A Gift That Keeps on Giving

The sun was shining bright when General Conference president Erton Köhler and other regional leaders stopped for a visit to Colégio Adventista Liberdade (Liberdade Adventist School) in Maputo, Mozambique, in late May. The visit by church leaders took place during the Mozambique for Christ series, which brought national and international guest speakers to preach in hundreds of sites across the country.

During the visit Köhler and the rest of the leaders got acquainted with the Adventist education mission the school is carrying out in the capital city of Mozambique. They also greeted students and faculty and prayed for the whole Christian educational enterprise in that nation.

Students form a line to welcome the visit of church leaders to their school in Maputo. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

A Strong Commitment to Mission

Köhler, his assistant Magdiel Pérez Schulz, and regional church leaders were welcomed by an honor guard and the singing of students who were waiting, in orderly fashion, for their arrival. Teachers led the singing as hundreds of students praised the Lord in celebration of the special occasion.

Once inside one of the main offices Harrington Akombwa, president of the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID), greeted church leaders and the educational community on behalf of regional church leaders. He celebrated that every level of church administration—the local church, conference, union, division, and General Conference—was present there. “Church members are also here. And who can doubt that heaven is also here?” he quipped.

From left to right, Magdiel Pérez Schulz, assistant to the General Conference president, and General Conference president Erton Köhler greet regional church leaders on their arrival to Liberdade Adventist School. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

After formal introductions Köhler expressed appreciation for the opportunity to be in Mozambique, highlighting the “wonderful welcome” he had received. “I sensed the love and the commitment of the Adventist family in Mozambique,” he said.

Köhler also highlighted that his visit was not just protocol. “We have come as part of a team to participate in Impact Mozambique,” he said. “It’s always a joy for me visit parts of the church around the world. But it’s much better when a visit is connected to the mission of the church. And I know that here at Liberdade Adventist School you are engaged in mission in what you do every single day.”

The office block of Liberdade Adventist School, which was funded by Maranatha Volunteers International. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

A Very Special Group

Köhler thanked the faculty and staff of the school for their solid involvement in mission. “I wanted to come here myself to tell you, ‘Thank you very much for the committed and dedicated service of each one of you,’ ” he told them.

According to Köhler, the Adventist Church has some workers who are extremely special. “If the church has a special group of people, I believe they are those who serve in education,” he said, “because God has put the future of the church and of society in your hands. You are molding the lives of those who in the future will lead their families, the church, and the nation. What a great responsibility God has placed in your hands!”

Liberdade Adventist School students line up to welcome Adventist Church leaders on their visit to the facilities in late May. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

In that sense, Köhler said he was more than satisfied to witness the dedication and commitment of every educator at Liberdade and beyond. “Thank you for your clear vision,” he told them.

Köhler also extended his gratitude on behalf of the whole family that comprises the Adventist educational enterprise around the world. He celebrated the nearly 900 students at Liberdade, while highlighting that they are part of a worldwide family comprising more than 2.2 million students. “May God reward your efforts,” he told educators.

Students from the first grades sing to welcome church leaders to Liberdade Adventist School in Maputo. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

The Role of Maranatha Volunteers International

During the visit regional school leaders emphasized the defining role of Maranatha Volunteers International, a lay-led supporting ministry of the Adventist Church that supports church and school building initiatives and drills water wells across the world.

Maranatha arrived in Mozambique almost 20 years ago looking to develop both church and school infrastructure across the country. At the time Maranatha leaders soon found out that in many places water for drinking, cooking, and construction was scarce. “Simply put, many building initiatives were just not feasible under those levels of water access,” they shared.

One of the blocks of Liberdade Adventist School, a project funded by Maranatha Volunteers International. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

That pressing need triggered a Maranatha-led well-drilling movement that has, for years now, been blessing thousands of sites in not only Mozambique and across Africa but in India and other countries as well. “Access to water has been a game changer across many regions,” Maranatha leaders said. “It has allowed school growth and helped many local congregations with a water well become places at which communities gather to chat, learn, and connect with the church.”

Putting Buildings to Good Use

At Liberdade, Maranatha supporters provided the funds to build classrooms, an office, a library, and lab space. Donors also allowed Maranatha to build a main central auditorium that on weekends can double as a church sanctuary. Since then that model of construction has been replicated in other countries in Africa, Asia, as well as Central and South America.

The main auditorium, which on Sabbath doubles as a church, was funded by Maranatha Volunteers International almost 20 years ago. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

During the visit to Liberdade Adventist School, leaders acknowledged Maranatha’s contribution. “I want to publicly acknowledge Maranatha for what they have done here,” Akombwa said. The school has an outstanding reputation and has been impacting the surrounding community and local churches through their outreach initiatives.

At the same time, Akombwa highlighted that the support of Maranatha has not been in vain. He congratulated school and regional church leaders for making the most of the support received. “No doubt about it, I can see that you have put [these buildings] to good use,” he said. “It’s a gift that keeps on giving.”

Harrington Akombwa, president of the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, welcomes world and regional church leaders on their visit to Liberdade Adventist School in Maputo. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

“If the church has a special group of people, I believe they are those who serve in education,” General Conference president Erton Köhler said. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

A student smiles for the camera during the church leaders visit to Liberdade Adventist School. She is one of almost 900 studying at the facilities. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

Basketball court and classroom block for older students at Liberdade Adventist School in Maputo, Mozambique. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

Maranatha Volunteers International has designed school auditoriums that can be easily adapted to serve as churches during the weekend. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

One of the classrooms of Liberdade Adventist School, a project funded by Maranatha Volunteers International almost 20 years ago. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]

A plaque commemorates a family who was behind the construction of Liberdade Adventist School almost 20 years ago. The new buildings were inaugurated in February 2008. [Photo: Marcos Paseggi, Adventist Review]