Adventist Leaders in Inter-America Reminded To ‘Carry on’ During Annual Prayer Emphasis Week

May 24, 2022 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News

Top Seventh-day Adventist leaders and staff at the Inter-American Division (IAD) took special time last week to pray, worship, and be encouraged spiritually during the church’s annual week of prayer emphasis, May 16-21, 2022.  The dozens of leaders and staff employed at the IAD Office in Miami, Florida, and those working from abroad reflected on the need of being grounded on the study of the Bible, increasing their faith, and depending on the power that only God can grant as they labor to fulfill the mission of the church.

Themed “Celebrating His Providence and Affirming our Values,” the prayer emphasis week comes on the heels of a division-wide 100 days of prayer initiative during the 100^th anniversary since the IAD was organized in 1922, and during a 40-day daily prayer focus leading up to the church’s General Conference Session scheduled to be held in St. Louis, Missouri, United States, next month.

“This has not only been a week of prayer, but a week of miracles, where we have had the opportunity to encounter God, unite in seeking to grow into better Christians, hear His voice and feel His presence in our lives,” said Pastor Josney Rodríguez, ministerial secretary for the church in Inter-America and coordinator of the spiritual emphasis week. It’s been a time to search the heart, focus on serving with humility, and allow God to lead through the challenges and circumstances that come into everyone’s life, he said.

Pastor Toney Mapp, president of the church in the Tobago Mission, encouraged the leadership to remember that the church was born to preach the everlasting gospel. “Hold on to the fact that God will keep you in the face of adversity,” said Mapp. “We ought not forget the past for it will inspire us to triumph as we move forward, ensuring that we get rid of excess weight of malice, or practices that don’t fit in the will of God.”

Mapp, who shared his messages from his home due to visa issues that prevented him to travel to Miami, reminded leaders and staff to move forward with patience learning to be still and let God guide in His purposes amid the business of church work. “We are so caught up in the do that we have forgotten how to be, to catch ourselves, pause and just be still in the face of all the noise around to staying close to God and confident in Him in all things,” said Mapp.

“You have to learn to rule your spirit,” he also said.  “Live peacefully with everyone and become transformed so that we can forgive the way God forgives and love the way He loves.”

Mapp shared many personal experiences of how God lead his life during his spiritual messages. Among them was how God began a transformation in his life at the very young age of 11, while he was struggling in school and began to read the Bible and came to learn the right foods to eat, learned about the health message, the Sabbath and the Second Coming.

“Be strong and courageous,” said Mapp. “As we stand between ‘the already’ and the ‘what next’, carry on, inspired by what you have seen, letting God open the door to carry the gospel through from nation to nation, city to city, town to town, village to village to the last house until the last person is ready for His coming.”

This was the first time since the pandemic hit two years ago that the annual week of prayer emphasis gathered, said Rodríguez. “It was a real joy and a blessed experience to pray and focus on God’s goodness.”

For Beny Paéz, a professional assistant, the week of prayer brought in a miracle that she will never forget. She had to travel mid-week to go see her ailing 90-year-old mother in Colombia. Her mother who suffers from dementia very rarely recognizes her. Realizing that it may be the last time she would see her mother she just prayed and thanked God for the opportunity to be with her mother and longed to be able to dialogue with her. On one of the visits, Paéz said her mother recognized her and they were able to catch up. “I’m so thankful to God for those three hours…it was such a beautiful time with my mom to thank her for her sacrifices and to tell her how much I love her.” That ‘window’ with her mom meant the world to her and was an answer to prayer.

Pastor Hiram Ruiz, IAD public campus ministries and chaplaincy director, said the week of prayer reminded him of the great care God has for us. “We are loved by God and even though he knows our mistakes and that we are not perfect,” he said. The fresh approach to studying the Bible in relation to the ministerial task at hand was a real blessing to experience during the special week, he said.

For Margaret Daniel, a professional assistant, the importance of spending quality time with God was a great reminder during the week of prayer emphasis. “We prepare for others, preach to others, work for others, but do we spend enough time in personal devotion?” she said. Spending enough time getting to know God means being still and making time to know God like in Psalm 46:10 which Pastor Mapp reflected on during one of his spiritual messages, said Mrs. Daniel. “I have memorized this whole psalm, but I saw this verse anew this week. His [Pastor Mapp’s] exposition on each word, even “be” and “that” was profound,” she said. “With all the activities and deadlines to meet, this reminder came at just the right time.”

Church leaders and staff prayed for one another, for families, the work of the church across the territory and the world church, for specific requests, and more.

The week of prayer emphasis included a communion service, burning of prayer requests, testimonials, and a Sabbath day program.

The Inter-American Division oversees the work of the Seventh-day Adventist Church with over 3.7 million members in 24 major church regions or unions from Mexico, to Central America, The Caribbean, The French Antilles, Colombia and Venezuela.