Euro-Asia

Participants of the health camp in Blagoveshchensk, Russia

Those attending the camp thanked the Church for the warmth and care and expressed a desire for more

Blagoveshchensk, Russia | Communication Department, Far Eastern Union of Churches

Earlier this month, Adventists in the city of Blagoveshchensk, in the Amur Region of Russia, held a Health Camp, inviting friends, as well as visitors who previously attended a health exhibition held in the city during the summer of 2017. 

During the Christmas and New Year holiday, Adventists in Blagoveshchensk noticed many people had time on their hands, so they decided to host a Health Camp in the city. The same camp was held in November, and the program was received with enthusiasm by visitors. “I wanted to invite people to the event,” said one of the organizers. “We asked other Adventists in the community to invite their friends to participate in the camp. Within one week we had 10 visitors.”

Classes in physiotherapy exercises, back massage and skin care procedures brought relief to people and taught them to take care of their health. 

Valentina, a church member in Blagoveshchensk, called her friend Natasha, who she met as a graduate at the local technical school. Natasha immediately agreed to come. Natasha invited her close friend, who lives near Blagoveshchensk. When the friend came to the camp, she was surprised to learn a relative was a member of the church and another member had recently done some repair worked on her house. 

 Natasha has a daughter who studies at the art school. She invited the teacher to go through the health program. When the teacher was sent an invitation and a list of what to bring, she stopped responding to messages. However, members called her and explained all the activities that would take place during the camp. On the last day of the program, she told everyone that back problems prevented her from sleeping and working normally. She was not sure that she would feel better. After the camp she felt so much better, as if the heaviness had been removed.

Tanya had attended the groups teaching on walking. She had to leave the group for a little bit and they feared the connection would be lost. However, Tatyana assured them she would come back. Almost every day of the camp, she repeated: "How good that I came here! My state has changed so much! I can safely climb the stairs, it became easy for me to move. "

Each visitor had their own story of improvements to their health. In the first two days people did not feel confident, they were embarrassed by their movements in physical therapy, but the team surrounded them with smiles, attention, care, and jokes. 

The volunteers were asked questions about faith, and had the opportunity to share the Bible. The last meeting fell on a work day - January 9. When the group proposed to divide everyone into shifts (morning and evening), the visitors said they wanted to be together and were ready to come to class after five in the evening.

At the end of the camp, visitors read poems, and thanked the volunteers for their warmth, cordiality and the care they received. They also expressed a desire to continue to maintain the relationships they had formed  and attend more events at the church. The volunteers thanked the participants for their trust and gave everyone the mission book of the year.

 

arrow-bracket-rightCommentairescontact