Seasons Change

Articles October 3, 2024

Source: The Health Connection Newsletter | 3rd Quarter 2024

HC Q1 2024 Online

“There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens…” Ecclesiastes 3:1.

The seasons of the year change, bringing opportunities to plow, plant, nurture, and harvest. Each season may bring challeng- es—freezing or excessive heat, drought or floods, and even fires. Just so are the seasons of life.

After 23 years of service in Adventist Health Ministries at the General Conference, and a total of 49 years as a physician, academic, pastor, and administrator in the service of the Lord and Church I love, it is a privilege to pass the baton of leadership to Dr. Zeno Charles-Marcel. May the Lord grant you wisdom, courage, and a double portion of His Spirit daily in this sacred task, Zeno. We will soon welcome Dr. Milton Mesa and family to Silver Spring – Bienvenido! We are blessed to have Dr. Katia Reinert’s continued and energetic leadership. Obrigado!

I enter retirement in November with deep gratitude to God for all He has done for me and for the immense honor and privilege it has been for me to work with our World Church and the communities it serves around the planet. I am thankful for each of you – our global team of health ministers/missionaries who diligently extend the healing of Jesus Christ through comprehensive health ministry (CHM), sharing wholeness, and serving all.

I salute and thank my mentors, teammates who have served in the past, and the current GC Health Ministries Team through whom God will continue to work mightily. As health leaders, each of you has made the difference in so many lives through your dedicated HC Q1 2024 Online

ministry, the sharing of your wealth of skills in health, and the creating of useful and needed resources assisting people stop smoking, navigate recovery from addictions, and celebrate health and live life to the full.

Many young people are benefitting from strengthened or even newly developed resilience through Youth Alive. Mental and emotional health, a priority of our health of our work for two decades, culminated in the launch of the Reminded® program last year. Support- ing health behavior change and running sustainable lifestyle centers are priorities in our global work. Supporting the start-up and sustaining of medical, dental, and nursing programs remains a priority.

We live in climactic times – the world is in chaos with disasters, conflicts, and escalating wars. May we not grow weary modeling and sharing this powerful and grace-filled Health Message to a broken world. I remind you of Ellen White’s words: “I wish to tell you that soon there will be no work done in ministerial lines but medical missionary work.” Counsels on Health, 533 (1901). LDE 80.3

Maranatha! Even so, come Lord Jesus.