There is no doubt that the current outbreak of the notorious corona virus or the so called COVID-19 has greatly impacted the world population in various ways. The inconveniences, limited travels, financial loss, dismissal from employment, and some of our basic freedoms being chipped away under community lock-down and quarantine are all by-products of this global crisis. We witness the uncertainties of the future unraveling before our very eyes. The virus has indiscriminately infected people around the world and caused almost 400,000 deaths so far. It is reported that a third of the global population has been affected by COVID-19 through community quarantine, curfews, and the practice of social distancing. The whole world is no doubt bracing itself for a situation far worse if vaccination against COVID-19 is delayed.
While the experiences due to COVID-19 are shared across the globe we recognize that there are communities, families, and marriage relationships that are struggling more than others. Southern Asia-Pacific Division's Family Ministries adopted the initiative of the General Conference's Family Ministries on World COVID-19 Marriage and Family Day of Prayer, and scheduled the event on June 6, 2020. Because the event was to be held via video broadcasting it collaborated closely with the SSD Communication Department. Besides the cross-posting we did on the official Facebook page of the SSD Children's and Family Ministries Department and the Southern Asia Pacific Division Facebook page, we did intense promotions prior to the event through the three Hope Channels in the Philippines, Hope Channel Indonesia in Jakarta, and Hope Channel South East Asia in Thailand. The promotion was also done at the union level with promotional videos and graphics posted on social media in various languages. The promotional videos from the General Conference and from SSD were broadcast prior to the scheduled date, June 6, 2020. The same videos and graphical promotions were also sent and shared to most congregations that conduct online worship during the lock-down due to COVID-19.
June 6, 2020 began with the broadcasting of interviews and prayer videos from the General Conference starting at 8:00 AM Manila time. The program went throughout the day, one after the other, through various media platforms.
The message and sermons delivered focused primarily on prayer and personal devotion under this crisis. We praise God for the great number of people watching live. The combined number of people who watched and participated through the Family Ministries’ and SSD’s Facebook pages and the three Hope Channels is well over 10,000. This number includes those who watched the program live from different parts of the world through the above-mentioned media channels. This initiative and program had brought the Adventist church family together, as well as strengthened marriage and family relationships of its members through prayer around the world throughout the day. Even under social distancing we realize that we could remain connected through prayer, and we strongly believe that God's intervention will happen according to His will, and in His own time. God answers our prayers, not because we are always faithful to Him, but because He is always faithful to His children!
Orathai Chureson, SSD Children's and Family Ministries Director