Three administrative regions in the Southern Asia-Pacific region—the Bangladesh Union Mission, the Pakistan Union Section, and the Sri Lanka Attached Mission—received a recent recommendation from the General Conference to the Southern Asia-Pacific Division Executive Committee to report to their new mother organization, the Northern Asia-Pacific Division. The proposal has received support and will be submitted to the General Conference Executive Committee for approval and final action during its autumn meeting in 2023. More consideration, research, and survey will be carried out to make trustworthy and dependable decisions that support this trend.
The Northern Asia-Pacific Division will have expanded jurisdiction over these three regions, according to a recommendation made by the General Conference to the Southern Asia-Pacific Division Executive Committee. The Southern Asia-Pacific Executive Committee has endorsed this movement in a statement that reads as follows:
EXPRESSION OF FULL SUPPORT
WHEREAS, The Bangladesh Union Mission, Pakistan Union Section, and the Sri Lanka Mission have been longstanding partners in ministry in their territories with the Southern Asia-Pacific Division AND
WHEREAS, The General Conference, during their 2022 Annual Council meetings, has proposed and has asked SSD to study the possibility of realigning these three organizations with the Northern Asia-Pacific Division sometime in 2023, AND
WHEREAS, the officers of all three organizations, along with the officers of the Division, have discussed this in detail, AND
WHEREAS, Despite the deep personal bonds of love and professional ties as colleagues in so many ministries and projects together, with a deep shared history with these three organizations and the feeling and sense of loss and sorrow at the prospect of them no longer being part of this division, never less, understanding after weighing the salient relevant points, it is now THEREFORE
VOTED: To express the full support of the General Conference’s plans to realign the Pakistan Union Section, Bangladesh Union Mission, and Sri Lanka Attached Mission with the Northern Asia-Pacific Division.
"It was a difficult decision to make, but this movement is realized to benefit the mission of the church," Roger Caderma said, president of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division.
The inclusion of four countries in the Northern Asia-Pacific Division was suggested. These nations include Bangladesh and Pakistan, which have a large Muslim population; Sri Lanka, a Buddhist nation with a majority of its citizens who are Buddhists, which is part of the Southern Asia-Pacific Division; and Nepal, which is part of the Southern Asia Division.
"Alignment of territories has proven to be beneficial and has made the mission of the work prosper," said Max Langi, former treasurer of the Southern Asia-Pacific, as he reminisced the story of the Far Eastern Division and how the mission has grown since the organization of the Northern and Southern Asia-Pacific Divisions.
There are about 51,000 members of the Adventist Church in these three areas. Additionally, there are numerous primary and secondary schools, publishing companies, and hospitals run by the Adventist Church in these areas.
"We are trying to make a balance between the divisions. Geographically, it can be challenging for NSD, but reorganization can create a balance that will provide equal benefits and challenges for our divisions," Erton Kohler said, executive secretary of the Adventist World Church.
Edward Rodriguez, SSD Communication Department