By AdventistNews@gc.adventist.org (APN, Daniel Purda/tedNEWS)

This was no ordinary baptism but, in the small village of Utolica, Croatia, a little more than 60 miles (100km) south of Zagreb and near the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina, it became a small but significant event.
Marijan Plačković, a native to the region, had begun studying God’s Word before the coronavirus crisis hit. On the basis of his new knowledge and experience with God, he made a decision to stand with Christ and publicly express it through baptism. He regularly attended the local…

Source:: sda website

By AdventistNews@gc.adventist.org (Tracey Bridcutt)

While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause incredible pain and hardship around the world, it’s also giving the Seventh-day Adventist Church an unprecedented opportunity to share God’s peace and hope, and to demonstrate Christianity in action.
Adventist-owned radio network Faith FM has implemented a number of spiritual and practical initiatives to support communities around Australia.
“Amidst the isolation, people in our communities may find themselves in need of practical support, and we…

Source:: sda website

By AdventistNews@gc.adventist.org (Libna Stevens/Inter-American Division News)

The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Mexico began distributing thousands of antibacterial gel bottles or hand sanitizers this week to persons over 65 with chronic diseases and special needs, as cases of the coronavirus increase in the country.
As of Mar. 25, Mexico’s Federal Health Secretary reported that there were six deaths as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, 475 confirmed cases, and some 1,656 suspected cases.
More than 180 ADRA volunteers, most of whom are church members,…

Source:: sda website

By AdventistNews@gc.adventist.org (ADRA International)

COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus, which started to appear in December 2019, has now become a pandemic and caused major disruptions globally.
The numbers look bleaker and increase by the day. To date, more than 870,000 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed, with more than 43,000 reported deaths. The good news is that more than 185,000 people who contracted the virus have recovered. Around the world, stay-at-home, lockdown, and shelter-in-place orders continue to be…

Source:: sda website

By AdventistNews@gc.adventist.org (Edward Rodriguez, SSD Communication)

Sabbath School and Personal Ministries director of the Jakarta Conference in Indonesia, Biner Silalahi, has died of the coronavirus. The cause of death was confirmed by the local health authority, a week after Silalahi’s death on March 23, 2020.
He is the first employee of the Adventist Church who has died of the Covid-19 in the Southern Asia-Pacific (SSD) region. Earlier reports from the Adventist News Network and Adventist Review confirmed one Adventist member in China and another in London…

Source:: sda website

By AdventistNews@gc.adventist.org (Lucas Rocha)

Even with the suspension of classes, some high school students from Colégio Adventista de Maceió in Brazil continue to help their community and those in need. The students are not in the classroom, instead, they are volunteering to spend part of their day in the laboratory, producing hand sanitizer with 70% gel alcohol. The students are working under the supervision of teachers Paulo Mendes and Stephano Sousa, who are responsible for Biology and Chemistry classes, respectively.
The students…

Source:: sda website

By AdventistNews@gc.adventist.org (Victor Hulbert/ Corrado Cozzi)

#dear grandparents, a short social media clip released today is already bringing both a smile and a tear to grandparents, parents and children around the world. Already being translated and subtitled in a multitude of languages including Romanian, Slovenian, Spanish and Swedish, 15 children show their love and concern for their grandparents, each speaking in their own language in a global act emphasizing that “you are not alone”. The very first reaction as the video was released this morning…

Source:: sda website

By AdventistNews@gc.adventist.org (Ted N.C. Wilson, President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists)

Editors Note: Since May of 2019, the Adventist Church members in Burundi have endured ongoing persecution from the countries government. On October 24, the president of the Burundi Union Mission, pastor Lamec Barishinga, was arrested. This arrest was part of an escalating series of threats and attacks on the Seventh-day Adventist Church by the government of Burundi. For further reading about the situation of our Adventist brother and sisters in Burundi, please visit the Pray for Burundi…

Source:: sda website

By AdventistNews@gc.adventist.org (ANN Staff)

On March 19, the leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church announced the postponement of the 2020 General Conference session due to the rapid and unpredictable spread of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2021 General Conference Session will be held in Indianapolis, Indiana, and is currently scheduled from May 20 through May 25. It was originally scheduled from June 25 through July 4, 2020.
As planning for the meetings moves forward, more details are emerging about what the 2021 General…

Source:: sda website

By AdventistNews@gc.adventist.org (Advent Press Zagreb/APN, Neven Klačmer/tedNEWS)

A 5.3 magnitude earthquake, followed by a series of aftershocks, struck Zagreb, the capital of the Republic of Croatia on Sunday, 22 March just after 6 am. The epicenter was only 6 miles (9.6 km) from the city center. It is the largest earthquake to hit the country in 140 years. The earthquake comes at a time of restricted movement due to the coronavirus, including a shutdown of the public tram and bus network.
In fear for their lives, people fled onto the streets. There were a number of…

Source:: sda website