“Prevention is better than cure”
The Hagley Park SDA District of Churches (which comprises Oakglades and Hagley Park) is mainly flanked by the communities of Majestic and Seivwright Gardens, Cockburn Pen, and Hagley Park and Waltham Park Roads. Senior Pastor Michael Lewis says these are the main areas the church is trying to reach through its three-week “Health Now Evangelistic series” that started on October 12.
TARGETTING YOUNG MEN
The main speaker for the series is Dr. Orlando Thomas, who is a medical doctor who is also trained in functional medicine. An Ordained Elder in the Bendon SDA Church himself, Dr. Thomas was raised in an inner-city community and knows how to reach the young men that Pastor Lewis is especially keen on having at the crusade.
“Jamaica is overrun with largely young men becoming victims to substance abuse under the guise of manhood,” the pastor remarked, “and we want to get them to understand how these substances can really affect their God-given manhood. We’ll be zeroing in on health issues like alcoholism and how that impacts their liver, heart, etcetera, showing them the connections so they can make wiser decisions re their health. Jesus did a lot of healing in the short time he was on earth, so you can imagine now just how much more critical the need is out there.”
The level of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Jamaica is high. The Ministry of Health reported in 2018 that an estimated seven out of 10 Jamaicans die from the four major NCDs (cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and chronic lower respiratory disease). The Ministry argues that many of these deaths, as well as lifelong disabilities (for example, strokes) and compromised quality of life, could have been prevented.
THE CHURCH IS A MINISTRY OF HEALTH
Underscoring Jamaica’s major problem with NCDs, Pastor Lewis stated that since the gospel of salvation embraces holistic living, it was incumbent upon the church to become part of the solution. “Health security is a key component of the SDA church’s philosophy and mission,” he declared, “and with the festive season fast approaching, we want to strike now at this issue. We believe that prevention is cheaper and far better than cure.”
Publicising the event was done using the church’s ‘hands and feet’ to conduct a walk through the Cockburn Pen community, while Majestic Gardens was penetrated with two outdoor health clinics.
Through the crusade, “the church hopes to spread awareness that we are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ and let people know that there is a design, a plan to rob us of a place in God’s Kingdom, by destroying our minds and our bodies,” Pastor Lewis explained. “This is a most subtle way that the devil is working with what is seemingly a good thing, especially the medical industry. Our objective is to educate the populace so they can understand their bodies and make more informed choices. We are very aware that although medications can be used to bring about life-saving results, some only treat symptoms and overtime have proven to do more damage than good, so we have to be careful. Jamaica needs a healthier population for us to be more productive and curtail anti-social behaviours in society.”
TOPICS AND TRANSFORMATION TEST
Slated to start at 6:45 p.m. on Sundays to Wednesdays, and on Sabbaths at 9:15 a.m. to 1 p.m., each session will carry a spiritual component at the end. There will be appeals and altar calls to a change of lifestyle, which involves accepting Jesus Christ; and for online viewers, an electronic appeal card is available so that follow-up can be done.
Topics to be covered over the 21 days are: Causes of Disease—Parts 1 and 2; Gut Health; Auto-Immunity; Detox; Cardiovascular Health; Brain Health; Low Energy? Here is the Solution; Getting Balance: Mental, Emotional, Spiritual Health; Sleep and Relaxation; Exercise and Movement; Nutrition Parts 1 and 2; Stress Management; Relationships and Health.
While the online platform via HPTV serves remote viewers locally and overseas, the pastor is encouraging persons to make good use of the face-to-face sessions, as the fellowship and interaction with Dr. Thomas, himself, and other congregants are definite advantages.
The health series also incorporates an interactive Health Now 21-day Transformation Challenge to kick-start participants’ new healthy lifestyle. They will be monitored by Dr. Thomas via an online WhatsApp group and given daily targets to meet.
Pastor Lewis reports that the sessions so far have been “phenomenal, the support has been tremendous, and decisions for baptism are being received.”