100 cyclists will travel 100 kilometers through Bogota in commemoration of the centennial celebrations later this year.

The back of the uniform shirt that Adventist cyclists wore with the I Want to Live Healthy logo in the front and sleeves and print of the commemoration of the centennial of the Adventist Church established in Colombia announcing that “Jesus is coming soon”. [Photo: Juan Alvis]
To learn more about the Seventh-day Adventist Church in South Colombia, its initiatives and activities this year, visit unioncolombianadelsur.org