Shane Hochstetler
Darryl Magno
More than 200 Hispanic women from the Gulf States Conference met for their annual Hispanic women’s retreat on July 13, 2018, to celebrate in Panama City Beach, Fla. Led by Gerson Sanchez, Hispanic coordinator for Gulf States, and his wife, Karol Suazo, the retreat’s theme was “Una Belleza Incorruptible” (An Incorruptible Beauty). Together they organized an exciting event with guests Nathan Delima, pastor, and his wife, Sophia Delima; international vocalist Sampaguita Dalisay; and presenter Maria Isabel Acosta, OB/GYN physician from Miami, Fla.
Apart from the beautiful weather and white sandy beaches, attendees recognized the presence of the Lord made the event a place of refreshment and an opportunity to recharge. All throughout the programming, women enjoyed the Word of God, fantastic worship services, and health and Christian growth topics.
The Delimas spoke about the importance of prayer and how to intercede for one another. They also taught how to give thanks for blessings and hardships encountered, because in them there are blessings that sometimes cannot be seen. They gave their testimony and explained how God has blessed their ministry, which includes hosting an internet radio talk show from Tennessee, and Nathan’s work as a family therapist. One of their most impacting testimonies was about their son Nathan Jr., whom at a young age suffered from meningitis that almost killed him. The power of prayer was what saved this young man, and today he is 24 years old and in good health. They praise God for working a miracle in their family.
On Sabbath afternoon, the attendees enjoyed a beautiful, emotional baptism. A married couple from the Birmingham, Ala., Church district, under the spiritual leadership of Roberto Solorzano, pastor, gave their lives to Jesus with tears of happiness under the bright sky and waves of the sea. They laid their pasts down to begin a new life with their loving Savior, Jesus Christ.
Women’s health seminars were led by Maria Acosta. Today women are facing a high-risk battle with breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and other health challenges. Knowledge of how to better care for oneself is of the utmost importance. Acosta also impressed many with her Sabbath evening seminar, where she talked about Christian appearance and the importance of how women present themselves to the world as women of faith. She offered health and beauty tips to be a better wife and woman in this challenging world.
There was also beautiful song service music led by four women, Aisha Lopez, Evelyn Cervantes, and Belkys and Ruwie Vazquez, with a fantastic vocalist from San Diego, Calif., Sampaguita Dalisay. Dalisay is well known in the Hispanic community for singing in Alejandro Bullion’s evangelistic meetings.
There is one Scripture that will linger with every woman who attended the event, found in Proverbs 31:30: “Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” The Gulf States Conference Hispanic Ministries Department has a mission to prepare Adventist women and their families to be ready for Heaven. They hope to see even more women at the 2019 event.
Gulf States | September 2018
Comments are closed.