As part of the ADRA National Meeting, that took place on the weekend of February 13th and 14th, it was held, at the Lisbon Central Church, on Sabbath afternoon, a debate entitled “What is the Differentiating Role of the Adventist Social Service?”
Organized by ADRA-Portugal, this debate had the participation of Jonathan Duffy, President of ADRA International, and of Pastor Mário Brito, President of the Inter-European Division and was presented and moderated by Paulo Sérgio Macedo and translated by Miguel Mateus.
During two and a half hours, the invited guest speakers reflected upon the themes related to the responsibility of Christians and Church for those less fortunate; the preparation of the Church and of the local communities to deal with situations of need and how to welcome and support those who are around us; the more pressing worries and challenges which are possible to detect in Portugal and Spain; the existing tension and balance between the innate value of answering the needs of those around us and the commission of sharing the spiritual message of the Gospel.
Answering the central question of the debate – what, basically, differentiates the Adventist social service – Jonathan Duffy referred that, in his opinion, the Adventists and their institutions of social service are characterized by a “deep and uncontrollable passion for the individual”, while Mário Brito emphasized a characteristic “vision of the human being as a whole, in the diverse, but unified, aspects of the existence”, as well as “in a world in which people less know God and believe in His Word, this is a mean of approach, par excellence”.
In addition to the interviews of the moderator, the speakers answered questions made by the numerous and interested people in the audience, as well as by those that were watching the transmission made by Hope Channel Portugal. We must also emphasize the participation in the debate of the organizers, Cármen Maciel, Director of ADRA Portugal, and João Carlos Martins, Director of ADRA Inter-European Division, in this event, which was the first national event after their nomination.
At the end, it was pointed out, by those present, the interest of the theme and of the debate, concluding that the social service is, in one hand, the individual responsibility of the Christian, and, on the other hand, the arm of a Church that shares the present truth without loosing sight of the answer to the present needs, with compassion for each human being, Changing the World, One Life at a Time.
Photos: www.facebook.com/adra.portugal/posts/1116795195019461