The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) celebrated 60 years of uninterrupted service in Peru. The event, held on September 2 and 3, was attended by ADRA national and international leaders and volunteers. It also included a worship service and the inauguration of its remodeled headquarters. “These were days of gratitude, commitment, and renewal of purpose in line with the values of the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” regional ADRA leaders said.
The opening day began in the streets of Lima with the Volunteer for a Day initiative, a practical experience in what it means to serve and be the hands of Jesus where it is most needed. ADRA Peru managing director Plinio Vergara led the initiative.
Leaders and representatives of ADRA International and the South American Division participate in a commemoration of the agency’s sixtieth anniversary in Peru. [Photo: ADRA Peru] 
ADRA Peru delivers new pots for a food bank during a volunteer initiative that was part of the sixtieth anniversary celebrations. [Photo: ADRA Peru] 
From left to right, Paulo Lopes, president of ADRA International; Santos Guerrero, ADRA Peru Disaster Risk Management and Services manager; and Plinio Vergara, director of ADRA Peru. [Photo: ADRA Peru]
A Life-Transforming Volunteer Service
Among the participants were ADRA International leaders, including president Paulo Lopes, vice president for finance Charné Renou, and Rodrigo Cárcamo, ADRA director in the South American Division. Also present were the regional manager of Operations and Emergencies and the coordinator of the ADRA South America volunteer program, along with ADRA directors in countries such as Uruguay and Ecuador. In addition, a delegation from ADRA Czech Republic, which currently finances projects in Peru; local pastors; and leaders of the South Peru Union Mission joined the celebrations.
In a gesture of solidarity, leaders donned their volunteer vests and collected donated food items for a local food bank. The day also included the remodeling of the community center space, the painting of its dining room, and the delivery of a new kitchen kit.
“With ADRA, we can help people improve their quality of life with faith and hope, so that they can live as God intended,” Vergara said. “This gathering strengthened our strategies that seek to achieve positive changes and fulfill the mandate of Jesus.”
Gratitude and Projections
That same evening more than 300 people attended a thanksgiving ceremony at the Miraflores Adventist Church. Organizers said that the atmosphere was solemn and full of gratitude as leaders paid tribute to six decades of history, from the founding of OFASA (Adventist Philanthropic and Social Assistance Work) in 1965 to its official transition to ADRA Peru more than 20 years ago. Church leaders and government officers attended, as well as other national and international partners.
Leaders also presented the book En Dios haremos proezas (Through God We Will Do Valiantly), by Santos Guerrero, ADRA Peru Disaster Risk Management and Services manager. The volume recounts some of the miracles, challenges, and testimonies of ADRA’s history in Peru.
According to Cárcamo, participating in the anniversary activities of ADRA Peru led him to reaffirm the great work the agency does on behalf of the community. “It is an agency that enjoys great prestige among its peers because it has earned the trust of society. We thank God for the beautiful work that they have had with so much dedication throughout these 60 years.”
The original version of this story was posted on the South American Division Spanish-language news site.
