NewsNuggets

Iris Argueta – Silver Spring, Maryland … The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) reaffirms its commitment to environmental stewardship, building resilience, and disaster recovery in recognition of Earth Day, April 22, and Arbor Day, April 25. ADRA recognizes the vital responsibility of preserving God’s creation, especially in the face of increasing natural disasters and ecological deterioration.

“As stewards of God’s creation, ADRA is committed to nurturing and protecting the Earth so that all may live as He intended,” says ADRA International’s Vice President for Humanitarian Affairs, Imad Madanat. “This month, as we celebrate the crucial responsibility of caring for our planet, ADRA stands in solidarity with communities worldwide, equipping them through sustainable solutions that reflect our shared calling to care for both the environment and one another.”

Sustainable Solutions for a Changing World

As wildfires and weather-related disasters grow in intensity and frequency, leaving behind scorched land, unstable ecosystems, and deepening food insecurity, ADRA responds with compassion and innovation. Through initiatives like Community Garden Kits, reforestation efforts, and weather-smart agriculture, ADRA is restoring damaged land, strengthening local food systems, and helping communities build long-term resilience.

ADRA’s Resilient Cultivation:

• Canada: In response to devastating wildfires and soil contamination in Yellowknife, ADRA Canada launched the Community Planter Box Project to promote food security through urban gardening. This initiative helped spearhead a national campaign encouraging eco-based gardens that promote health and environmental awareness.
• Zambia: In drought-affected regions, ADRA partners with local churches to provide communities with seeds, tools, and training to create sustainable household and community gardens, preparing families to grow their own food and share sustainable practices.
• Mozambique: Children and parents learn how to prepare soil for seedlings through conservation education programs that encourage active participation in reforestation and land stewardship.
• Honduras: In highland regions, ADRA equips rural communities with drought-resistant sorghum seeds, helping them transition from water-intensive wheat to crops better suited for the weather, supporting both nutrition and sustainability.

ADRA’s Reforesting for Recovery

As part of its commitment to disaster response and long-term recovery, ADRA prioritizes reforestation as a powerful tool for environmental healing and resilience. Integrated into its global disaster mitigation training, ADRA’s emergency response teams actively engage in planting native seedlings to help restore natural habitats, stabilize soil, reduce erosion, and improve water quality, making reforestation an essential step in rebuilding ecosystems and strengthening community resilience after disasters strike.

Take Action: #GoGreenWithADRA

This spring, ADRA invites individuals, churches, schools, and communities to #GoGreenWithADRA by promoting environmental stewardship through hands-on initiatives, education, and building resilience.

Why green projects matter:

• Land Rehabilitation: Garden and tree-planting projects reduce erosion, enrich soil, and restore damaged ecosystems.
• Sustainable Food Sources: Community gardens empower local food production in areas with access to fresh produce.
• Conservation Education: ADRA partners with local organizations to raise awareness and teach sustainable practices.
• Community Healing: Green spaces foster connection, wellness, and collaboration, especially after crises.

“ADRA continues to plant seeds of hope, whether by establishing community gardens to ensure access to nutritious food or by implementing erosion control projects to restore degraded land. These efforts go beyond environmental programs; they are acts of faith in action, helping communities heal, thrive, and prepare for a better tomorrow,” adds ADRA International’s Vice President for Humanitarian Affairs, Imad Madanat.

Learn more about ADRA’s conservation efforts and give to humanitarian programs for vulnerable communities at ADRA.org.  Follow the movement and join at #GoGreenWithADRA.

—Iris Argueta is the director of External Communications and Public Relations for ADRA International. Republished with permission from the ADRA Newsroom. Photos supplied.

Gitack Ju – Aurora, Colorado … The Denver Korean Seventh-day Adventist Church held a joyous dedication service for its newly completed sanctuary, April 19. The new facility spans 6,000 square feet and includes a main sanctuary, four classrooms, and a fellowship hall.

Located in southeastern Denver in the city of Aurora, a community home to a large population of Korean residents, the church is easily accessible from anywhere in the Denver metro area. With this new space, the church is now positioned to expand its ministry to more than 40,000 Korean residents living in the greater Denver area.

“Through God’s grace and the heartfelt dedication of its members, the church has been beautifully reborn,” commented Gitack Ju, lead pastor of the Denver Korean Church. “Every member worked together in unity, contributing time, talent, and prayer to make this vision a reality.”

The dedication service featured a message from Doug Inglish, Rocky Mountain Conference vice president for administration, and a congratulatory address from James Lim, president of the North American Korean Seventh-day Adventist Association. A video presentation reviewed the church’s construction journey followed by a time of offering heartfelt gifts of thanksgiving to God.

“Members and guests from the community gathered to celebrate this meaningful milestone, sharing gratitude, hope, and a renewed commitment to the mission of the church,” reflected Ju. “We invite continued prayers and support for the Denver Korean Church as it embarks on this exciting new chapter of ministry.”

—Gitack Ju is lead pastor of the Denver and Rocky Mountain Korean seventh-day Adventist Churches. Photos supplied.

VJ and Beth Panganiban – Farmington, New Mexico … A mission group from the Centerville Seventh-day Adventist Church in Centerville, Ohio, hosted a free Health Clinic at both the La Vida Mission* (LVM) in Farmington, New Mexico, and the Crownpoint Seventh-day Adventist Christian Community Fellowship in Crownpoint, New Mexico, March 25-26.

“We’re so thankful to be able to work and serve with Dr. Mark Striebel, MD, and Ms. Faith Connovich, CNP, from Centerville, Ohio,” remarked Panganiban, LMV Outreach co-director. “Dr. Mark is not a member of our church, yet he gave his full support to this ministry with his wife Julie and has even thought of the possibility of coming again to serve our native community. What a blessing!”

Faith Connovich is a long-time friend and supporter of the LVM with her husband Ron. They started coming to La Vida Mission in 2011 with a group from their church in Centerville to help with the various projects and programs of LVM.

Also joining the free clinics was Dr. Robert Gardner, MD, from Rio Rancho Seventh-day Adventist Church in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, who currently serves as the LVM Board president and is a regular voluntary consultant for the La Vida Mission Clinic. He has always been available and able to support not only the clinic and health ministry but every aspect of the Mission’s ministry.

“We are deeply and truly grateful for their dedication, compassion, and for the exceptional support they provided for the free health clinic services here in La Vida Mission. We are inspired to be even more willing to do the work that God entrusted to us,” continued Panganiban.

The different services offered and executed were physical check-ups, total cholesterol, HDL (High-density lipoprotein), LDL (Low-density lipoprotein), Triglycerides, and blood glucose tests. More than 20 people, including some police officers from the Crownpoint Navajo Police Department, were privileged to see the medical team.

“This health program also gave us the opportunity to distribute free books and pamphlets that will help the people to know our God like Walking with Jesus in English and Navajo, inspired by the messages from Ellen G. White’s Steps to Christ, and Doug Bachelor’s Amazing Facts** pamphlets,” remarked Panganiban.

“We’re praying and hoping that this health outreach and ministry, with our simple actions that reflect kindness, compassion, and love, will be a reflection of Jesus, allowing others to see Him through us, especially in our everyday lives. It was a pleasure and a blessing working with these medical practitioners for the Lord and His people.”

* La Vida Mission is a supporting ministry of the Seventh-day Adventist Church but is not affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

** Please note that Amazing Facts International and its media and publications are not affiliated with the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists or the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

—VJ and Beth Panganiban are La Vida Mission Outreach co-directors. Photos supplied.

By Adelaide Eno

I am not a math person.

This was a truth that I entered high school with—the innate knowledge of a fact of indisputable nature.

Yet, years after I thought I had decided this for good, I crouched over my team’s robot, calculating each angle and using triangles to support unstable pieces. I had quite the disturbing revelation: it appeared that I, despite my valiant efforts to avoid the subject entirely, was doing MATH … Willingly.

The door to robotics opened for me three years ago when I joined my brother in high school at Mile High Academy (MHA). The robotics tournament was unexpected. At MHA, nearly everyone has been to a sports tournament; we know what competition looks like. We know the energy that charges the air when we step into an arena. Yet, something is different about robotics.

As soon as the doors to the competition venue open, there is a rush to get to your team’s workstation first—to set up and look around, to gauge the scene. There is a moment of tension where eyes flit across the room in search of a friendly face. And then, after the trading of a bracelet or some stickers, the tension breaks and suddenly everyone’s talking.

As Outreach Co-Ordinator for the last three years, talking has been my job. FIRST Tech Challenge, the program we participate in, is created to enable connections. “Gracious Professionalism,” is a term coined by FIRST to describe the standard of behavior for participants and encourages every team to work together despite the competitive atmosphere. In many ways, it is parallel to the CHERISH Core Values that we exemplify at MHA. We are rivals, yes, but we are also friends.

I am not a math person. So, I go around and talk to the teams. I recognize a fellow artist from the way she describes her robot’s claw. I become friends with a boy who listens to the same musical artist. I lend materials to a team that forgot their tool bag at their hotel.

I may not be a math person, but I am a robotics person, so I learn how to use my strengths. I organize our parts for the Judge’s meeting where the team is interviewed by competition judges about their robot. I translate the short and unclear explanations of my teammate’s work into words normal people can understand. And above all, I learn.

This year was my senior year, and the feeling of saying goodbye to such a precious memory is bittersweet. I was more involved than ever helping build, code, and, of course, do outreach for my team. So, it is naturally hard to imagine not being involved in this anymore.

After the competition ended, my best friend called me. She was in robotics too and graduated last year. Halfway through a tearful conversation about moving on, a kind man walked by and checked in on me. He is the father of a freshman student whose team struggled this year, and he was looking for a way to reassure his son. I didn’t know quite what to say. What would I have needed to hear back when I was a freshman? So, I just said, “I am not a math person.”

I am not a math person, but through robotics, I have been provided with the application I needed to succeed. Some people say that you’re either an algebra person or a geometry person, but I would argue to the contrary. I am a robotics person, and, because of robotics, I am both.

The man told me that he had a different math teacher every year, and that it was only in college that someone knew how to help him learn. “It is not that you are bad at math,” he reassured. “You just haven’t been taught how to learn it yet.” He, just like me, was not a math person. Now, we both are.

As we wrapped up the conversation and he walked away, my friend and I sat in the silence processing what the man had said. She too struggles with math, and, just like me, she grew into STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through robotics. She now studies physics and computer science at Walla Walla University.

Although he had been speaking to only me, his words hit both of us. I am a math person now, but for how long? Graduating from robotics felt like slamming a door closed. Yet, this man’s reassurance broke apart my fears like breaking apart the imaginary wall I had built for myself.

When we gathered our thoughts together and both started to speak, my friend and I could only say one thing: “It feels like God sent that man.” I had tried to close the door on myself, to end this chapter of my life the way I had started it, yet God was on the other side holding it open.

—Adelaide Eno is a senior student at Mile High Academy. Photos supplied.

Yngrid Silva – Loveland, Colorado … Students at Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado, took a day off from schoolwork to serve the surrounding community, April 11.

Students were divided into groups and completed different jobs such as picking up trash in the park and along highways, sorting donations at Habitat for Humanity,* making quilts, and collecting cans for the House of Neighborly Service.*

Brayden Marroquin, senior student, shared, “It was a lot of fun cleaning up the highway with my friends and just having a good time waving at the people passing by.”

Some students stayed on campus and helped in the cafeteria to serve a meal to middle school students that go to school in the Rocky Mountain Conference. Misha Newbold, senior student, shared, “Working in the cafeteria was long and tiring, but in the end, I felt good because I was serving others.”

* Habitat for Humanity and House of Neighborly Service are not affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church nor the Rocky Mountain Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.

—Yngrid Silva, Campion Academy Student News Team. Photos supplied.

Jose Briones – Loveland, Colorado … At Campion Academy in Loveland, Colorado, the pathways to growth take many forms—academic rigor, spiritual reflection, and, for senior student Damaris Lopez, a surprising discovery in literature evangelism. For Damaris, what began as a summer interest evolved into a calling, one that reshaped her faith and left a lasting impression on the people she encountered along the way.

“It’s funny,” she said. “I never thought knocking on doors would change me.” But change her, it did. Through Campion’s literature evangelism program and her summer Youth Rush experiences through the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC), Damaris learned that faith is as much about action as it is belief. Going door-to-door, distributing religious materials, and striking up conversations, she saw firsthand how small moments of connection could transcend barriers.

Some encounters stand out vividly in her mind. “There were times when people would open the door and start sharing their struggles with me, a complete stranger,” Damaris commented. “Those moments didn’t feel random. I really believe God placed me there for a reason.” The phrase “divine appointment” became one she returned to often, those unplanned interactions where faith, empathy, and humanity intersected in profound ways.

Through these exchanges, Damaris’s own faith deepened. She learned to listen without judgment, to embrace vulnerability, and to trust in the quiet ways God works through ordinary moments. “It’s humbling,” she remarked. “You think you’re there to help others, but, so often, they end up teaching you something just as important.”

Her experiences in evangelism shaped more than her relationship with God. As class pastor, a role she’s held since her sophomore year, Damaris offers guidance and encouragement, often sharing Bible verses she’s kept on hand for those moments when someone needs reassurance. “I want people to know they’re not alone,” she said. “Whether it’s a study group or just a conversation, it’s about making space for connection.”

With graduation on the horizon, Damaris looks ahead with confidence, carrying the lessons learned during her time at Campion: “It’s more than just the books or the conversations. It’s about planting seeds—small acts of faith that God can grow into something beautiful.”

For Damaris, Campion Academy has been far more than an education. It’s been a launchpad for self-discovery, service, and spiritual growth, a place where every knock on a door revealed another pathway to grace. Watch Damari’s story below.

—Jose Briones is lead pastor at the Fairplay Seventh-day Adventist Church and is the RMC Stewardship Promotion and Content creator. Photo capture from RMC’s “Always Faithful” video series.

RMCNews – New Castle, Colorado … The Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) recognized the formation of the Welcome Home Hispanic Seventh-day Adventist Company, April12, in New Castle, Colorado.

Thirty members of the new company were in attendance at the ceremony and another 30 people attended in support. Doug Inglish, RMC vice president for administration, presided over the ceremony and was joined by Darin Gottfried, RMC vice president for Finance, and Leonardo Jimenez, lead pastor of the Denver Central Hispanic, Colorado Springs Hispanic, and Nueva Esperanza Seventh-day Adventist Churches.

To be considered for company status within the Conference, a group must have existed for at least one year following written recognition by RMC administration and must demonstrate a distinct missional need or demographic focus.

Applications require a statement of purpose, leadership structure, growth strategy, financial viability, and consistent attendance records. Final approval is granted by the RMC Executive Committee, after which newly formed companies are responsible for their own finances.

“We are pleased to have the Welcome Home Hispanic Company join the list of congregations in the Rocky Mountain Conference,” remarked Inglish. “This is a testament to the Holy Spirit to bring together the followers of Jesus Christ to continue our mission and spread the Gospel.”

—RMCNews. Photos by Susan Inglish.

Daniele Fantoni – Alamosa, Colorado … What began as a vision with just one Pathfinder has grown into a vibrant group of young people discovering purpose and faith through the Pathfinder ministry. The San Luis Valley Gators Pathfinder Club, which launched just last year, led out in a Spirit-filled Sabbath service on April 5 at the Alamosa Seventh-day Adventist Church in Alamosa, Colorado.

At the time of the service, the club had grown to seven active Pathfinder members, all of whom regularly participate in the program. Each young person took a turn at the pulpit sharing short messages.

“It was a moving experience to see them stand boldly before the congregation, using their voices to encourage and uplift the church family,” remarked Daniele Fantoni, lead pastor in the San Luis Valley district in the Rocky Mountain Conference.

Since the special service, the club has welcomed two more Pathfinder members, bringing the total to nine—”a clear sign that God continues to bless and grow this ministry.”

“This is more than just a club—it’s a ministry that’s shaping lives. To watch these kids grow, not just in numbers, but in courage and spiritual maturity, is truly a blessing,” Fantoni continued.

The Pathfinder club has become a point of connection and discipleship in the community, drawing families closer together and giving young people a place to belong and thrive. The club director and leaders are committed to nurturing each child, helping them develop Christ-like character through service, learning, and adventure.

Fantoni concluded with, “As the San Luis Valley Gators Pathfinder Club continues to grow, so does the joy and energy they bring to the church. April 5 was not just a special Sabbath, it was a celebration of what God is doing through young lives and a glimpse of a bright future.”

—Daniele Fantoni is lead pastor at the Alamosa, Monte Vista, and Pagosa Springs Seventh-day Adventist Churches. Photos supplied.