The Health Ministries Department of Northeastern Mindanao Mission ( NeMM) a regional headquarter of the Seventh-day Adventist located at Km.3,Baan ,Butuan City has conducted a Mini- Health Expo in different places in the region. The Health Ministries Director Pastor Nimrod V. Saramosing spearheaded every activity. What they are using is an acronym of CELEBRATIONS Healthy Lifestyle introduced by Southern Asia Pacific Region of the Seventh –day Adventist Church through Health Director Pastor Abraham T. Carpena. C stands for Choice. , E –is for Exercise, L- is for Liquid, B- is for Belief, R- is for Rest, A- is for Air, T- is for Temperance , I- is for Integrity, O- is for Optimism, N- is for nutrition, S- is for Social Support. This is a modification of what we used to have known before as NEWSTART.
Just lately in Butuan City at Goat 2 Geder Hotel and Restaurant the Mini-Health Expo was introduced to the Seminarians of the Family Life Seminar of Pastor Wendell M. Serrano , the President of South Philippine Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist. It started last September 13 and ended on September 26, 2009. It was done 1 hour before the lecture of the main seminar on family life. It was a nightly activity with the seminarians to pass through free physical check-up with the use of the newly acquired imported gadgets by NeMM Health Department.
Everyone who submits himself to physical check –up will have to go to the different stations for each letter of the Acronym CELEBRATIONS. He will have to start from letter C until he comes to complete the letters of the Acronym. It is where they will be given health test and counseling session. A group of Health Professional Volunteers in the city were assisting the seminarians in different “CELEBRATIONS” stations who gave counsels on how to improve health. Several seminarians come early to get to the line ahead to be accommodated first. It was the busiest time for the health group to catch up with the time allotted for them. But if the time comes for the family life lecture, they will have to end the session awaiting for the next night schedule. Every night the stations are crowded with people.
It was such an amazing experience to everyone. Most of the seminarians said. They were very much impressed of the kind of gadgets the Adventist have. That Adventist are more advanced in introducing health information drive to the people.
Seminarians went through series of tests and the most exciting one is the test that determines their body age compared to their actual age. Some were amazed to be 2 or more years younger than their actual age while others have bodies older than their actual age. “ I can’t believe it”, most of them exclaimed. Another exciting test is that they were asked of their lifestyle, their age and body fat index , then the computer determines their health age. This goes to show and explain to the seminarians that one’s lifestyle greatly affect his health.
Many people today are recognizing the Seventh-day Adventist as one of the reliable Health Promoter not only telling people to have a healthy lifestyle but also giving glory to God through caring the body as God’s temple.
Now Northeastern Mindanao Mission Health Ministries Department is looking forward to be better equipped with more health facilities in order to connect to people within the region and to introduce the gospel message through health Ministry..
Leave a Reply