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Record Wrap brings you the main Adventist headlines from across the South Pacific and the world—weekly. In about 15 minutes, get caught up on everything you need to know. Each episode features the main stories of the week and a special segment, "Making Headlines," with a quick roundup of global Adventist news and other stories of interest. A closing interview on the main story offers deeper insights into what's happening in our community. Hosted by news editor Juliana Muniz alongside a rotating cast of the Record team.
Hello, and welcome to record wrap the Adventist record news podcast. It's Tuesday, March 19. I'm Juliana Muniz
and I'm to Danelle Stothers.
And on this week's episode: and Adventist, not for profit charity is expanding to help more vulnerable children in PNG.
STORMCo volunteers will wear shirts featuring an exclusive Indigenous artwork.
And we will learn how media ministry is supporting the mission of the church in the Pacific islands. But first Danelle, what's making headlines this week.
More than 800 Adventist children between the ages of six and 12 in Southern Ecuador recently began the evangelism kids training day. The goal of this discipleship project designed for children is to strengthen the missionary spirit of the little ones, so that they become preachers and fishes of other children for Christ.
A year after a devastating earthquake rocked Turkey. ADRA representatives visited Hatay to implement and monitor the "Hope for Turkey" and "Hope for Syria" projects. ADRA, along with its partners has been at the front lines of recovery efforts, delivering essential supplies and hope to those affected. More than 1000 families will have received financial assistance by the end of March, 2024.
Scientists have shed light on why some people survive lightning strikes. Research from a German university suggests that being wet might increase the chances of survival. The study found that moisture on the skin could lead to a surface flashover effect. Where the electric current travels over the skin, rather than through the body's organs significantly reducing internal damage.
This phenomenon was inspired by the story of a man who, despite being struck by lightning at sea, suffered minimal injuries, potentially due to being drenched in rain.
While surviving lightning strikes is more common than one might expect with 70 to 90% of people struck by lightning surviving. The research highlights the importance of immediate medical attention and not relying on being wet as a protective measure.
Now, back to the south Pacific Operation Food for Life is about to help more children in desperate need. The organisation will soon increase the capacity of its Born Free Sanctuary in Papua New Guinea. The plans are to build a new dormitory for boys and young men, along with a new commercial kitchen.
The not-for-profit charity group currently cares for 400 children. 30 of those live in the sanctuary. The new facilities are expected to allow the sanctuary to care for more children and young people and feed 1000 people per week.
Dr branimir Schubert, who is the president of Operation Food for Life said donors have been generous with their contributions towards this initiative with almost all funds received to build the dormitory and new kitchen. Operation Food for Life is an independent ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist church founded by Dennis Perry and David Wooley. The charity has been providing food, clothing, education, healthcare, and support to underprivileged communities in Papua New Guinea. For more than 25 years.
For more information, visit
New STORMCo shirts for 2024 have been launched by the Australian union conference featuring indigenous artwork by artist, Susan Doolan. Her colorful artwork is full of meaning. According to Ms. Doolan, the circles represent gathering places. The cross represents Jesus and the Bible represents STORMCo volunteers, sharing scripture with youth.
This year, the AUC has produced 1,877 shirts for teams across Australia to wear while serving the community. STORMCo or Service to Others Really Matters is an initiative that allows youth and young adults to visit communities and serve others with the goal of presenting Christian faith in action by building long-term relationships. The director of youth ministries for Australia, pastor Jeff Parker, highlighted that the impact of STORMCo reaches deep into communities that are hard to reach any other way.
A new Adventist media center will be bringing local Christian content to the population of Vanuatu. The new media center was opened on February 25 a and is housing hope channel TV and Adventist Radio.
According to the president of Vanuatu Mission, pastor Charlie Jimmy. The media center will be used as a tool to share Christian values and health awareness. The prime minister of Vanuatu attend the opening ceremony and describe the opening of the media center as a milestone for the nation.
Adventist media in Vanuatu started with the establishment of the media communication department in 2011, despite some setbacks, such as Cyclone Pam in 2015 media ministry has been growing in the country as well as across the whole Trans Pacific Union Mission.
Today I'm speaking with John Tausere. He's the communications and media coordinator for the TPUM. He's been leading the efforts to use communication as a tool to advance the mission of the church in the Pacific islands.
Hi, John. Thanks for joining us today.
Hi Juliana. Thanks. It's great to be on the Record Wrap.
So, in the last few years, we've seen a lot of progress and new initiatives in the Church across the Pacific Islands regarding media. we also posted some stories in Record about those, milestones. When did the TPUM decide to prioritise communication and media, and what are the main achievements so far?
The Transpacific Union has been planning, , For quite some time in regards to, having, media and communications as part of, it's push in terms of mission, and, , it has been a pillar.
That, , the union has been trying to strengthen, especially in regards to having so many islands that are spread out throughout, , the South Pacific, , in terms of communicating, , it's always hard to, get people, , from the different islands, , and, , for news, things like that.
And so it has been something that, , the union has been wanting to. To strengthen and so back in 2000 and 21. , we have been, , working on a strategy and, , we have three, , strategies, , in the media and communication, , department that, , , was formulated back then, and we have been working on those to try and get it implemented throughout the various missions throughout the union.
So the first strategy is to provide strong leadership. , that's through coaching, advising, , through training, , in media and communications throughout the union. That's the first one to provide strong leadership.
The second one is to create, share and communicate discipleship, , resources, , throughout the union so it can be accessible, at the local missions. And so this was to be done through, media and communication channels.
And number three. Is to inspire members. and non members through stories, testimonies, via newsletters, whether it's through video podcasts or social media posts, and also through television and radio where, we could have those platforms set up. So those are the three Basic strategies that the union has put in place for its media and communications department, and that has been our core or trying to align our activities according to those three strategies.
Now, speaking more about, , those, , media centers that focus on non Adventists, what is the strategy behind opening media centers such as this one in Vanuatu, and how are they used to fulfill the mission of the church , in the TPUM?
Predominantly in some of the Pacific Island countries, TV and radio is still used as the mass media. Communication of how you can get information out to the villages, to this towns in those islands. another reason why we're trying to have more of these media centers set up in the various countries is because each country has a unique language. And a unique culture.
And so having the gospel shared in, the mother tongue or the unique language of that country definitely is beneficial for the community, for the country, and for them to listen and watch programs that created in their own language is something that they really, appreciate. And would like to follow.
And so having being able to get a license from government from the government of Vanuatu, both for radio and television was something that the local mission worked hard to get. When that was approved, we were able to start. Negotiating and planning to have those two studios, both radio and TV set up for the country.
It's something that already have as well in Fiji. Solomon Islands and other Pacific Islands. Vanuatu was one of the missions that had this adopted late in regards to awaiting for the license that was given.
But once that came through we were able to make steps in having a studio and both for TV and radio. Radio is up and running and There's a lot of there's already a few stories that we're getting in of the positive impact that it's making to the general public.
Do you have a way of measuring the impact of these media initiatives on the local communities?
Terms of measuring impact, it mostly comes from the callers that are calling that we receive. So we have a few studios, a few hope channel TV stations and radio.
Like in Fiji, Solomon Islands in American Samoa, that have been running for the past three to five years so far. And they have been receiving calls, they have been receiving emails messages on their social networking pages of the impact that, the programs are having on those who are watching.
And even to the extent like here in Fiji, we've have been, we've had multiple baptisms of people who are having their lives, changed coming into church just through, programs that they've watched on Hope Channel and also have listened to on radio. So there has been a lot of impact, especially on the stations or in the countries that they're in.
We have had Hope or, Hope Radio and TV broadcasting in the past three to five years. So yeah, there's a lot of impact stories.
We recently included a flashpoint in Record about the training of, I think, media ambassadors you're having across the TPUM. Is that related to offering support for people that watch those channels and get to know Jesus?
That's correct. So Hope Ambassadors was an initiative and it's something that we, we actually adopted from I think it was from Novo Tempo in Brazil where they, have this I think it's, Hope Ambassadors or Hope Angels that they call it, but with Hope Ambassadors it's a follow up system where We have a church member or a youth member , in different parts of the country, in the different communities where they live in and they put their hands up. They say, I want to be a hope ambassador. I want to be part of the hope team. And when we receive calls, when we receive messages that come to the station saying, Hey, I want to. Have a Bible study, or I want to learn more about Jesus, or I want , you to pray for me.
We contact the ambassador that is in their locations or wherever they are. And they are that person that makes that first contact with the interests that have just called in. And so we're trying to do more training. In different areas Hope Channel Fiji started this about three years ago.
That has been running well. We continue to do training in this area for new places such as Vanuatu and other countries that have just adopted the Hope Channel TV network, or even on radio as well.
For anyone listening who might be feeling inspired to contribute or get involved with the media efforts across the TPUM, are there any opportunities to learn or to get involved?
Yeah feel free to to contact us here at the union. We always open to ideas that you may have resources that you may have that you would like to share with us. We have smaller island nations that sometimes need resources such as equipment for studio simple things like that will always help us out and go a long way with assisting in the production of these local content that we would like to put together. Get in touch with the Transpacific Union. Myself, John Taucere and we can share how you can contribute and help us out.
Awesome. Thank you, John. We really appreciate your time.
Thank you so much, Julian. It's been a pleasure.
And that wraps up this week's episode of Record Wrap. Thank you for tuning in.
Don't forget to visit our website at record.Adventistchurch.com and follow us on social media for more updates and stories. You can also receive news straight to your inbox by subscribing to our weekly e-newsletter.
We'll be back next week with more news from around the south Pacific division. See you then.