Adventist Church in Jamaica provides hope, healing and transformative change to members of the disability community

Top leaders of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Jamaica, Andrews Memorial Hospital, and  Adventist Laymen’s Services & Industries (ASI)  united their efforts to make a positive and tangible impact on a segment of our community that is often overlooked in society. 

 

Ten wheelchairs were donated to the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities at a special  Assistive Technology and Health Symposium, held at the Andrews Memorial SDA Church on March 21, 2024.  The donation was made by Pastor Levi Johnson, Executive Secretary, of Jamaica Union Conference ( JAMU)  on behalf of the Adventist Church in Jamaica and the Andrews Memorial Hospital.  The wheelchairs were received  by Ms. Adrienne Pinnock, Director at the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities on behalf of the council.

 

Pastor Levi Johnson, reiterated that even before the Seventh-day Adventist World Church gave its stamp of approval to possibility ministries, JAMU president, Pastor Everett Brown along with Pastor Adrian Cotterell and the rest of the leaders of the church,  took the decision not only to take one day to recognize the the work of possibilities ministries but to take an entire week.  

“That was a bold move by our Union president,” Johnson said, noting that at the time, the ministry was in its infancy. “The entire world is learning from Jamaica Union,” Johnson added.

 Director for Possiboilites Ministry in Jamaica, Pastor Adrian Cotterell,  said this year the Jamaica Union is partnering with the Andrews Memorial Hospital as they celebrate their eightieth anniversary with the community,” Cotterell said.

  “We view disabilities through the transforming lens of possibilities,  potentials, abilities, capacities, and skills and what we can do and become through the grace of Jesus,” he added.

In relating the history of the possibilities ministry in the SDA Church in Jamaica, Pastor Adrian Cotterell said, “We launched what was then called, special needs ministries in 2015 and when we launched our president, Pastor Everett Brown, made a solemn proclamation that every year,  the second week of March would be celebrated as possibility ministries week, where we would show to the world our love for this ministry, and that people are valued,” Cotterell said.

He continued, “The Jamaica Union is the only Union in the entire world field that has set aside one week to celebrate possibility ministries and this was done before the General Conference started to put one day aside to celebrate possibility ministry,” Cotterell said with pride.  “One year after, the Jamaica Union launched the first deaf church in all of the Inter America Division territory and since last year, we decided to have the Assistive Technology and Health Symposium annually to provide assistive devices for as many persons who need it,” he added.

Cotterell lauded the work of Mr. Gavin Lowe and Mr. Vermont Murray in the possibility ministry noting that when the ministry was launched in 2015, “they were standing with us and still are intimately involved in the ministry to this day.”

 Pastor Cotterell divulged that  the Seventh-day Adventist Church has given out 50 wheelchairs annually over the last few years totaling over twenty-five million dollars.   “This year, we are partnering with the Andrews Memorial Hospital to give out another 150 wheelchairs totaling over nine million dollars,” Cotterell said.  “Last year, we did not only give wheelchairs, we gave walkers, crutches, walking sticks, computers, and gift vouchers and we continue to do this every year,” he added. 

CEO of Andrews Hospital, Elder Donmayne Gyles commended the East Jamaica Conference and the Jamaica Union Conference for collaborating with them in their eightieth year of impacting lives in Jamaica.    “This collaborative event signifies the coming together of faith, compassion, and service to our community overarching the aim of what possibilities ministries is all about,” Gyles said. “The whole concept is aimed at bringing hope, healing, and transformative change to individuals in need within our society,” said Gyles when he addressed those gathered at the function. “I believe I can say without a shadow of a doubt that this is a testament to our shared commitment to make a positive impact upon the lives of others.”

In his devotional charge, Elder Nigel  Coke, communication director, JAMU, posited that “caring for the blind, the physically immobile, those who have mental health challenges, orphans, vulnerable children, and those mourning the loss of a spouse and support of caregivers is not an option for the Seventh-day Adventist Church but an imperative.” According to Coke, possibilities ministry is a work of “heart”. “Church people must have empathy on those who are in need. The poor is placed among us to test our compassion. Jesus said we will always have the poor with us because we must always be showing kindness,” he added. 

President of the  Adventist Laymen’s Services & Industries (ASI) in Jamaica Union, (JAMU) Elder  Cecil Foster said he was happy that ASI Jamaica is in the field working “shoulder to shoulder “with the pastors and elders across the region in possibilities ministry. And gave his commitment to be a present source of support for the ministry going forward.

Ms. Adrienne Pinnock, Directorat the Jamaica Council for Persons with Disabilities advised that the disabilities act came into effect in Jamaica on  February 14, 2022 and that it was set up to promote and protect the rights of persons with disability.  According to Ms. Pinnock,  “The church needs to be conversant and familiar with the disabilities act because it is offering a public service. It is important that you do not infringe on the rights of those you are offering the service to,” she added.

 

The  special meeting  was attended by administrators and directors from East Jamaica Conference and Jamaica Union including Pastor Meric Dale Walker, president of  EJC and Pastor Sheldon Schooler, Possibilities Ministry director at EJC  

Click on the link to see photo highlights of this event.