NEWSBREAK

World Church Says "No"
to Abuse Against Women

BY ANSEL OLIVER, editorial assistant, Adventist News Network

ight Adventist ministries are joining together to educate members about child abuse. On August 23, the world church held its second annual Abuse Prevention Sabbath, or Saturday, in an effort to reduce abuse.

"The problems of society are the problems of the church--there's very little difference," says Heather-Dawn Small, associate director of the General Conference (GC) Women's Ministries Department, that initiated the international campaign, "Breaking the Silence."

The problem was big enough that the entire church needed to deal with abuse, says Small. "We could have just sent out information but we wanted our worldwide membership to know that the leadership takes this issue seriously." The church voted the abuse prevention Sabbath as an annual awareness event at the 2001 Annual Council. Small says some Adventists differ in how they view abuse: from those who say, "Abuse doesn't happen in the Christian home," to others who have left the church because they have been hurt or feel the church has not addressed abuse sufficiently.

The church is confronting the issue openly through leadership, says Ron Flowers, co-director of the GC Family Ministries Department. He says this will bring a greater comfort level for those who need to be heard. "Without the direct intervention through leadership, the likelihood that people will talk is remote. Jesus stood up for people who were vulnerable," he continues. "We have gone beyond the point where we are just ashamed. We now want to address realities that are out there."

Eight years ago the GC Family Ministries Department released statistics of a study from seven of the church=s then 12 world regions. Providing statistics for adults, the study showed that in some areas of the world at least 15 percent of Adventist females reported being physically abused, and as many as 43 percent were abused in other regions.

"However, not everybody is willing to accept this as a problem," says Small. "Some people want to keep their heads in the sand. They think that if they don=t acknowledge it, it's not real. But it is very real."

The Adventist Church's Abuse Prevention Sabbath is the fourth Saturday in August each year. For its first abuse prevention day last year, the church focused on abuse in general. This year the emphasis was child abuse.

In 1989 the United Nations adopted the "Convention on the Rights of the Child." A statement voted by leadership at the Adventist Church world session in 1995 says the church, "Yaffirm[s] the dignity and worth of each human being and decr[ies] all forms of physical, sexual and emotional abuse and family violence. We take seriously reports of abuse."

In 2000, church leadership voted a statement on the well-being and value of children, including rights of children (see www.adventist.org/beliefs/main_stat51.html).

Statistics show that one in three women have been abused in some form. In England and Wales, one in four murder victims are wives killed by husbands. In Latin America and the Caribbean, six out of 10 women have suffered physical or psychological abuse by their intimate partner. In Papua New Guinea, 67 percent of wives report they suffer marital violence. In Egypt, Jamaica, and Greece, one in five divorces are granted on grounds of spousal cruelty. Domestic violence costs Canada $1.6 billion (Canadian) per year. In the United States, 200 women are raped or battered every hour.

"When a victim knows that their church cares enough to do something about it, they grow spiritually because they see the loving care they need," Small says. "They can then say, 'Yes, my church leadership cares.' When the church leadership says there is a problem, it gives it credence--it gives it more clout for the change to happen."

Paulsen Answers Youth Questions in Global Telecast
"It's not easy to be a young person in the Seventh-day Adventist Church, but let me tell you, it's not easy to be old, either," said Jan Paulsen, General Conference president, in a live August 21 telecast beamed to members around the globe.

But, he added, "The church is a family. We're not a society--we are a community, a family, we are linked to each other, [and] we belong to each other." Paulsen, a 45-year veteran of Adventist ministry, said his vision was for young people of the church to remember their status as "co-owners" of the church and to reach out in their communities to spread the gospel message.

The global broadcast, "Let's Talk," was aimed at connecting young people in the church--who comprise, Paulsen said, perhaps 50 percent of the 20 million attending weekly worship services (including 13 million baptized members)--with their leadership. Some 50 young people were in the studio audience at the Adventist Media Center in Simi Valley, California, and questions were submitted via the Internet from around the world. John Torres, a correspondent for the weekly "Adventist NewsLine" television program, was the show's host.

Distributed globally via satellite, the program was broadcast by the Adventist Television Network and was seen around the world, including a major youth congress who watched the live event from the Caribbean island of Barbados.

Baraka Muganda, world youth ministry director, was in Barbados. "The questions that were asked are ones that these youth struggle with," Muganda said. "They appreciated seeing the world president taking his time to talk with them. One young person said, 'Now I know that my church means what it says about the youth of this church.'"

"The huge bulk of our church is young people," said Paulsen. "And as you know, Christianity began with young people. And so, I thought ... 'why not find an occasion to meet some of the Adventist youth ... and let me learn what they feel strongly for, what are the burdens on their heart.'"

Those burdens include things which are normative for teens and young adults??issues of conduct, responsibility, sex, dating and marriage--but also include questions about strengthening their spiritual lives, understanding the standards of behavior the church promotes, and making the hope found in Adventism attractive to others. Questions were also raised about music styles within the church, as well as an understanding of the role of Ellen G. White.

Concluding the broadcast, Paulsen issued a challenge to young people: "Go back to your churches and be assertive in your church. You are an owner of the church, so please be assertive about who you are in the church. You have a role--play it," he said.--Adventist News Network

Church in Haiti Experiences Rapid Growth
The country of Haiti has suffered profound political and economic turmoil for the last decade, but has the largest number of Seventh-day Adventists among the Inter-American Division's (IAD) 37 countries. With nearly 272,000 church members in 362 churches and 602 congregations, Haiti ranks among one of the largest french-speaking Adventist unions.

These numbers were revealed during a recent study conducted by IAD administrators. During the study, which was conducted August 4-7, church leaders in Haiti expressed their concern for the fast-growing membership compared to the small number of pastors. There is currently only one pastor per average of 1,900 members, the highest such ratio in the territory. IAD leaders are now struggling with the challenge of improving the situation.

"It is amazing to visit their very progressive and rapidly-growing union," said Israel Leito, IAD President. "The churches are packed on Sabbath morning, with most of the churches in Port-au-Prince having two and some even with three services. Some churches start their services at 6:30 a.m. in order to accommodate three worship services. If you come late to church, you may not even find standing room in the church."

Other needs in Haiti are Sabbath school quarterlies for children and the completion of church buildings, many which are unfinished because of the unstable economic and political situation. IAD leadership is given careful consideration to resolving these and other issues to reduce some of the needs in Haiti.

Regardless of the struggles the members in Haiti are facing, Leito says they are faithfully and courageously furthering the work of the church, and, in spite of the financial challenges, are very supportive of missions. The Haitian Union has the highest missions offering to tithe ratio than any other union in the division.

Australian Student Photographer Wins Awards
Kalon Edser, a 19-year-old Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia photography student, has won both the state and national student awards in photography.

"I was shocked because when you begin as a photography student, these awards are the biggest thing you can accomplish," said Edser, on receiving a phone call from the chairman of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography informing him that he had been awarded Australian student photographer of the year.

His highest scoring print, a pinhole self-portrait, received comments from the judges about its uniqueness. "You can show the world the way you see it without having to talk," said Edser, known for his shyness.

"The Adventist community in Toowoomba, together with Kalon=s family and friends, are thrilled by his achievements and consider him a good role model for other young people who are striving for excellence in their field of study," said David Stojcic, pastor of Toowoomba Central, Edser's home church.

Iraqi Adventists Struggle to Secure Freedom
"Operation Iraqi Freedom" threatens to inflict one very unfortunate casualty--freedom of religion for Iraq's Seventh-day Adventist school children. Iraqi students must pass standardized nationwide exams before progressing past the tenth and twelfth grades. Unfortunately, the Iraqi Ministry of Education has informed church members that these exams will be given, in part, on Sabbath this year and no alternative exam dates will be provided to Adventist students.

In order to assess the situation, attorney Mitch Tyner traveled to Baghdad to meet with church leaders and government officials in early August. During his stay he met with senior Iraqi and US officials to discuss possible alternatives for Adventist students. As of press time, there is no resolution to this problem.

For a complete interview with Mitch Tyner concerning his trip to Baghdad and work with the Iraqi government, look for the upcoming October 9 issue of the Adventist Review (World Edition).

News Notes

Adventist Communications Network (ACN) is once again sponsoring the SONscreen Film Festival in Orlando, Florida, October 9-12, 2003. SONscreen offers young adults a chance to share ideas about the film industry and to have their work seen by media professionals.

"ACN created the SONscreen Project to mentor young Adventist Christians in media and provide them these opportunities," says Stacia Dulan, Festival producer. AWe encourage young people to actively use their skills and creative talents to benefit the Seventh-day Adventist Church and the communities the church serves."

For registration and detailed information, call 1-800-ACN-1119 or visit www.sonscreen.info.

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