Ted N.C. Wilson,
president of the Adventist world church, has expressed deep concern for people
threatened by the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa and urged Adventists worldwide
to band together in praying for God’s intervention on Sabbath, Oct. 11.
More than 3,000
people, primarily in Liberia, Guinea and
Sierra Leone, are believed to have died from the
often-fatal virus, which is showing
little sign of abating, according to the
World Health Organization.
“I am urgently
imploring all Seventh-day Adventists around this globe to make Sabbath, Oct.
11, 2014, a special day of prayer for our brothers and sisters in West Africa
and for the entire population in that region as they face this virtually
unprecedented tragedy,” said Wilson, president of the church's highest governing body, the General Conference. “Let us pray that God will put a halt to
the spread of this virulent virus.”
Wilson noted that the
WHO figures and a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control that
warn that Ebola cases could soar to 550,000 or even as high as 1.4 million by
January.
“We are devastated by
the potential of this outbreak to destroy lives,” Wilson said in a statement.
“I especially want
the Seventh-day Adventist Church worldwide and specifically the church members
of the West-Central Africa Division to know that we who serve at the church
headquarters are praying for you, and we are joined by a global family of hope
in God’s power to save,” Wilson said.
The Ebola virus is
transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads among the human population
by contact with infected fluids, the WHO says. There is no known vaccine or
cure.
Adventists medical
and relief workers stepped up efforts to assist the affected countries this
month. ADRA, the Adventist relief
agency, started shipping more than $160,000 in medical supplies together with
four Adventist partner organizations, GlobalMedic, Loma Linda University,
Adventist Health International and Adventist Health Ministries. The shipments include
$92,000 in supplies to Cooper Adventist Hospital in Monrovia, Liberia, and
$50,000 in supplies to Waterloo Adventist Hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
Last week, ADRA led a
special prayer service for West Africa in the main auditorium of the General
Conference building in Silver Spring, Maryland. People around the world joined
via Google Hangout.
On Oct. 1, the General Conference Ministerial Association will initiate a
global prayer campaign that church members can support by using the hashtag
#UnitedinPrayer on social media.
The Adventist Church has
33,000 members in Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone.
James Golay, president of the church’s West African Union, which comprises the
three countries, has decided to stay at home in Monrovia to support local
church members rather than join other church leaders at the General Conference
headquarters for the church’s yearly business meeting, the Annual Council, in
October. He will participate in the meeting online and give a first-hand report
about the outbreak on Oct. 11, Wilson said.
President Ted N.C. Wilson’s full statement
Adventist Review, Sept. 9,
2014: “ADRA Teams Up With 4 Adventist Groups in Ebola Outbreak”
World Health Organization fact sheet about the Ebola virus
