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July-August 2016 Feature: So Near, And Yet So Far

Story by Tompaul Wheeler

For half a century, nowhere has embodied the phrase “so near, and yet so far” for Americans more than Cuba.

Cuba is only 93 miles from Key West, Fla., but for the average American, for decades it may as well have been on Mars. Home to 11 million people, the Caribbean island nation is the size of Virginia. Due to the travel and trade embargo imposed by the United States since the early 1960s, Cuba’s colorful and dynamic culture, and its turbulent political scene have been shut out from much of the world.

Editorial: We’re Big Kids Now

Editorial by Olive Hemmings

I recall one day sitting on the steep, red oak-stained, concrete front steps of our tiny, rural home in Jamaica on long, carefree days full of wonder and expectation. My twin brother, J. Olive, and I couldn’t have been more than 3 years old because our younger sister was not yet born. On this fine day, mother gathered food for dinner from lush crops surrounding the house and firewood to cook in our homey, outdoor kitchen.

The fowls “cackled” as they lay eggs, the dogs playfully barked, somewhere a cow mooed, and the sound of water gushed over rocks in the nearby stream, invoking a mysterious flow of cool, shadowy air as the sun bore down upon our little faces—unforgettable scenes  of childhood.

The New, Healthy-Cooking Chef in Town

Story by Ricardo Bacchus / Feature photo courtesy Mount Vernon News

Heidi Shoemaker, founder of Clean Eating Cooking Class, is on a path to change and motivate men—as well as women and children—to eat healthier.

Shoemaker started her ministry in August 2014 at Ohio Conference’s Mount Vernon church. She wears many hats, one being the conference’s communication director. Now she’s been inspired to put on a chef hat and started cooking healthy recipes in a classroom setting.

Shoemaker explains, “In my own life, I began eating ‘clean,’ that is trying to avoid processed and refined foods and base my diet on real, whole foods.”

Spice Up Your Summer Dinner Table With These Cookcooks

Story by V. Michelle Bernard / Feature image by Personal Creations on Flickr

Spice up your summer dinner table with help from some new cookbooks. We surveyed the book purchasers from Potomac Conference’s LivingWell in Silver Spring, Md., to find the best new vegan cookbooks. See their favorite picks below.

 

 

 

 

Vegan Homestyle by Kay Hansen and published by Pacific Press, offers more than 240 vegan recipes like Pesto & Tomato Pizza, Veggie fajitas and cranberry cheesecake. 

 

 

 

 

 

Watch the Entire March for Social Justice Video

Cover Photo by Richard J. Gordon

More than a 1,000 Seventh-day Adventists gathered in Washington, D.C., last weekend to pray, mourn and acknowledge the killing of two black American men and five Dallas police officers. Watch the video Allegheny East Conference's Emmanuel-Brinklow church shared here.

 

Read the entire story here.

Columbia Union Sends Crisis Counselors to Assist Flood Victims

Robert Smith, pastor of the Allegheny East Conference’s First Church in Teaneck N.J., has assisted in recovery efforts for the last five major hurricanes over the last 30 years. And, he’s again helping victims, this time in West Virginia, where floodwaters killed at least 25 and left thousands homeless.

On Monday Smith (pictured above with members of the National Guard) and Lee Kimani (pictured below), pastor of the Angaza Sharon church in Newark, Del., arrived in Lefthand, W.Va., an area northwest of Charleston. Smith reports that they’ve knocked on doors, visited 20 churches of all faiths and have counseled 50 families, provided prayer and connected victims to FEMA and Red Cross resources.

Washington Adventist University and Radians College Enter New Partnership to Help Graduates Further Their Nursing Education

Story by WAU Staff

Washington Adventist University (WAU) has entered into a partnership agreement with Radians College that will help qualified graduates further their nursing education through an accelerated evening program offered by the WAU School of Graduate and Professional Studies.

“We are very pleased to partner with Radians College, and happy that we can provide their nursing graduates with a convenient and affordable path to a master’s degree,” says Weymouth Spence, Washington Adventist University president. “Hospital requirements are changing, and this university is in an excellent position to support those students who need to further their education in order to meet the new requirements.”

$3 Million in Free Health Care Services To Be Made Available in Beckley, W.Va.

Story by Costin Jordache

More than 500 healthcare professionals and volunteers will operate a no-cost medical and dental clinic in Beckley, West Virginia on July 13-15, 2016. Approximately $3 million in free health-related services will be offered to noninsured and underinsured residents of Beckley and surrounding areas at the Beckley-Raleigh County Convention Center. The event is organized by Your Best Pathway to Health, a service of Adventist-Laymen’s Services & Industries (ASI), in partnership with the Seventh-day Adventist Church and many other entities.

Spring Valley Academy Teacher Uses Art to Introduce Students to Creator

Story by Heidi Shoemaker / Photos by Hollie Macomber

Walk into Shona Macomber’s classroom at Spring Valley Academy (SVA) in Kettering, Ohio,  and one is transported into an artist’s paradise: bright open space, skylights, soft music and students intently working on projects—from pastels to pottery. Inside students are overheard saying, “This is my favorite class of the week!” while others stop to admire displays outside her classroom.