EDUCATORS RECEIVE TRAINING IN ADVENTIST IDENTITY AND ETHOS

Over 100 educators from Adventist schools in the Trans Pacific Union Mission (TPUM) attended a training workshop in Fiji from January 26-29. The educators came from various Pacific Island countries, including Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Samoa, American Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu, to participate in the workshop at Fulton Adventist University College. The theme of the training was "I Will Go—Quest for Integrity".

The program consisted of six sessions covering topics such as living Adventist school wellness, effective Bible teaching, developing the special character of Adventist schools, and more. The workshop aimed to encourage attendees to return to their schools and train their fellow staff on how to effectively promote and maintain Adventist ethos and identity. The South Pacific Division, in partnership with TPUM, ADRA Fiji, Sanitarium, and local missions and Adventist schools in the TPUM, sponsored the workshop.

One school principal who completed the workshop stated that the presentations were innovative and moving and has increased his knowledge on promoting Adventist ethos and identity in his school. An evaluation and monitoring process will be conducted to ensure that the educators successfully facilitate the workshop training to over 1200 teachers in Adventist schools in the TPUM by the end of March. The TPUM education director, Mere Vaihola, emphasized that revealing Jesus continues to be the primary goal of Adventist schools in Pacific Island countries, despite the increasing challenges posed by declining Adventist ethos and identity. The South Pacific Division established an Adventist Ethos Committee in 2020 to strengthen Adventist ethos and identity in Adventist institutions.