Faith and Unity Shine at International Children’s Retreat
The International Children’s Retreat was held Sept. 20-21, 2024, at Lone Star Camp. The retreat welcomed Adventurer Club children and youth from all ethnicities within the Southwest Region Conference territory and beyond to share their heritage as one family.
Friday night’s vespers opened with a presentation by Janice Wilson. Her lesson explained how even when God gives us everything, we are nothing without Jesus’ cross in our hearts.
Worship and vespers services on Sabbath featured the first-ever Adventurer mass choir. It was absolutely amazing to hear the children’s joyful voices singing beautiful praises to God! Sermonettes followed, presented by Hansel Levi Rivera of the Metropolitan Seventh-day Adventist Church in Missouri City, Tex., and Nehema Machuka of the Baytown United Seventh-day Adventist Church in Baytown, Tex. These two outstanding young people encouraged us to trust God’s plan for our lives and not be anxious about tomorrow.
On Sabbath afternoon, the Adventurers and visiting children (including the little ones) did international crafts and earned badges. To close the Sabbath, a group of children from the Metropolitan church performed a skit about Moses as a baby, showcasing a beautiful and prophetic portrayal of biblical truth.
On Saturday evening, children in various ethnic costumes representing different cultures participated in a procession. The night concluded with a festival where the children could play games to win prizes. Carl Birl, conference Adventurer coordinator, brought a suitcase brimming with “cash” that the kids could win and use to shop at the “International Adventurer Store.”
It was a blessing for individuals of all races, ethnicities and ages to unite as one under our Father!
We thank Carl Birl and the entire Adventurer staff for their excellent work in organizing the International Children’s Retreat. We are grateful for the dedication and leadership of Gwen Williams, Adventurer area coordinator for Capital Cities Federation, and we’ll miss her as she retires from her Adventurer leadership responsibilities.
