Cernica, Bucharest [Gabriel E. Maurer; CD EUDNews]. With the motto: „Bringing Hope into Every Home“ the Inter-European Division Literature Evangelists’ Congress started on Monday, Sept. 1, 2014. As a location it was chosen to use the Romanian Adventist University Campus in Cernica/Bucharest. Once a quinquennium all literature evangelists are invited to a special professional training and exchange event.
Literature evangelism is a branch of Adventist publishing and aims to make biblical values as well as educational and health knowledge accessible to the large public. Thus literature evangelism is a wonderful attempt to share with people around us the hope we have in common. By seeking people where they are: in their homes, at their working place, in the public area, literature evangelists are creating bridges, offering people the possibility to improve their lives and thus live happier.
Literature evangelists are coming from very diverse backgrounds. Some have been university students, some workers, some medical doctors, some of them other academics prior to becoming literature evangelists.
This year’s congress has focused on helping the community. Through health seminars offered in schools, in companies and in other places literature evangelists are contributing to significantly improve public health and wellbeing by education and practice.
Running officially approved health booths in public places trained literature evangelists are also health agents. They help people with change of lifestyle toward a better health. People learn how nutrition is affecting physical and even mental health. But this is not all: it is a comprehensive approach to healthy living. Taking time to listen to people these agents bring a significant contribution in helping people to find a way out, also out of their own health and relational problems.
“Participating as a volunteer in a summer project has totally changed my life” university student Andrada says. “I was an egoistic, even egocentric person. Now I discovered that caring for others’ wellbeing gives me back joy and happiness. I don’t want to miss this any more.”
“One month ago I had no idea what to do and where to head on,” Alina, who has just finished highschool, said. “These few weeks of participating in the Waldensian Students’ program radically changed the situation. Now I know what I want. I know that I would like to invest my life in helping people. For this reason I decided to study medicine.”
The books and magazines shared, sold, and distributed are of high quality and very attractive. Appreciated at first glance, people love them after having read them. So the publishing houses are continuing their efforts to produce high quality products.
On its fourth day, Sept. 4, the congress was concluded with an appreciation service giving honor to God for His blessings, and expressing thanks to all literature evangelists and especially to those who have served for a long time encouraging them to continue.
Although three of them served for more than 30 years, one female literature evangelist fulfilled her 55th year of service. Seeing her joy, enthusiasm, and dynamism young literature evangelists were motivated to continue this ministry as well as personal development to better serve people, to also serve God, His church, and in all to give glory to God. All committed to “Bring Hope Into Every Home”.
picture: Gabriel E. Maurer, EUD Secretary General & EUD Publishing Department Director