Author: Julio Guerra

February 27, 2024 | Carrefour, Port-au-Prince, Haiti | Jean Carmy Félixon and Libna Stevens, Inter-American Division News The Adventist University of Haiti (UNAH) in Carrefour, Port-au-Prince, in Haiti, has reopened four weeks after armed men entered the campus on January 23, 2024. “We have opened our doors back again trusting in God for protection because we have to continue educating,” said Dr. Sénèque Edmond, president of UNAH this week. “The threats are still there, for we know anything can happen, but God spared us.” Most  students returned to the campus and dormitories, university officials said. “A few are still unable to return because they are still stuck in some provinces across the country,” said Edmond. The reopening of the university on Feb. 21, 2024, saw administrators, teachers, staff, and students participating in a four-day national fasting and prayer called by the Adventist Church in Haiti. Students, teachers, and staff prayed together several times during the day at UNAH’s auditorium to plead for deliverance from the escalating violence that has affected church members, schools, churches, and institutions across Haiti. In a statement to church members, Pastor Pierre Caporal, president of the Adventist Church in Haiti, said that they are not alone and that the church administration understands their suffering and that the Lord can hear the cries and pain they are going through. “God has a plan for each of us, for His church and our country which is in turmoil,” said Caporal. “Fix your eyes on Him today more than ever and pray to Him with persistence, constancy and a lot of fervor and faith for the deliverance of the country.” Pastor Caporal invited church members and their families to pray in their homes, small groups, churches, schools, and institutions to fast and pray for God’s tender care Local churches throughout Haiti took part in the prayer and fasting on Sabbath, Feb. 24. Inter-American Division President Pastor Elie Henry encouraged leaders and church members during an online program on Feb. 24 to continue pressing on even in the midst of uncertainty and distress and to seek God in prayer every day. “I invite you to continue to meditate God’s Word, reflect in His goodness and pray to Him daily,” said Pastor Henry. “Sometimes we expected God to reveal Himself through great things or great events in our life but God comes in a gentle breath to speak us,” he said. “We must turn our eyes towards God and we will be radiant with joy for He comes into our hearts to soothe our torments and give meaning and direction to our lives.” According to Yonel Bissainthe, communication director at the Bethlehem Adventist Church in Pétion-ville, Haiti, dozens of church members filled the church to pray, confess their sins, and pray together for God’s presence. “Many were so happy to take the time to lay their burdens at the feet of Jesus and left reassured that God would bring about rest from the violence,” said Bissainthe. Marie Carmen Alvarez, a member of the Shékina Adventist Church in Port-au-Prince, followed the program both in person and online throughout the four days of fasting and prayer. “Only God has the last word. We can do nothing but rely on Him through prayer and wait on God’s intervention for we know that the situation will not last forever,” said Alvarez. “I believe that God will work on our behalf.” For months, Adventist churches across Haiti have had to adjust their services to morning or early afternoon to allow members to be home before dark. Church leaders reported recently that 15 churches have closed, and more than 3,500 church members have been displaced.   Addressing so many church members who have been displaced because of the violence in their communities, Pastor Edgar Etienne, dean of the School of Theology in UNAH and pastor of the university church, urged them to rely on God every minute of the day. “We must pray to follow God’s plan for our lives,” said Etienne. “If we must flee our homes, it is God who must show us where to go. Let us not run without God.” There are more than 500,000 Seventh-day Adventists in Haiti. The Adventist Church oversees some 1,330 churches and congregations overseen by the Haitian Union and its one conference and four missions. The union operates a hospital, university, and dozens of primary and secondary schools.

February 15, 2024 | St. Catherine, Jamaica, | Kimarley Walker Medley, Dyhann Buddoo-Fletcher and IAD News Staff The Willowdene Group of School (WGS) is Jamaica’s first primarily solar energy-efficient Seventh-day Adventist school. The 11.5M Jamaican dollar [US $73,000] solar energy solution gift was officially handed over to the school from the WGS Alumni Association on Feb. 2, 2024. “We are excited to provide a sustainable energy solution that will contribute to Willowdene’s growth and benefit both current and future students,” said Donmayne Gyles, WGS Alumni Association president. “The partnership between the WGS Alumni Association and the Central Jamaica exemplifies the spirit of collaboration, vision, and innovation.” Gyles also thanked Cecil Foster, managing director of FosRich Group of Companies, and his team for partnering with them in the venture. “Without FosRich, this project would not be the success it has turned out to be.” The WGS Alumni President explained that implementing a solar system will bring numerous benefits to the community. As it embraces sustainability by harnessing clean and renewable energy sources, it will reduce the school’s carbon footprint, and promote environmental consciousness among students and staff, he said. “The solar system will ensure a reliable power supply, allowing for an improved teaching and learning experience,” added Gyles. The Solar PV Installation boasts of a grid-tie system comprising a total generating capacity of 64.36 kilowatts of DC power and a total inverter capacity of 55 kilowatts, which is expected to yield multiple benefits for the school, explained Jodie Ann Graham, sales manager at FosRich. Additionally, “the average consumption for the Willowdene Group of Schools was approximately 6073kWh; with the solar PV system installed, the units will cover 75-85% of the full load,” she said. Graham expressed that the system has a Return on Investment (ROI) of three years and a warranty package on the panels of 12 years; the inverter is for five years, and other equipment is for two to three years. Principal Peter Williams said the cost savings will significantly benefit the WGS’s approximately 700 student population plus staff. “Our electricity bill alone for the past few months has climbed to over 800,000.00 Jamaican dollars monthly [or US $5,098]. Therefore, the cost savings generated by the transition to solar energy will free up resources that can be allocated to other areas, enhancing the overall educational experience for students,” Williams explained. Graham also stated that the solar system is grid-tied and synchronizes with the JPS (Jamaica Public Service) grid. This type of system allows for an automatic supply changeover to JPS, which acts as a backup supply when there is a low solar supply (overcast day) than the school’s energy demand, she explained.  In addition, during the holiday seasons, when school is closed, the excess production from the solar system can be sold to JPS under a standard offer contract net billing system arrangement between the Willowdene Group of Schools and JPS. Adding his praise for the solar energy efficient gift, Chairman of the School Board, Pastor Nevail Barrett, said, “This gesture not only exemplifies WGS Alumni enduring commitment to the school but also empowers us to embrace environmentally responsible practices that align with our educational mission.” “By spearheading this initiative,” said Pastor Everett Brown, president of the Jamaican Union, in his main address, “Willowdene Alumni Association has not only demonstrated its altruism but has also set an inspiring example for others to follow. This gift is a testament to the power of collective action in investing in education, and I pledge my continued commitment and support from the Jamaica Union Conference.” The initiative is part of what the Seventh-day Adventist Church is projecting to do towards being more sustainable, church leaders said. “We are in the discussion phase of ensuring that all our schools trend toward energy cost saving, which has been a concern to us for some time” said Pastor Michael Henry, education director of the Jamaica Union. “We commend the Willowdene Group of Schools for having led the way and very soon, all other institutions will adopt this cost-saving technology,” Inspired by the gift, grade 11 student Jaden Lewis, president of Willowdene High School United Students Association, expressed her deepest thanks on behalf of the student body. “In the face of global challenges, it is reassuring to witness our alumni taking proactive steps to impact our school and the environment positively. The installation of the solar panels provides us with a sustainable energy source and sets a powerful example for us all,” Lewis said. The Seventh-day Adventist Church in Jamaica owns and operates 27 primary and secondary schools, overseeing over 4,500 students annually. Numbered among the schools in the Jamaica Union is the Willowdene Group of Schools, which lies in the jurisdiction of the Central Jamaica Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. They are accredited by the Ministry of Education in Jamaica and the accrediting body of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. The institution stands as a group of schools with three divisions: the early childhood, preparatory school, and high school.