AUSTRALIA
Bubsie Retraces 1925 Missionary Journey “Right Around Australia”
A new evangelistic initiative is celebrating the legacy of Adventist mission in Australia by reenacting the first-ever drive around the country, completed by Seventh-day Adventist literature evangelist Nevill Westwood in 1925.
Starting at Avondale University church in Cooranbong, New South Wales, on February 21, Right Around Australia is taking Bubsie, a restored Citroën 5CV similar to the one Westwood drove, across the country.
“This car will travel across the country, allowing people to see a piece of Australian history,” said Kevin Amos, a volunteer with the initiative. “It represents the ingenuity, courage, and commitment of two young men who set out on a mission to share their faith.”
Led by independent supporting ministry The Incredible Journey (TIJ), the Right Around Australia project will take Bubsie to numerous towns and communities, sharing the story of Westwood’s journey and distributing free Adventist literature and Bible courses.
The Australian Union Conference (AUC) is supporting the initiative by funding the production of The Overlander, the church’s sharing booklet for 2025 in Australia, which TIJ will also distribute at every stop.
“With nearly 270 churches involved, this is an opportunity to connect with the community,” AUC president Terry Johnson said.
CHILE
Literature Evangelists Connect With Readers Through In-Person Gatherings
Gatherings promoted by Publishing Ministries of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in southern Chile are bringing colporteurs and their readers together in a space for learning and reflection on integral health and the study of the Bible.
During this past summer approximately 150 people participated in the meetings, with 110 attending in Punta Arenas and 40 in Valdivia. Among them, about 30 requested Bible studies.
Organizers said than more than a meeting point, these events offer a wholistic approach to health, addressing physical, mental, and spiritual aspects. Health professionals and spiritual leaders also attended, including psychologists and pastors.
For Almir Marroni, General Conference director of Publishing Ministries, the initiative reinforces the Adventist Church’s commitment to the well-being of people. “I believe meetings like these should be multiplied, since they offer readers a space to deepen their knowledge and strengthen their spiritual life,” he said.
These gatherings have been an opportunity to promote wholistic health and sow seeds of hope and faith, organizers emphasized. “We hope they will continue to positively impact people’s lives, leading to greater physical, mental, and spiritual well-being and bringing them closer to the transforming message of the Bible.”
RWANDA
U.S. Professor’s Message Impacts Students in Africa
Harvey Alférez, professor and director of the Center for Innovation and Research in Computing at Southern Adventist University, which is based in Collegedale, Tennessee, United States, spoke at the Adventist University of Central Africa (AUCA) in Rwanda for the latest university’s colloquium. Centered on artificial intelligence in higher education, some students traveled hundreds of miles from as far away as Kenya to hear Alférez speak. His insights even enabled one group of students to compellingly minister to their secular peers.
“I’ve been working in the field of artificial intelligence for more than 15 years,” Alférez said. “It’s a tool used to create approaches to do specific tasks that typically require human intelligence.” AI’s “intelligence” is based on how well it follows directives, and Alférez believes it has a wide range of uses. His presentations at AUCA’s colloquium focused on how AI can be used in education, medicine, research, and evangelism.
For Sabbath worship Alférez spoke about how AI relates to Christianity and the importance of having a strong biblical worldview. Students, especially those from Kenya, were appreciative of his message. “They told me that my sermon had key information that they needed to defend their faith!” he shared.
UNITED STATES
Community Love Art-making Campaign Spotlights Childhood Food Insecurity
Students, campus, and community members stopped by the Zapara School of Business at La Sierra University to participate in an artistic project designed to shed light on local childhood food insecurity issues.
The Community Love art-making campaign ran February 10-13 with the goal of producing 16,553 spoons cut out of cardboard food packaging, such as cereal boxes. Once the cardboard spoons have been created, Riverside artist Rebecca Waring-Crane will incorporate them into a large art installation that will occupy the business school’s rotunda.
Community participants in the spoon-making Community Love campaign included firefighters from Riverside’s Station 8 and a representative from the office of State Assemblywoman Leticia Castillo.
Waring-Crane drew inspiration for the art installation work under development, as well as an earlier smaller project that is currently on display in the school’s rotunda, from research she conducted on the number of elementary school-age children in Riverside who qualify for the federal free lunch program. That number totals 16,553.
“The project speaks to childhood hunger’s often-unseen challenges and emphasizes community action’s importance,” Waring-Crane said.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA AND FIJI
Pacific LEs gather for training and inspiration
The first, held at Pacific Adventist University in PNG from December 9 to 13, had more than 35 attendees, and the second, held at Fulton Adventist University College in Fiji from December 16 to 20, had more than 50.
Both summits were themed “Living, Connecting, Serving in our Times!”
“Our Pacific Island LEs were very excited to meet Stephen Apola, associate director of the General Conference Publishing Ministries Department, who was their inspirational speaker,” said Tony Wall, associate director for Pacific Island literature ministry. Other speakers included Wanti Gani from PNG and Patrick Jacksam from Fiji, as well as the LE area managers.
Wall also commented on the impact of literature evangelism in the Pacific. “Every year our LEs are distributing truth-filled literature into homes, schools, and libraries around the Pacific, with many people making life-changing decisions to follow Christ in baptism and lifestyle as a result.
“Only eternity will reveal the true impact of their faithful work,” he said.