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Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience Montemorelos University get ready to inaugurate the first phase of the Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation Learning Center [Photo: Christopher Castellanos/ Montemorelos University] an Adventist institution operated by the Inter-American Division inaugurated the first phase of its Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation Learning Center during a special ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov is poised to transform the academic and professional training of students positioning the university at the forefront of clinical simulation and multidisciplinary education is set to be one of the university’s most iconic buildings upon completion in 2026 Designed to provide advanced infrastructure for clinical simulation the center will offer students from various disciplines practical training in a controlled The ribbon-cutting ceremony was led by faculty from Montemorelos University joined by distinguished guests: Pastor Elie Henry (second from right) president of the Inter-American Division and chairman of Montemorelos Board director of development and expansion at TecSalud at Monterrey Institute of Technology.[Photo: Daniel Gallardo/IAD] The first phase of the center includes key areas such as a model clinic and an outdoor patio with grass and perimeter areas near the hospital The spaces are equipped with advanced infrastructure and designed with a focus on functionality architect and director of Infrastructure Development of Montemorelos University “The space also features a carefully chosen color palette and furniture to maintain a cohesive and visually appealing identity,” Fuentes added President of Montemorelos University Ismael Castillo (right front) speaks before the ribbon cutting ceremony as Ivelisse Herrera director of development and expansion at TecSalud at Monterrey Institute of Technology [Photo: Daniel Gallardo/IAD] More than 160 executive committee members of the Inter-American Division—a key donor of the inaugurated center as well as members of the university’s board of directors and other invited guest toured the facility shared insights into the university’s ambitious expansion plans “Our goal is to develop the UMSalud campus which will encompass the Faculty of Health Sciences and this building dedicated to innovation and research for learning,” Castillo explained “This will connect with La Carlota Hospital and the geriatric centers which are under construction,” he added get hands on experience on the patient simulator trauma room during the tour of the learning center on Nov with a total investment of over 90 million Mexican Pesos Construction began in May 2022 and is moving forward according to schedule The main areas of the building are expected to be operational by November 2025 with full completion anticipated by the end of 2026 developed in collaboration with the Hábitat in-house firm research laboratories in various scientific fields and areas for occupational and physical therapy These spaces are being built with the goal of providing students with a state-of-the-art clinical simulation environment General Conference IAD leaders share a moment with Dr president of Montemorelos University at the space adjacent to the recently inaugurated simulation and observation rooms in front of the main building “The innovative center is not just a physical building; it is a vision for the future of the university,” said Fuentes The project was developed with a multidisciplinary approach that integrates advanced clinical simulation technology allowing for a more comprehensive and practical education for students which included more than 450 blueprints and covered over 20 engineering and related specialties ensures that every detail meets the necessary specifications for such a large-scale building Work is currently underway in areas like restrooms Adjustments to the budget have led to innovative solutions in the execution of the project optimizing resources to meet established goals Church leaders get a tour from university officials on the second phase of the construction project in the new learning center building “This partial inauguration reaffirms our commitment to training highly skilled professionals and represents a key step in the creation of world-class clinical simulation spaces,” Dr © 2025 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Find out about the most important news and events happening in our division Montemorelos University’s Board of Governors to review the university’s progress and set future goals Under the theme “Summing Up for a New World…On a Path of Challenges,” Dr presented a report that highlighted both the institution’s growth and the ongoing challenges it faces Castillo emphasized the university’s mission rooted in faith and trust that God will provide “Our journey has been guided by divine wisdom and knowledge,” he stated reflecting on the many milestones the institution has achieved Castillo pointed out the university’s significant growth over the past 30 years such as the introduction of Dentistry and Montemorelos Virtual University and increasing its global presence with campuses in Cuba president of Montemorelos University and secretary of the Board of Governors introduces his faculty leaders as Pastor Elie Henry president of the Inter-American Division and chairman of the board looks on during the meetings held on campus in Montemorelos [Photo: Jhoan Rueda/Montemorelos University] The Board also heard updates from faculty deans on ongoing projects and areas of development These updates included initiatives to strengthen Adventist education in Mexico build partnerships for real-world internships and continue the university’s impact both locally and globally Castillo acknowledged that while the university has made significant strides there are still areas that require further attention and resources The Board approved the president’s report as Pastor Henry expressed confidence that the institution will continue to grow and thrive the Board appointed new leaders within the university Melquiades Sosa was named coordinator of the Industrial and Systems Engineering program and Filiberto Grajeda was appointed to lead the Graduate School in the School of Engineering and Technology Maldonado (right) is congratulated by Ismael Castillo after receiving the Israel Leito Medal from Israel Leito former president of the Inter-American Division during the institution’s board meetings on Nov vice president of financial affairs presented a summary of the year’s financial status which were previously approved by the university’s financial committees and commended the university’s commitment to financial transparency and efficient resource management praised the university’s financial management I see the great effort to keep this institution running smoothly We thank God for the way this university continues to serve its mission.” A trauma room in the new Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation Learning Center will provide students with a state-of-the-art clinical simulation environment [Photo: Lisandra Vicente/ Montemorelos University] A key highlight of the meeting was the inauguration of a section of the Multidisciplinary Research and Innovation Learning Center a cutting-edge facility designed to support clinical simulation and multidisciplinary education it will be one of the university’s flagship buildings The Board of Governors meets twice a year to review the university’s strategic direction with union presidents from Mexico and the division executive secretary serving as vice presidents The university president acts as the Board’s secretary To learn more about Montemorelos University, its programs and initiatives, go to um.edu.mx Professor and film producer at Montemorelos University in Mexico will be the main presenter at the inaugural Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (JAMU) Film Festival The event will take place on May 10 at the West Jamaica Conference Centre The festival is a collaborative effort between JAMU and Hope Channel Inter-America It aims to promote and encourage the use of short films to uncover members’ creativity while winning and retaining souls for Christ “A film festival is more than a showcase – it’s a mission field of stories,” said Elejalde “Short films allow us to enter hearts quickly and plant seeds of hope where traditional sermons may never reach.” She holds a master’s degree in communication design theory and a PhD in business administration focusing on productivity in media centres at Hope Channel She is the director of programming at Hope Channel Inter-America and produces audiovisual content “Jamaica has many creative and digital disciples who have done innovative work for their churches and groups,” said Nigel Coke “Our primary focus is to provide an opportunity for Adventist Creative Disciples to hone their talents while providing an avenue for witnessing to non-believers and establishing a firm foundation in the faith of believers.” the former general manager of NCU Media Group who currently serves as vice-president of marketing and communication at Washington Adventist University in the US communication director of the Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventists “The festival also acts as a platform to inspire modern methods of educating and engaging audiences through films and other short content utilising creative expression and storytelling by individuals or churches in a collaborative effort to convey Adventist doctrines such as the Sabbath as well as our heritage and values,” Coke added The Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) and Caribbean Business Exchange (CBX) a dedicated cable TV channel featuring content and messaging produced by the JSE and regional and international broadcasting partners are on board to assist with the festival’s awards and the West Conference Communication Network (WCCN) will broadcast the event live It will also be streamed on the YouTube channels of the JAMU and West Jamaica Conference The festival theme is ‘Recapturing the Spirit of Mission’ and the submitted films are categorised into Music and Animation The festival’s format includes showcasing top entries presentations on filmmaking and Hope Channel and an awards ceremony that recognises the best films in various categories “I am anxiously looking forward to the festival and extend an invitation to all interested persons,” Coke added View the discussion thread. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page by Daniel Mora; translated by Loren Seibold |  18 July 2023  | The employment situation of pastors in the Inter-American Division has long been precarious A despotic attitude reigns among administrators which takes its toll on pastors’ morale There are allegations in the Inter-American Division of administrators using systematic harassment and pressure seeking to demote pastors using ad hominen attacks or setting unrealistic expectations for them Recently that came to a head at the University of Montemorelos campus church with the dismissal of staff pastor Francisco Soto after 20 years of pastoral service in three conferences and five districts Soto was by most accounts an excellent and well-respected pastor for the campus church He had the full support of the University’s president Now Soto has ended his working relationship with the Adventist Church after a long period of harassment by the administration of the North Mexican Union which is led by Pastor Luis Arturo King with the cooperation of the Northeastern Conference Observers trace the problems back to July 22, 2022, with the change of administration in the Northeastern Mexican Conference Conference president Gamaliel Torres contacted the senior pastor of the University of Montemorelos (UM) church to say that Pastor Soto would be removed He floated rumors of an alleged divorce between Soto and his wife—something that was denied by the pastoral family itself President Castillo refused to believe the rumors Francisco Soto was then given a target of 90 baptisms despite the fact that UM does not have a territory to evangelize outside of its facilities The Northeastern Conference administration then began pressuring Soto to turn over the phone numbers and contact information of the people he was counseling to verify that he was actually working as it is a federal crime in Mexico to reveal the details of people in counseling with pastors (Pastor Gamaliel Torres told Francisco Soto that he was doing all this “because he wanted to protect him.”) the pressure against Soto and his family continued Gamaliel Torres and David Reyes of the Northeastern Mexican Conference accused Soto of being dishonest with spending his pastoral budget for gasoline and travel saying that these accusations were not grounds to remove him as a pastor of the university church given that there is a long history of corruption and self-enrichment among Latin American church administrators.) the conference administrators restricted the financial aid approved for all pastors and refused to deposit the promised school allowance for his son unless he wrote a letter of responsibility to repay the aid in the event that the son would not continue his studies the Northeast Mexican Conference took a vote to remove Soto from the pastoral staff of the university church insisting that Pastor Soto be put on probation until February which he had scheduled to care for his wife the administrators refused to provide a subsidy already voted by the Conference Executive Committee for the doctorate that Soto was doing at the Inter-American Theological Seminary Soto was also refused promised support for a study trip to the Holy Land—the secretary of the Northeast Conference admitted in public that he’d used the funds Soto had asked for to finance his own trip to the Holy Land It must be stated again that Montemorelos University and its campus church had been happy with Soto’s work The church was not consulted when in March 2023 the Northeast Conference summoned Pastor Soto to tell him that as of June 1 he would no longer be pastor of the university church Working Policy specifies how a pastor must be informed of his transfer to another conference or church; this procedure was not carried out either by the North Mexican Union or the Northeastern Conference he received an email from another conference Conference and Union administrators refused to give him in writing the reasons for his transfer nor did they acknowledge his accumulated vacation time They ordered the office staff not to communicate with Pastor Soto This amounts to an indirect dismissal of Pastor Francisco Soto Soto has carefully documented all of these problems and after an extended attempt to settle these problems chose to initiate legal action against those who drove him from his job he is suing for the 20 years of Social Security that the conference hasn’t paid in order to avoid this fiscal responsibility designates its pastors as “contractors” and not as “employees,” to avoid making these payments to the Mexican Social Security system The Northeast Conference refused to enter a process of conciliation with Pastor Francisco Soto giving him an opening to initiate a lawsuit This suit may well create precedents for future legal actions There is much evidence on Soto’s part to vindicate his labor rights Not only has he been refused 20 years of retirement benefits but also the aforementioned pension contribution for his retirement (This is not uncommon in the Inter-American Division; few of its unions comply with either federal laws or their own labor policies.) It is sad when the only way to get Adventist leaders to abide by ethical standards and to respect and care for the workers is to take legal action—biblical principles are not enough for these church leaders the levels of mistreatment and abuse at Inter-American continue to take their toll on the work of pastors like Soto It is time for Adventist pastors and employees in the Inter-American Division to ask for their legal rights Daniel Mora is the Adventist Today’s editor for the Latin American region of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. For this story he talked directly to Elder Soto and consulted Mrs. Soto’s Facebook page To comment, click/tap here.  We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze our traffic This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again president of  Montemorelos University; and Dr p of the Inter-American Division and chairman of Montemorelos University Board show the agreement  between TexSalud and UM Salud Montemorelos University (UM) leaders officially signed an agreement with the TecSalud Network a collaboration led by the TecSalud Foundation of the Monterrey Institute of Technology (Tecnológico de Monterrey) during a brief ceremony held in Montemorelos The partnership marks a significant step toward integrating academic and clinical excellence with the aim of strengthening UM’s hospital director of Health Promoting Universities in Mexico leads during the brief ceremony before agreement was signed by leaders The understanding not only boosts the university’s potential in training human resources and research but also allows for the development of a more robust healthcare model aligned with excellence standards Leaders from TecSalud and UM Salud sign partnership agreement as dozens of church leaders Montemorelos University will benefit from collaborative work sessions designed to enhance medical training Cea noted that these sessions will help both institutions improve healthcare standards and operational efficiency director of Development and Expansion at TecSalud speaks on the TecSalud Network Azpiri explained that the partnership would also help Montemorelos University and La Carlota Hospital optimize financial and administrative processes leading to better negotiations with suppliers and more affordable medical services Medical students at Montemorelos University will become part of the institutions Health Sciences the Research and Innovation Learning Center and La Carlota Hospital as the institution will become UM Health network [Photo: Christopher Castellanos/ Montemorelos University] The new collaboration is not just about improving academic and clinical practices but also about enhancing the impact of their healthcare model “This opportunity allows us to combine our knowledge with leading institutions always with a focus on the community,” he said “Our goal is to ensure our healthcare model is effective reinforcing our commitment to wholistic health and community well-being.” Physical Therapist Franklin Córdova helps elite athletes and shares his faith Laura Cerón and Inter-American Division News a graduate of  the Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation program at Montemorelos University (Class of 2022) “Getting into high-performance sports rehabilitation was what motivated me to study this profession,” said Córdova he has been preparing high-performance athletes who are competing in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Two of those elite athletes are Uziel Muńoz a two-time Pan-American Games shot put medalist (silver in 2023 2019 World University Games bronze medalist and 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games champion; and Hammer Throw Diego del Real graduate from Physical Therapy at Montemorelos University in Mexico shot putter who traveled to the Paris 2024 Olympics is next to his trainer Alejandro Laberdesque he did his required year of social service at the Sportsmed Clinic in Monterrey known for its experience with high-performance athletes It was there that he was hired as a part-time employee three months after starting This marked the beginning of his professional career “At the clinic I met many high-performance athletes who valued my work which opened the doors to collaborate directly with them,” he commented Córdova said he not only acquired advanced technical skills but also established key contacts that allowed him to join the circle of elite trainers Córdova highlights what he sees as important: the need to integrate faith into his professional practice “I consider that there is no single setting for preaching the gospel I have had to do missionary work in this area,” he said extra strength that they do not get in any other way but in God.” Franklin Córdoba provides physical therapy on a client at his office Physical Therapy in high-performance sports plays an essential role not only in injury recovery but also in optimizing athletic performance and preventing musculoskeletal problems in addition to significantly reducing the risk of injury and improving physical functionality “What I like most about sports rehabilitation are the protocols and methods that are used to rehabilitate these people who need to always give 100 percent because they are based on healthy movements and movement patterns Córdova is currently pursuing a specialty in sports rehabilitation His continuous training and practical experience allow him to apply a comprehensive approach to the health of his patients considering both rehabilitation and prevention we should call ourselves movement specialists This science of movement is what we must integrate into each athlete so that they can do better what they already know how to do,” explained Córdova Uziel Muñoz (right) talks with his trainer Alejandro Laberdesque (center) as Franklin Córdova looks on during a competition session recently “The preparation I had at school was what gave me the foundation to go into this new area,” he said “I hope to always be able to have good clinical judgment and be able to provide the best rehabilitation to each patient.” Córdova is determined to continue to dedicate himself to sports and high-performance physical therapy as long as God allows He wants to help athletes of all levels to reach their maximum potential while sharing spiritual guidance with them “This is a scenario where we need to and should talk about God more often,” Cordova said Olympic final results show Muñoz placed 8th place on Aug Córdova waits to hear Muñoz’ and del Real’s Olympic experience once they get back home Students participating in challenge had to make decisions based on ethics and principles Mexico | Laura Marrero and Inter-American Division News A team of Public Accounting students from Montemorelos University (FinancialUM2) won the final of the International Business Simulation Challenge of the Spain-based company CompanyGame After overcoming strategic challenges and demonstrating excellence in business management the FinancialUM2 team excelled among their international peers carrying the name of the Adventist school in Montemorelos Daniel Sáez and Benjamín Acosta of Montemorelos University were announced as winners of  of RETO 2024 an International Business Simulation Challenge of the Spain-based company CompanyGame 2024 .[Photo: Courtesy of  Benjamin Acosta] The members of the FinancialUM2 team are Daniel Sáez students in the sixth semester of public accounting graduate studies coordinator of the School of Business and Legal Sciences the competition was intense from the start Working with the InnovaTech simulator and facing teams from all over the world they managed to accumulate the 1,200 points they needed to advance to the next stage in which more than 2,500 students from 175 universities participated they went on to participate in the Finance category in which they faced the challenging task of managing the fictional company Corbatul They faced complex financial challenges and made crucial strategic decisions to improve their performance the FinancialUM2 team demonstrated its ability to face multidisciplinary challenges and find innovative solutions Reflecting on their experiences in the competition members of the FinancialUM2 team shared the challenges they faced and how they stayed true to their principles throughout the process Escobar highlighted the importance of addressing the environmental impact of business operations and mentioned that they took measures to reduce carbon dioxide emissions highlighted how difficult it was to make those decisions without affecting the stability and operability of the company they emphasized that all decisions were aligned with principles of solidarity and improvement in the quality of life of the company employees Montemorelos Univeristy’s Financial UM2 team announced as the winners of the Reto 2024 competition during an online ceremony In addition to the accompanying prestige and recognition the team received an 85 percent scholarship for any graduate degree in business from GBSB Global Business School among other awards from Amazon Web Services and the company Hockerty González thanked CompanyGame for providing an invaluable learning platform for students He also congratulated the FinancialUM2 team for their hard work and dedication This triumph is not only a testament to the talent and dedication of U-M students but also a reflection of the university’s commitment to academic excellence and the preparation of future business leaders “This year CompanyGame has opened up business simulation challenges for faculty for the first time and we hope that the Montemorelos University academic community will continue to actively participate in this business simulation challenge looking for new opportunities to improve teaching practice and prepare students for real-world challenges.” Ismael Castillo (left) reads the honorary Doctorate of Religious Education the institution is granting Dr vice president of academic affairs looks on United States | Laura Marrero and Libna Stevens Montemorelos University recently awarded Pastor Elie Henry president of the Inter-American Division (IAD) with an honorary Doctorate of Religious Education for his visionary leadership and influence in the Seventh-day Adventist Church The Adventist-operated institutions in northern Mexico granted the title during its graduation ceremony held May 12 “Montemorelos University is glad to recognize the significant contribution of Elie Henry for his testimony of faith from the foundation established in his home and maintained with loyalty to God in biblical training in a university environment,” said Castillo “For his contributions in advanced theological studies in various forums from his eschatological and archaeological prophetic preparation in addition to his exegetical contributions with knowledge of biblical languages and representative of the Adventist world church.” president of the Inter-American Division delivers the keynote address to nearly 400 graduates on campus and connected online Henry grew up in an Adventist home with his mother who served as teacher and pastor in various regions in Haiti Henry earned his theology degree at River Plate Adventist College (now River Plate Adventist University) in Argentina He obtained his doctorate (PhD) degree from the University of Strasbourg in France His doctoral dissertation was on the prophetic and eschatological message of the Old Testament especially how it is presented in the book of Joel Elie Henry delivers the keynote address for the class of 2024 at Montemorelos University’s Campus Church Henry began his denominational work in 1985 as a pastor theology professor and program coordinator of the masters in religion program Andrews University in Michigan He then served as executive secretary and later president of the Haitian Union he was called to serve as vice president of the IAD he was elected as executive secretary of the IAD Elie Henry (center) president of the Inter-American Division Henry thanked the Montemorelos board and its leaders for the honoris causa degree his extended family and everyone who has offered unconditional support during service to the church “I feel a greater call to action for the future as a recipient of this prestigious title and feel a greater responsibility to use my abilities and knowledge position in benefit of the church and society,” said Dr “Education is a powerful catalyst for change and I am committed to continue working to promote Adventist education that is more than a pursuit of knowledge for it encompasses a lifetime and prepares us for the future.” Graduates listen in during the keynote address by Dr “You have shown unbreakable dedication to reach your academic goals have collaborated in inspiriting projects and you will see that true success is a measure of the impact that you leave in the world that surrounds us,” said Dr “You have the responsibility and privilege to use your abilities and knowledge to mark a positive difference in our community whether in the sciences You have the power to change the world and leave a lasting legacy.” Montemorelos University’s Class of 2024 choir and orchestra take part during the Festival of Mission Refocus on Nov led by Inter-American Division leaders at the as part of the Year-End Executive Committee Meetings focused on mission efforts around the world church Top Seventh-day Adventist leaders from across the Inter-American Division (IAD) recently hosted a Festival of Mission Refocus to highlight mission efforts underway in 18 countries around the world at the Adventist Church on Montemorelos University’s campus in Montemorelos featured vibrant flags and colorful folkloric outfits worn by church leaders administrators from each of the 24 unions shared their efforts in support of the Mission Refocus—a strategic initiative by the General Conference to renew and enhance the church’s mission work better aligning with both global and local needs and effectively carrying out evangelistic missions Sabbath school director in charge of Adventist Mission and main organizer of the festival speaks on the mission outreach in 18 countries that the division and 24 unions are engaged in this year and the next several years Pastor Leonard Johnson (left) executive secretary of the IAD and translator Ekel Collins (center) of Montemorelos University Mission support has been ongoing this year in collaboration with leaders from eight world church divisions with resources dedicated to supporting local workers in evangelism IAD Sabbath School director and head of Adventist Mission “The 24 unions have already contributed $500,000 US dollars this year,” Telemaque reported we expect to double this amount in support of mission and evangelism initiatives.” He went on to highlight the importance of the Mission Refocus initiative calling it a transformative effort that positions the Inter-American Division as a global leader in mission work shares his joy at the union supporting a missionary couple in Poland for the next four years I remember my mother reading me mission stories that fascinated me about the spread of the gospel in distant lands,” he said I am thrilled to support a missionary family being sent to Poland for the next four to five years.” reported on their support for mission initiatives in Mali and community service projects to support the church’s growth there,” he said shares that the union has been supporting with funts for educational health and community services projects for church growth in Mali Other union leaders shared updates on projects in countries within the 10/40 window which includes regions of the world with the greatest need for missionary outreach Initiatives range from supporting music schools and centers of influence to funding health clinics and a new university planned for the region President of Montemorelos University Ismael Castillo and his wife share the university’s commitment to sending missionaries around the world and offering scholarship to students in undisclosed countries for mission service leaders from various divisions offered video reports expressing gratitude for the IAD and its partnering unions for their support of mission efforts this year IAD Administrators share their commitment to funding Mission Refocus initiatives around the world “It is so worth it to be involved in missions helping and supporting efforts far beyond our territory,” said Pastor Elie Henry “God continues to call us to become workers for His mission and to get involved in projects around the world.” He encouraged young people to seize mission opportunities and urged adult members to continue supporting global evangelism through prayer and resources Pastor Henry also expressed gratitude to each union president for their commitment and dedication to the global Mission Refocus initiative associate secretary of the General Conference applauds the Inter-American Division for its Mission Refocus commitment as Ekel Collins (left) translates Porter called on church leaders to continue supporting missionary families through prayer There are many sacrifices our missionaries make,” she added Taylor Moren (left) Southern Adventist University student and Daniel Martínez Montemorelos University student work together during filming in Chetumal Both communication students were part of a collaborative project led by film professors from both Adventist universities to tell the story of student preachers during a mission trip to Chetumal United States | Inter-American Division News Staff When a mission trip was planned for a group of students from Southern Adventist University (SAU) in Tennessee to preach the gospel in southeast Mexico more than six months ago the idea to document their experience quickly emerged was organized by the SAU’s School of Theology with film professors from SAU and Montemorelos University The organizers talked about how to visually tell about their first experience preaching the gospel Students from Southern Adventist University United States and Montemorelos University in northern Mexico who has produced several television series for Hope Channel Inter-America executive director of Hope Channel Inter-America with the production idea and the wheels started turning “God blessed this purpose for the project and collaboration began with the television production leaders in Montemorelos University,” Fernández said The production idea drew the support of Hope Channel Inter-America and landed a short-television series spot on the television network Southern Adventist University media producer and assistant professor shows Jafet Morales (right) a student from Montmorelos Univeristy how to film an interview in the South Quintana Roo Mission The production team included four communication and media students from Montemorelos University and five from SAU who documented the journey of SAU students taking part in the before during and after the mission trip experience in Chetumal Montemorelos University Professor Jorge André Díaz shares soem feedback to university students as they filmed one of the 10 episodes of the television series on location that will air on Hope Channel Inter-America Coined as “Proyecto Chetumal,” the series is narrated by Ruben Díaz Quetz a theology student from Montemorelos University and program presenter who introduces the experiences of the missionary students and highlights the subjects presented during the evangelistic week in Chetumal “This program has been an invaluable opportunity to motivate other young people to live the experience of being missionaries and also share messages of hope not only with Chetumal but the whole world,” Quetz said Part of the production team films the presneter of the program during one of his segments at the Chetumal Bay communication and media student at Montemorelos University who served as project cameraman “The filming days were one of the most significant experiences I have had during my studies because it allowed me to work in a real production and interact with teachers and students from the United States with the same purpose of service.” Nathalie Jacome of Southern Adventist University one of the 24 students who traveled to southeast Mexico to be part of the mission trip preaches at the Nuevo Progreso Adventist Church in Chetumal during the evangelistic campaign efforts throughout the region The mission group took part in daily devotionals group feedback and preparation sessions for the topics that were preached in the local churches every evening pastors and professors during the last day of the evangelistic campaign in March 16 The cross-cultural production experience worked extremely well We created teams that mixed students from each university and rotated them daily which allowed both groups to produce under different leadership and visual language styles,” he explained the team got together during a meal and shared experiences “All involved came to the table with a team-spirit mindset We are here to help each other to take the gospel being preached in Chetumal and beyond the territory.” Students and teachers from Montemorelos University and Southern Adventist University in charge of the “Chetumal Project” pose for a group photo on location before filming ended The pre-production of the project began in October 2023, said Lizbeth Elejalde, program director of Hope Channel Inter-America and supervisor of “Proyecto Chetumal.” The series, which it is currently being edited, is expected to air in early October 2024, and will be available On Demand at hopechannelinteramerica.org To learn more about Inter-American Division’s Hope Channel Inter-America, it’s television programs and series, visit hopechannelinteramerica.org Lizbeth Elejalde contributed to this article Génesis Delgado Gaona received the news that she had been chosen to receive a “regional scholarship” from Montemorelos University in Montemorelos She was able to get into the medical program at the university and immersed herself in the academic recreational and spiritual activities on campus Montemorelos University is owned and operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church I am so proud of her and thankful that my oldest daughter had studied at this university which I consider one of the best universities in the country,” said Felipa Gaona “And now my youngest daughter has that same opportunity.” promotion and recruitment director and Nalda Hernández Martín personal development class coordinator watch a student sign official document as a beneficiary of a regional scholarship at Montemorelos University earlier in Aug “I really enjoyed living this experience very much and my mother saw a difference in me and that motivated her to support my sister so that she too can study here,” said Génesis She is now a surgeon and will be pursuing a medical specialty Génesis’ story is exactly why the regional scholarship was created director of promotion and recruitment at Montemorelos University Promising students from throughout the Montemorelos area are eligible speaks  to this year’s recipients of the special scholarships and their parents during a special welcoming meeting The call for regional scholarships this year opened from March to July Applicants were visited in their home by recruiters to ensure that all prerequisites were met including their family and socioeconomic status Those who are eligible to apply for the scholarship must be born in the citrus region in Montemorelos not be a Seventh-day Adventist nor have any family members who are have maintained an 8.5 grade average (grading system in Mexico) or more the student must remain in the academic program he or she entered in the first year Seven students are recipients of this year’s “regional scholarships” pose for a group photo with Montemorelos University leaders “Young people who study in the medical program receive the same benefit for the first five years in the program The three additional students who joined the program this year will only receive 40 percent of financial assistance After nearly two years since Montemorelos University—a Seventh-day Adventist-operated institution located in North Mexico– was forced to close its campus at the start of the pandemic students and faculty gathered to officially open its spring semester More than 1,800 students joined administrators faculty and support staff to reflect on God’s goodness and to pray together in front of the campus library Hundreds of students from 44 countries were in attendance many of whom had already begun their first years of college virtually in 2020 they were stepping onto a college campus for the first time Montemorelos University officials lead out during the official opening ceremony of the spring semester in front of the library on campus Korniejczuk invited the student body to take part in the opportunities and benefits that being in-person on the campus brings “During these years we have learned other skills which are and will be very useful to us but we need to get back to experiencing the wonderful advantages of being like this in a healthy environment and with great hope,” said Korniejczuk More than 1,800 students attend the special celebration back on campus on Jan Students and faculty prayed in groups for a successful semester with God’s blessings A large tree was planted during the celebratory event to commemorate the historic moment “Those from ancient times built an altar to celebrate God’s provisions but we are planting a tree as a thankful offering to God because He allowed us to meet again,” said Dr Students pray together during the opening semester ceremony on campus University officials said that many more are registered but due to visa There are 2,132 students enrolled during the spring semester this year Student body leaders help in replanting a large tree on campus as part of the official start of the semester last month To learn more about Montemorelos University, it’s career programs, initiatives, and projects, visit um.edu.mx Adventist Today received a statement from workers at La Carlota Hospital owned by the Adventist university in Montemorelos The Federal Commission for the Protection Against Sanitary Risks sanctioned the Adventist Hospital for “failure to comply with basic regulations on the expiration of medications inadequate infrastructure,” and sorely needed updates as well as “administrative matters that deliberately violate official Mexican standards.” Although the hospital was not closed in its entirety the Mexican government’s sanction was applied to “the closure of some areas of the hospital COFEPRIS is the Mexican government agency responsible for regulating and supervising health safety and the quality of medical products and services in Mexico. The sanctions can be found on their official website (Spanish) This sanction set off alarms in the community since not only is it one of the most important hospitals in the Inter-American Division but the COFEPRIS sanction claims that the hospital has put the health and safety of patients at risk The hospital employees alleged that the administration “tried to cover up the cessation of activities,” claiming that the surgical unit was closed for the purposes of “remodeling,” as they indicated in their official Instagram account (Spanish). This would not be the first time that Hospital La Carlota received a warning from COFEPRIS Some areas remain closed from previous issues of non-compliance due to previous reviews To comment, click here. After a delay caused by the pandemic which began two years ago students and faculty of the school of dentistry at Montemorelos University have resumed offering free dental services to the community which is called Zero Cavities is part of a special program under the direction of the Health Promoting Universities (UPS) in Montemorelos director of the Health Promoting University at Montemorelos “This is also about bringing accessibility to the basic dental treatments to people who need it the most in the citrus region.” A dental student from Montemorelos gets ready to numb a patient’s mouth to perform an free dental service as part of the “Zero Cavities” initiative to benefit low income families in the city of Montemorelos The initiative offers free dental services once a month Sixteen to twenty students on their third to tenth semester of dental school perform the services under the supervision of professionals in the area coordinator of the dental surgery program at Montemorelos “The fact that students get involved in this type of [dental brigade] initiative helps them be sensitive to people helps them acquire more manual development and helps them connect with their career choice and the community,” said Calderón “They feel useful to society and satisfied by applying their knowledge to help others.” A dental student performs a dental check up on a child during the latest health brigade in Montemorelos in February The Zero Cavities initiative will be held every month throughout the three municipalites of Allende Even though in-person dentistry was paused during the pandemic the initiative still provided virtual health talks forums and Q&As to the community of online viewers the most recent intervention of Zero Cavities was held last month in the three municipal districts including a full week of free dental services to low-income families in an effort to create healthier municipal districts deputy director of the Health Promoting University at Montemorelos said the initiative brings a lot of joy because it’s all about benefiting the community “We are glad to put our grain of sand so that the people in Montemorelos can become a healthier community,” King said Montemorelos University President Ismael Castillo addresses students and faculty at the start of the new school year during a special session on Aug The university in North Mexico had high enrollment numbers this year with more than 2,400 students registered through the institution and its three extension campuses Officials of Montemorelos University welcomed more than 2,400 students – a record enrollment – to the new school year on August 11 which is directly overseen by the Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventist will be running fully online with distance learning throughout the first semester in accordance with recommendations and guidelines set by the government of Mexico because of the Coronavirus pandemic the beginning of this academic year takes place in an extraordinary and unusual context,” said Ptr and chairman of the institution’s governing board Pastor Henry highlighted the work of the institutions’ administration in providing the conditions so that the institution continues to move forward in the fulfillment of the mission “The knowledge imparted  by Montemorelos University goes beyond what can be acquired in a classroom or through a screen,” he said “It is the preparation to face the challenges of the present world in a victorious way and the world to come,” he added He invited students and faculty to begin the school year following God’s extraordinary plans for their life Empty campus of Montemorelos University as hundreds of students will take part in online classes during the first semester of the school year “This institution is an Adventist institution which in its name declares that we are waiting for Christ and we must never lose sight of the fact that the total solution to the problems of this world is for Christ to come,” said Castillo as he pointed everyone to keep clear in their minds the final destination that goes beyond meeting again on campus “May the Holy Spirit strengthen our faith in the sure promise of the Second Coming of Christ,” Castillo concluded To learn more about Montemorelos University its programs and initiatives, visit um.edu.mx La Carlota Adventist Hospital in Montemorelos opened a new geriatric center during a special ceremony held Oct The new center will can house nine residents who can benefit from health benefits to restore their health through medical attention as well as many other services and activities La Carlota Adventist Hospital recently inaugurated a new geriatric center in Montemorelos The new center will serve elderly persons looking to restore their health away from home Hospital and university leaders inaugurated the center during a special ceremony held on Oct It becomes the second center to care for older adults near the hospital adjacent to the university campus What started as a dream in the hearts of the nursing staff back in 2006 turned into reality in 2019 when construction of the new center began development coordinator and customer service coordinator at La Carlota Hospital President of Montemorelos University and General Manage of La Carlota Hospital Ismael Castillo speaks during the inaguration of the new geriatric center on campus Leaders unveiled a new plaque on the new center which is located next to the health care institution as hospital and university administrators spoke on the importance and purpose of the geriatric center President of Montemorelos University and General Manager of La Carlota Hospital Ismael Castillo thanked everyone involved in making the new center possible including staff builders and donors who made it possible for such a center to impact the community “Honor your father and your mother so that your days may be long,” quoted Castillo “That is the first commandment that carries with it a promise and we will continue in that direction carrying for our fathers our institutions will have a lasting life to fulfill this great mission,” he said development and customer service coordinator of the new center speaks on the dream of many and donors who contributed to make it a reality take part in cultural and recreative activities schedule a medical consultation with access to medications with some of the services at additional cost,” said Nancy Castillo The center will be managed by the health professionals and nursing staff of the hospital the school of nursing will also coordinate services for the new geriatric center “We not only want to attend to persons who are sick but anyone who needs care that is not available in a hospital or they may need to live under the care of someone else,” Nancy Castillo said One of several rooms that will house elderly residents for health care services in the new center To learn more about the geriatric center at La Carlota Hospital, visit hospitallacarlota.com Montemorelos University will soon sport a new recreational activity on its property for students thanks to a recent agreement signed by the Adventist institution’s leaders and the Disc Golf Monterrey organization will see Disc Golf course equipment installed in the university’s “Ojo de Agua” Recreation Park next to the main campus Disc Golf is a sport that emerged in the 1970s as a variation of the traditional golf sport Players throw a disc at a target usually played on a course with 9 or 18 baskets Players seek to complete each hole in the lowest number of total throws There are 8,500 disc golf fields in the world and the International Olympic Committee during its 128th session in 2015 gave full recognition to the world flying disc federation president of Montemorelos University and Rocío González legal representative of Montemorelos University hold a disc after signing agreement document that will open a Disc Golf course at on campus starting January 2023 2022 on the campus of the Adventist University in Montemorelos Fotografía por: Comunicación Institucional.[Photo: Montemorelos University] The field is the third disc golf field established in Nuevo Leon State after the disc golf fields at the Rufino Tamallo Park and the Fundidora Park and it is a great opportunity to offer another option to students and employees to practice sports in the midst of nature,” said Dr legal representative of Montemorelos University before the signing Aerial view of the Ojo de Agua Recreation Park by the main campus of Montemorelos University showing where each of the baskets will be placed for the Disc Golf course that will be launched in January 20223 The university will be in charge of the promotion and training of the sport on campus and will establish a schedule of activities for the organized practice of the sport “We are very happy because the sport is becoming better known and there are more players involved,” said Eduardo Tamez “It is a healthy and family oriented sport and a social and healthier lifestyle which in turn contributes to society’s well-being.” The agreement contract was signed for a two-year period and will be eligible for renewal if both parties decide To learn more about Montemorelos University and its initiatives and activities, visit um.edu.mx Four institutional boards overseen by the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Inter-American Division (IAD) recently reported their growth Dozens of board members met online to be briefed on updates on the Inter-American Adventist Theological Seminary GEMA Editors and the Board of Higher Education boards on Oct Board leaders of the Inter-American Adventist Theological Seminary (IATS) which offers masters and doctoral degrees to ministers across the IAD reported on its completed headquarters office inaugurated earlier this year and pointed to its graduate degree programs “We have seen an excellent behavior throughout all of our [teaching] sites this year,” he said The projection for 2023 will see an increase in remote classes which is more cost effective Classes scheduled total 86 which includes 45 in-person classes and 41 remote classes goes over number of students enrolled in the graduate programs during a report to board members on Oct Board members voted on academic and financial reports for 2022 as well as strategic plans to follow in the coming years board members voted to grant the Angel Manuel Rodriguez Excellence Award to Dr Feliberto Martínez who recently retired from the Dominican Adventist University after serving the church for 40 years “Montemorelos University educates integrally with a sustainable educational model based on research and selfless service that unite for the global biblical proclamation of the Adventist hope of a new world,” read Dr which is celebrating its 80th anniversary celebrations before the end of the year is planning a new simulation science center remodeling of the on campus high school building construction of classrooms in the school of architecture president of Montemorelos University (top right screen) begins the bi-annual board meeting held virtually on Oct Among the challenges ahead for the university is to ensure that its current and new faculty and staff understand the strategic plans carried out by the institution 25 members of our staff will retire in four years and 99 in the next 10 years,” said Castillo That means it’s important to ensure that when new staff are recruited they adopt and commit to following on course with the strategic plans of the institution University leaders are also looking ahead to the increase in the number of students ensuring that church members have the conviction that Adventist education is still important and relevant in the mission of the church as well as the financial challenges of salary and benefits for faculty and staff who has been serving for 24 years as the academic vice president of Montemorelos University and has requested a permanent return to her home country of Argentina to care for her mother Castillo informed board members that there will not be an interim vice president of academic affairs because of legal issues and Korniejczuk will continue assisting in a long-distance capacity until graduation in May a search committee will seek her replacement Board members of GEMA Editors one of two publishing houses in the Inter-American Division serving the church in Mexico exclusively presents sales and finance matters during the online board meeting on Oct “We praise God for His providence with GEMA so that it can continue serving the church brothers and sisters who can continue to be interested in the church publications,” Reyna said The year saw GEMA print 132 productions for the church and for literature evangelists to sell 2 million copies of missionary materials such as bible studies as well as 5.5 million samples of books for children Financial officers also reported that the net sales were higher in 2022 than in 2019 before the pandemic hit GEMA Editors runs 45 bookstores across Mexico with one recently inaugurated bookstore in Tuxtla Gutierrez Board members voted the financial report for 2022 presented during the institution’s meeting education director for the church in the IAD reports the progress of the Adventist educational system during board meetings on Oct while Pastors Elie Henry (left) IAD president “God has seen us through our Adventist educational system throughout the IAD with 117 children young people and parents recently baptized thanks to the work of teachers and chaplains,” said Dr Five universities were accredited during the year and schools continue to hold high enrollment numbers Board members voted to register the opening of the first bilingual Adventist school in Punta Cana board members approved the use of the Identity Guidelines for the IAD educational system where it indicates the proper use of the logo Dozens of primary and secondary schools were registered for upcoming evaluations five schools under university management will be up for evaluation next year Board members also approved career programs offered at Adventist universities throughout the IAD and approved endorsement of theology professors to teach at Antillean Adventist University Dominican Adventist University and Montemorelos University IAD Vice President Tomas Torres (second from left) praises the work of Dr Jaime Castrejón (far right) before he is decorated with the golden cord and granted the President Emeritus title on behalf of the Inter-American Adventist Theological Seminary Wellington (left) stands by with IATS President Efrain Velazquez during a short ceremony at Montemorelos University The Inter-American Adventist Theological Seminary Board named Dr Jaime Castrejon as its President Emeritus during a special ceremony held in Montemorelos University in North Mexico who retired as being IATS president last year was granted the title and a golden cord for his long leadership in thelogical education and his contribution in ministerial training throughout the Inter-American Division (IAD) for decades Castrejon 20 years after he began the work of establishing the seminary,” said Efrain Velazquez as he spoke in front of dozens of church leaders professors and ministerial students on July 9 “We thank you for your contribution and for leaving us this wonderful legacy.” Castrejon grew IATS from offering master degrees for ministers in two university campuses in Inter-America to 10 campus sites and sought and obtained accreditation from the Association of Theological Schools for the institution Some 885 pastors across Inter-America graduated with masters and/or doctorate degrees during the years that Castrejon led as president Castrejon in Montemorelos University because he helped upgrade the institution to university status in the 1980s and made arrangements for the first White Research Center to be established throughout the IAD on campus Castrejon also became the first president to serve at Montemorelos University IAD Vice President Tomas Torres reminisced on the time he saw Castrejon’s leadership on campus during the short ceremony “We have witnessed the process that it takes to form pastors teachers and all professions here at Montemorelos,” said Torres Castrejon was very bold in moving forward in his time and continues in the future as the new generations are benefitting from his work in this institution and seminary.” Wellington thanked Castrejon for “nurturing this baby called IATS serving 20 years as its president and bringing the institution to maturity.” Castrejon thanked leaders and said the honor and glory goes only to God for His leadership “IATS is there to serve ministers and I pray God can continue its influence and existence until we receive the crown from the King of kings,” Castrejon said Velazquez said Castrejon can use his golden cord with his regalia in graduating ceremonies and “will continue inspiring advising and spiritually supporting the leadership of IATS.” The Inter-American Adventist Theological Seminary provides post-graduate theology and religion education to Inter-American pastors and teachers in 10 sites on the campus of 10 affiliated Adventist universities and seminaries For more information on IATS, click HERE © 2025 General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, Inter-American Division. Find out about the most important news and events happening in our division. © Francisco ÁlvarezThe chapel was designed to cover the seven sacraments. The lobby, also known as the narthex, has a confessional booth and a wall reserved for funeral niches. The central nave can house up to sixty patrons, making possible celebration of Baptism, Confession, Holy Orders, and Matrimony within it. © Francisco ÁlvarezThrough the use of materials and light, this project searches to imitate the countryside virtues. Travertine wraps and extols the altar, natural pine cover ceilings, polished concrete floors, and site stone masonry parapets. Pigmented stucco encases the external faces of the building. The materials are hard but warm, simple but elegant. The material nature of this project seeks to grant shelter to the beholder. and the moon and spared the sky with stars illuminated by natural light that enters through cavities in the ceiling creating the illusion that the sky and the stars are receiving the chapel guests instead of the polished concrete slab You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email A group of Montemorelos University students sing during the opening of Inter-American Division’s Year-End Executive Committee Meetings focused on “All the Family in Mission” efforts on Sabbath The Inter-American Division (IAD) Year-End Executive Committee Meetings kicked off this weekend with a special online Sabbath program from Montemorelos celebrating the mission initiatives and activities that have mobilized thousands of Seventh-day Adventists in sharing the gospel across the territory The live event brought together more than 150 top church administrators along with hundreds of local church members who gathered both at the Montemorelos University on-campus Adventist Church and online on Nov President of Montemorelos University Ismael Castillo (right) welcomes executive committee leaders and members during the special live Sabbath program as Pastor Misael Castañeda (left) pastor of the Adventist Church on campus looks on The “All the Family in Mission” initiative aims to engage church members in both personal and public evangelistic outreach efforts in preparation for the soon return of Jesus The three-hour program was meant to serve as a rallying call to build momentum as the five-year initiative is set to conclude next year More than 1,000 church members packed the Montemorelos Adventist Campus Church to take part of the special “All the Family in Mission” program union evangelism coordinators and administrators shared how church members have been serving the community and reaping the fruits of their evangelistic efforts “We have been motivating our members to engage in fasting and prayer and serving the community by distributing basic necessities and offering mental health support,” said Pastor Felipe Domínguez evangelism coordinator for the Southeast Mexican Union thousands of church members have been giving Bible studies in their small groups every week nearly 50,000 Bible studies have been given vice president of the Inter-American Division leads a small forum on ‘All the Family in Mission’ initiatives taking place across local churches in three different unions in Mexico Part of the forum during the live program included union evangelism coordinators Pastor Sedric Gómez of the North Mexican Union Felipe Domínguez of the Southeast Mexican Union and Martín Olvera of the Inter-Oceanic Mexican Union shared that eight vegetarian restaurants have been offering healthy lifestyle and cooking classes as part of intense mission initiatives to impact the community medical brigades led by three health institutions on the island have served more than 5,000 people so far Three centers of influence have also benefitted hundreds of families by addressing their mental health needs “We are planning to continue intensifying our efforts in the community in 2025 including establishing 15 water wells in several needy communities,” Silvestre said Jamaica Union President Pastor Everett Brown said that thousands of meals have been distributed through the country’s church-operated food banks “We want to continue expanding our food distribution to reach even more people in need,” he said shares the chaplaincy ministries and psycholoical services offered in the union to heolp persons manage stress amid escalating violence and displacement of many president of the French Antilles Guiana Union and Everett Brown chaplaincy and psychological services have been offered to help people manage stress amid escalating violence and the displacement of many Church leaders are also planning for next year to expand their efforts providing additional assistance through the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Haiti as well as offering medical care through the Adventist hospital The North Mexican Union is already planning to print a special small newspaper with articles on the Second Coming of Jesus aimed at motivating Adventist families to reach and minister to at least four families in their communities They will also continue their display of a sanctuary model and the Daniel 2 Caravan display in major plazas and cities to on the end time prophecy in addition to mental health initiatives for the community throughout 2025 Church administrators also shared strategic initiatives underway to reach more people with the gospel in the coming months Olivia Michel of Montemorelos University leads in worship service as the university orchestra and choir sing along on Nov Leaders in Honduras are projecting more than 3,000 baptisms as their evangelistic caravan sweeps across the country will continue training hundreds of laypersons to engage in evangelistic campaigns throughout 2025 more than 3,600 families are ready to reach one family with the gospel pastors across the country will join efforts with these families to establish 15 new churches between January and June 2025 Colombia and Puerto Rico share their strategic mission activities under the ‘All the Family in Mission’ banner initiative for 2025 “It must be very clear to you that a major strategic priority for us is evangelism and mission,” said Pastor Leonard Johnson as he stood on stage next to fellow IAD administrators He challenged every member to remain steadfast in sharing the good news of the gospel praised the church membership for their faithful work as pastors and members united in mission to make a difference where they are IAD Administrators Pastors Elie Henry (center) addresses the congregants and viewers alike on the dedication of the membership across the territory who commit to the mission of serving education and evangelizing in their communities this year wait their turn in emphasizing the “All the Family in Mission” initiative for next 2025 “It’s about putting the gospel into action as a tangible demonstration of God’s love Service builds bridges between the church and the community opens doors as a step toward bringing Jesus to them thanked both church leaders and members for their tireless efforts in sharing God’s love and salvation in their communities “All the Family in Mission is about answering the call to get involved in mission,” he said General Conference Vice President Pastor Billy Biaggi delivers the sermon message encouraging Adventist families to remain committed to the mission we will have All the Families in Mission preaching and holding evangelistic campaigns,” encouraged Pastor Henry reaching more than 200,000 new souls before the end of the year.” Pastor Henry also announced that small groups would be engaged in evangelistic campaigns with church elders baptizing at least three new believers on February 22 territory-wide evangelistic efforts will culminate in a special event in Chiapas where thousands will be added to the church on April 26 General Vice President of the General Conference appealed to every member and every family to study the Bible fervently and become actively involved in the mission of reaching others Church leaders and members take part in the worship service at Montemorelos University Church on Sabbath To view the online event of Sabbath, Nov. 9, 2024, click HERE To access the photo gallery of the event, click HERE The GAiN Mexico Convention was held at Montemorelos University in North Mexico It was the first such event organized which drew dozens of attendees from all across Mexico to focus on the importance of creativity as a foundation when creating evangelistic digital content Montemorelos University’s School of Arts and Communication (ArtCom) recently held its first edition of the Global Adventist Internet Network (GAiN) with a special emphasis on the importance of creativity as a foundation when creating evangelistic digital content More than 80 participants from throughout different parts of Mexico met Apr on the campus of the university with the theme “Creative Mission.” For many years the Artcom school has been holding an event for students and professionals from across Mexico to focus on communication as a tool for evangelism but this year it was upgraded to a GAiN event by using that creativity that God gives us to apply it to the mission using the means that we may have at hand,” said Nascimento It was not just about focusing on communication media but about deepening the evangelistic impact necessary through social media additional technological tools and spaces online So the school decided to move forward to organize GAiN Mexico through the Inter-American Division Several of the speakers during the GAiN Mexico event “Having so much talent housed here in the university in so many areas like theology we are pleased to be able to celebrate an event like this here because students are preparing to serve and what better way to do so from the perspective of sharing the gospel message through social networks in a university setting,” said Abel Márquez communication director for the church in Inter-America said that it is the second regional GAiN event held across the Inter-American Division A few years ago a GAiN event was held in Caracas Márquez emphasized that the message is most important when it comes digital evangelism and highlighted the digital initiatives led by the Inter-American Division as well as the technological and creative advances made by the church worldwide Márquez spoke about how to generate more connection between the Adventist brand and the public and what some creative disciples around the world are doing to be effectual in spreading the gospel GAiN Mexico participants ask presenters questions during the two-day event one that does not duplicate something that’s being done but generate ideas that could be 100 percent originals,” added Márquez Brazil and Mexico spoke on digital marketing for evangelistic purposes the application of data for online communication strategies in the church technologies that are trending for the mission communication director for the South American Division shared through a video conference how evangelistic content is a powerful influence in South America and the importance of including prayer in the evangelistic process by these media professor and researcher at Montemorelos Univeristy He showed case studies where data strategies such as data science “I believe it is important to get together as communicators and technologists to share initiatives listen to what we have done from different areas and support each other in this mission of being creative in the mission of the church,” Alférez said Group of GAiN Mexico pose for a picture at the end of the event “I believe that this type of event would not help if we left it at that level of just living and talking and dreaming about projects but to take them to action at the local church GAiN Mexico participants vowed to put into action some ideas generated during the two-day event GAiN presenters also included Adventist Journalist Victor Hugo Arteaga who was awarded with the National Journalism Award in Mexico last year; Felipe Lemos communication leader in South American Division; David Gutiérrez professor of Television at Montemorelos University and program and production assistant for Hope Channel Inter-America; Kevin Zapien UI/UX designer and faculty of the university; Geoffrey Porto software engineer of Grupo Financiero Banregio; Robert Valencia web media strategist in Adventist World Radio; Jasson Hernández producer of television projects and live events; and Pastor Hiram Ruiz public campus ministries director for the church in Inter-America For more on GAiN Mexico event, visit um.edu.mx Newly married, my parents migrated from Argentina to a tiny town in the heart of Nuevo León, Mexico. Back then, there wasn't much to Montemorelos. It was a simple little village located on the outskirts of Monterrey. You see, my Dad came from a long line of missionary doctors, and when it became evident that Montemorelos was in need of a hospital, that became his mission. But before you start to assume that I was a "doctor's kid," there's a huge difference between growing up with a missionary doctor in Mexico, versus a regular doctor in the US. By no means did we live a life of "luxury" in the conventional sense. One of my first memories as a kid was running around barefoot on the packed dirt we had for floors. We didn't have electricity or running water for a long time. And, in fact, one of my favorite photos from our family album is one of me taking a bath in a plastic bucket! Let's put it this way, in this town, you were more likely to see a horse than you would a car. I'm not really sure that my parents had envisioned having their 3 kids in that town, per se. Honestly, I never really asked. But I'm so glad I was born there, and wouldn't want to change a thing about it. In 1988, we moved to the US! I was six years old, and the 7-hour drive that it took to reach the Texas border felt like weeks. Nonetheless, there was an underlying buzz of excitement. Even though I didn't fully understand what big changes were ahead, I felt it. I think we all did. From one small town to another, my parents decided to set up camp near Loma Linda, California. Most people don't have a damn clue where Loma Linda is, so don't feel shocked if you never heard of it! It's just a tiny town in San Bernardino County that happens to have a prominent Seventh-Day-Adventist community. Again, many people haven't never heard of that religion — it's basically Christianity, with a few Jewish traits. We kept the Sabbath, went to church on Saturdays, followed the ten commandments, and didn't eat any pork or fish without scales (don't ask). At some point, somewhere between church and school, my parents said we came back knowing how to speak English. But at home, we only really spoke our mixture of Mexican and Argentinian Spanish. During my elementary years, being from another country and culture made me feel different. In a good way. I felt special. And I also felt like I had an advantage. I think being bilingual helped me understand English even more than my peers at times. For example, I remember hearing the word "lunar" for the first time, and understanding its relation to the moon because of the Spanish word "luna." Fast forward to now, and my Latin background still plays a huge roll in everything I do — the music I write, the way I draw, the Spanish shade names and themes for my makeup collection, and even why I choose to live in Los Angeles. So many people from all over the world come to Los Angeles to try and "make it." But for me, I came here because it felt the closest to home, after Mexico. It's a place that welcomes and celebrates cultures and subcultures from all corners of the planet. Mexican culture is so prominent here in the city, that it's apparent in the murals throughout downtown, the music that comes from LA, the tattoos we get, the way we dress, and the food that we eat. At the end of the day, where I come from doesn't define me, but like any life experience, it's helped shape this beautifully charmed life of mine that I could never take for granted. Click here to see who won the races where you live "We are waiting for them to come back home," Maria Guadalupe Ramirez, 27, told KRGV-TV in Weslaco The FBI said in a statement Thursday that it was unable to comment on the investigation but said the agency "relentlessly pursues all options when it comes to protecting the American people and this doesn't change when they are endangered across the border." 53 — were headed to a flea market to sell clothes in the Mexican city of Montemorelos in the state of Nuevo Leon The state prosecutor's office in Nuevo Leon has said it is investigating the women's disappearance ALSO | 42 migrants rescued from stash house in central El Paso said she's been in contact with Mexican authorities She told the TV station that her mother and aunt have made the trip several times to the market meeting new people," Ramirez told KRGV Ramirez told The Monitor in McAllen that she last spoke to her mother Feb the day after her mother and aunt crossed the border into Mexico Another case of Americans who went missing in Mexico received an avalanche of attention earlier this month when their March 3 abduction was caught on video after a drug cartel shootout in Matamoros That case was resolved in a matter of days when the four were found in a wooden shack The massive search for the four kidnapped Americans involved squads of Mexican soldiers and National Guard troops But for most of the 112,000 Mexicans missing nationwide the only ones looking for them are their desperate relatives Seventh-day Adventist scholar and entrepreneur E Edward Zinke (left) addresses teachers and students attending Montemorelos University commencement ceremonies Zinke was conferred an honorary doctorate degree in Religious Education on May 20 Mexico | Inter American Division News & Adventist Review Montemorelos University conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Religious Education to E during the Adventist institution’s commencement graduation ceremonies on campus in Montemorelos Zinke was honored for his contribution in the areas of Bible devotional studies for his commitment in fostering a forum for study and exchange in the study of the Bible through faith and science conferences around the world; for his entrepreneurial spirit; and recognition of the principles of Christian stewardship in the use of resources “We give out honorary degrees for those who have made an academic and professional contribution that promotes development in our community and our educational institutions,” said Ismael Castillo “We admire you for your important contribution to the Adventist educational model “I am amazed each time I come to this campus,” responded Zinke as he addressed the more than 2,000 people at the campus church Zinke shared a story of when he was young and his father was told that his son might be only able to complete his 8th grade “But my father insisted that I read the writings of Ellen G and she challenged me to become all I could be; she led me to the Scriptures,” explained Zinke “The Scriptures are the best way to develop one’s intellect and so as a result of that I support Christian education.” Zinke applauded Montemorelos University for immersing students in the Scriptures “God bless you as you take the commission of spreading God’s Word around the world,” added Zinke as he addressed the more than 300 graduates Eward Zinke (left) speaks after being conferred the honorary doctorate from Montemorelos University Ekel Collins of Montemorelos University translates Zinke transitioned into corporate leadership serving as president of Ann’s House of Nuts a company developed in partnership with his wife Ann The company grew to employ over 1,000 people in a 500,000 square-foot (approximately 46,000 square meters) operating headquarters and it is now the largest provider of snack nuts and nut and fruit mixes worldwide Zinke continued his involvement in theologically-based endeavors he assisted in organizing the first Seventh-day Adventist international Bible conference held in Jerusalem He was also instrumental in founding Perspective Digest and worked to find partners for the creation of a new international Adventist Bible commentary (the first volume of which was recently published by Pacific Press) Zinke also began serving as treasurer of the Adventist Theological Society write and organize events meant to provide rich theological experiences for scholars and PhD students Among his passions are the deep study of the Scriptures and hermeneutics the connection between doctrine and a personal relationship with Christ as well as the integration of faith in learning Ed Zinke has been a clear and persistent voice calling Adventist higher education back to biblical foundations across all academic disciplines,” said Bill Knott executive director of Adventist Review Ministries “His commitment to fostering learning experiences for Adventist scholars on multiple campuses and in many world regions has deepened and improved the quality of instruction and faith experience for thousands of students around the globe.” Zinke has devoted himself to the development of faith and science conferences worldwide intended to provide a forum for the presentation of papers and to foster discussion about the relationship between biblical faith and science with more planned around the world over the next few years In addition to currently serving on several boards Zinke is also writing a future Adventist Sabbath School lesson quarterly on the gospel of John teaches a Sabbath School class at the Spencerville Seventh-day Adventist Church in Maryland United States and serves as senior advisor to Adventist Review Ministries “We’re blessed to count him as a senior advisor on topics ranging from theological concerns to practical business developments,” says Knott “We’re delighted that Ed’s contributions to the church he loves have been recognized by Montemorelos University through this special award.” Zinke obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology from Loma Linda University a Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Old Testament from Andrews University and is currently involved in doctoral studies in Systematic Theology from the Catholic University of America was active in raising churches in North America and assisted in establishing what is known today as the La Carlota Adventist Hospital in Mexico Zinke and his wife Ann have two grown sons and seven grandchildren