Stories from Peru, United States, Ukraine, Australia, and Croatia.
Published on: 1 day ago
PERU
Adventist Professor Wins 2024 National Contest for Best Teaching Practices
Callirgos was awarded first place in the twelfth edition of the National Contest on Best Teaching Practices 2024, promoted by the Department of Education of Peru. This important recognition highlights their innovative work and commitment to quality education, regional church leaders said.
His initiative seeks to strengthen the learning process of reading and writing through digital tools, providing his students with a modern and meaningful educational experience.
In granting this recognition, national educational leaders underscored the importance of teaching practices such as those put forward by Callirgos, which, they said, generate a real impact on learning. “These practices . . . focus on the development of crucial abilities in students,” they said.
Adventist educational leaders said Callirgos’s achievement “reflects the Christian values of excellence and service in the formation of citizens committed to social welfare, thus strengthening the educational mission of Adventist schools to prepare new generations for leadership.”
UNITED STATES
Adventist Risk Management Announces Strategic Executive Realignment
Adventist Risk Management, Inc. (ARM), announced a company-wide realignment of executive roles to better meet the needs of clients and subsidiary offices.
According to ARM president and CEO James Winegardner, “this realignment shifts existing departments between executive leadership without reductions in force. ARM is making the changes to increase efficiency and balance workloads among the officers.”
This realignment now places Insurance Services, which includes Underwriting, Placement, and Business Analytics departments, under David Fournier, who formerly oversaw Client Care, which included Risk Control, Customer Service, Account Executives, and Communication and Resources. Kathleen Wilson adds the Claims Department to her current portfolio over the Healthcare and Benefits area, and vice president for Human Resources Andrea Ashman will take responsibility for the Communications Department. Andrew Moll will focus on the company’s entire Finance Services operations and Tony Vargas continues oversight of Information Technology Services. James Winegardner will serve the Client Care and Risk Control departments, along with the Legal Services Department.
ARM is implementing these changes with immediate effect.
UKRAINE
Children in Bucha Welcome Gifts From ADRA Ukraine
“Give Children a Holiday” was the theme of a large-scale charity event that took place at the Academy of Sports in Bucha, Ukraine, January 25. Ukrainian singer Nataliya Mogilevska and the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Ukraine also joined the event, the latter as one of its sponsors.
According to the event organizers, the main goal of the event was to draw public attention to children who, because of the war, were left without parental care, became internally displaced persons (IDPs), lived in boarding schools, and now have to overcome deep traumatic experiences. The holiday gathered more than 100 children, organizers said.
Thanks to the participation of ADRA Ukraine representative Olexander Alyshev, all children received gifts, they explained.
Guests of this special event in Bucha were children from Borodyanka, Bucha, Hostomel, and Pushcha-Voditsa. Kids who attended participated in a variety of fun contests and a mini football tournament. Several artists performed during the program.
AUSTRALIA
Popular TV Program for Mothers Launches Podcast
The popular Australian TV program for mothers Mums at the Table has launched a brand-new podcast, offering listeners an honest and heartfelt look at life’s complexities.
Life in the Grey is a micro podcast hosted by Melody Tan, project manager of Mums at the Table, and Faith Toh, a content producer. The monthly podcast promises to delve into the messy, beautiful, and nuanced “gray areas” of life—where emotions, relationships, and parenting all collide.
“Life is messy and that’s OK,” Tan said. “We want to create a space where listeners feel seen, heard, and inspired to embrace the complexities of their own lives. It’s a podcast not just for moms, but anyone interested in exploring the psychological factors that shape our relationships, be that as a parent, a partner, or a peer.”
The concept behind Life in the Grey is simple yet profound: Life isn’t black or white. Through candid conversations, personal stories, and a touch of humor, the hosts will explore such topics as childhood experiences of judgment, the pressures of modern parenting, and strategies for emotional resilience.
“This isn’t about finding easy answers,” Toh said. “It’s about asking the right questions and holding space for the in-between moments.”
CROATIA
Musical Ensemble Celebrates 40 Years of Sharing the Gospel
A crowd of 2,000 gathered at the Vatroslav Lisinski Grand Hall in Zagreb, Croatia, on January 26, to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the Agape Ensemble with a memorable concert titled “In Praise of Him.”
Hosted by Darko Kovačević, the event honored the enduring legacy of a musical journey that began in 1982, when the founders of Agape Ensemble started their ministry in Zagreb’s Adventist churches. Their mission left a profound mark on both the Adventist Church in Croatia and the wider community—a legacy that continues today. Rooted in the gospel, the ensemble’s journey has unfolded through more than 600 concerts, reaching audiences large and small across Croatia and beyond.
Kovačević continues to regard his music ministry as frontline evangelism. “With all tickets sold, 70 percent of those attending were from Croatian society—civic leaders, church leaders, representatives from media and culture, professional musicians, and the wider community who love hearing us sing.” He continued, “In a nation where to be a Seventh-day Adventist is considered to belong to a small and strange denomination, we believe our concerts to be heaven-sent opportunities to be ambassadors for Christ.”
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