More than 2,000 attendees gathered for the first Hispanic Ministries Camp Meeting ever to be held on the beautiful grounds of Southeastern Conference Campground in Hawthorne, Fla., November 16-18, 2018. Miguel Yepez, pastor of the Genesis/Winter Garden district, led in a grand opening that featured heroes of the Bible and introduced the theme, “Faithful.”
Maria Parker took children ranging in ages from 3 to 10 years old on a journey back in time to the kingdom of Babylon. In an impressive display that brought to life the experiences of Daniel and his three Hebrew friends, the children had front row seats as the stories of the Bible legends came to life.
Christopher Lockhart, pastor from Martinique, ministered to the teenagers. He encouraged them to be faithful in a world that has lost its moral compass. The youth were also challenged by Ruber Alvarez, pastor from the Kansas Conference, and his wife, Mileydis, as they discussed relevant issues affecting the youth of today. Psychologist Deily Pileta facilitated an encounter for singles, 40-plus years old, encouraging them to embrace their singleness. Ruber Alvarez was also the keynote speaker.
There were laughter and moments of reflection as Arnaldo Cruz, pastor, and his wife, Menchy, a licensed marriage counselor, together encouraged the married couples by addressing real-life issues, and gave tips on how to make their homes a happy, beautiful place. The session concluded with prayers of consecration offered by Jorge Mayer, Southern Union Hispanic ministries director, and his wife, Nibia; and Mark Stoddart, chaplain, and his wife, Nicola Stoddart, Ph.D., Southeastern Conference human resources director.
The setting sun provided a beautiful backdrop of vibrant colors for a solemn ceremony prepared by Junior and Kirenia Ozuna, and Michael Owusu, D.Min., dedicated the marriages and families. Lanterns were lit and released to float on the lake as symbols of their commitment to faithfulness while keeping the light of love alive. The evening ended with an amazing display of fireworks, followed by an exciting basketball game.
The team is thankful for the support of the Southeastern Conference administration, all the directors and office staff, and camp ranger Devon Blackwood and his staff.
Southeastern | February 2019
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