Church celebrates its volunteers
Stephanie Jackson (left) receives a gift for her service from Pastor Caple Thompson, with Angela Hall (centre)
(CNS Local Life): Volunteers from the 15 Adventist congregations on Grand Cayman were recognised for their community service as part of a family fun day held at Kaibo in North Side on Sunday, 9 December. About 300 people, comprising volunteers and their families, took part in the beach day which included breakfast and lunch catered by some of the churches involved.
The event culminated in the recognition ceremony, during which Pastor Caple Thompson, community services director for the Adventist Church, thanked the volunteers, said a church press release.
“You are touching lives and making a difference” across Cayman’s communities, he said, as he paid particular tribute to assistant director Angela Hall for her leadership of the large corps of volunteers.
In turn, Stephanie Jackson, outgoing community services leader for the Kings Church, spoke about the personal impact of her volunteer work.
“It has transformed me,” she said in the release, adding that many times she surprised herself at what and how much she could achieve.
Jackson compared the work of the volunteers to a “river that runs through the community,” adding that “once there is water, there is life”.
She also paid tribute to her fellow volunteers, who she said shared a desire to make a difference.
Thompson noted events scheduled for next year, including a Community Services and Health Expo to be held 13 January in West Bay. Another highlight for 2019, he said, would be the annual Easter luncheon for seniors, organised in conjunction with the government’s Department of Children and Family Services.
Also planned is the annual back-to-school giveaway of supplies for students that will be decentralised this year, and administered from district churches.
A new project for 2019 is a mission trip to Jamaica in July when volunteers will help to refurbish the Savannah-La-Mar Adventist High School, following which they will host a back-to-school give-away to assist parents in equipping their children for the 2019/20 school year.
In the meantime, Adventist churches will continue running soup kitchens along with other initiatives to help meet the needs of the less fortunate across the three Cayman Islands, the press release said.
Category: Community
