Pastor Mauricio Buitrago (left), health ministries director for the North Colombian Union, stands alongside the “I Want to Live Healthy” cycling club in Medellin, before riding off through the city. The church is motivating church members and those in the community to join the initiative and witness to others to live a healthier lifestyle. [Photo: North Colombia Union]the
March 11, 2022 | Medellin, Colombia | Daniela Arrieta and Inter-American Division News

As the sport of cycling continues to engage thousands of Colombians, the Seventh-day Adventist Church North Colombia is organizing its members into cycling clubs in order to promote a healthy lifestyle. The first clubs have already been organized in Medellin and Bucaramanga, two of the largest northern cities.

After months of planning, dozens of church members young and old cycled on Feb. 6, 2022, bearing the I Want to Live Healthy club name on their shirts. They rode some 19 kilometers throughout avenues and mountainous roads in the two cities.

A group of church members from the Bucaramanga  “I Want to Live Healthy” cycling club stand for a group photo before they take their journey through the mountainous ride in north Colombia.  [Photo: North Colombia Union]
The idea is to promote a healthy lifestyle and share the message of salvation through the church’s I Want to Live Healthy initiative, which aims to promote eight healthy habits that benefit the person’s physical, spiritual, mental and social wellbeing, said Pastor Mauricio Buitrago, health ministries director for the church in North Colombia and main organizer of the event.

“Being part of the cycling club gets members to testify of our beliefs as the Seventh-day Adventist Church and bring about other opportunities to connect, witness and serve others,” said Buitrago. Church leaders want to use cycling as a vehicle to engage more and more members to connect and engage their friends, neighbors, family members and co-workers.

Cycling is a sport that benefits the mental state of the person, shared Maribel Quintero, psychologist and health ministries director for the church in the West Central Conference. “Cycling allows us to expand our support network, interact with other persons and make new friends.”

Cyclists from the Medellin ‘I Want to Live Healthy” club pose for a photo in front of the Colombian Adventist University before they take off through the roads of the city. [Photo: North Colombia Union]
Right before a group of 30 club members cycled across Medellin, a woman approached them and wanted to find out what the gathering was all about. “She informed me that she was very interested in registering her husband into the club, so he can lead a healthy lifestyle,” said Buitrago. She and her husband were immediately added to the club’s WhatsApp chat group, he said.

Besides the physical benefits, the first cycling ride highlighted important values such as solidarity and fellowship, said Nelcy Díaz, one of the club members.  “We were able to share with others of the same faith, with friends who practice the same sport and with those who began this first journey around the city,” she said.

The clubs will meet twice a week to train and strengthen them physically before taking part in cycling dozens of kilometers.

Cyclists from the Bucaramanga “I Want to Live Healthy” club pedal through 19 kilometers in North Colombia.  [Photo: North Colombia Union]
“My wish as a club director is just to take persons to the next level they want to reach, improve their physical performance and that we will do with progressive activities,” said Mario Martínez, club director in Medellin. “We want this group to grow each day, so that not only will we be able to impart this wonderful message to more people, but also to enjoy each outing.”

Leaders from the North Colombia Union are coordinating with those in the South Colombia Union for a joint national I Want to Live Healthy cycling event in November. Already, the church in South Colombia has engaged hundreds of church members in I Want to Live Healthy cycling clubs across its region.

To learn more about the Adventist Church in North Colombia, its initiatives and activities, visit unioncolombiana.org