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I have 8 sons who would soon
have to enlist in the army
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and face serious Sabbath challenges.
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To protect my sons, I moved here
as a literature evangelist.
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Forty years ago,
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Juan Amigo was sent to Andorra
to work as a colporter
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and to plant the first Adventist
congregation in the nation.
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Andorra is a speck on the map,
sandwiched between France and Spain.
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It lies in the valleys
of a mountainous region
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where millions of tourists come
for exciting sports activities every year.
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This country was one
of the last unentered territories
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of the Inter-European Division.
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At that time, Juan and his family
were the only Adventists in the country.
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Today, five of his sons remain in Andorra
and have leadership roles
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in the only Adventist congregation there.
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Our church is a bit different
than other countries.
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Actually, in Andorra
there is no church registration.
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We cannot exist as a church,
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so we created ourselves as an association,
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this is the way
we can operate in this country.
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We are a small group.
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We have 25 members,
of whom 14 are children.
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For several years,
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we did many evangelistic campaigns
without many results.
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We decided to stop to pray
until God showed us
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where we should focus our efforts.
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Now, we are focusing our efforts
on our children and our children’s friends
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and our friends too.
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Putting kids first
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has reshaped the style
and flow of this church’s worship.
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On Friday evenings,
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adult members meet
at the church for vespers
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and study the Sabbath School
quarterly lesson ahead of schedule.
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This allows extra time for the kids
during regular Sabbath morning activities.
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The study is a great way
to enter the Sabbath day.
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In church we are not
so used to put kids first.
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We don’t give them
a place in front on stage,
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for example, many times maybe...
only once a trimester.
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We started focusing
on activities like Pathfinders…
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for our kids,
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that's actually, what every church does.
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But we also created the space
Saturday morning for them
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where they have a sermon for kids,
they have some activities for kids
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and also for the grownups
so we can interact them and us
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and we can learn from the kids,
and the kids can learn from us.
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This week’s teacher
presents a message from the Bible.
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She brings visual illustrations
and a kid-friendly sermon
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that is also enjoyable for adults.
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Afterward, the children break into classes
to study their quarterly lesson.
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Then, the adults enjoy
a special message in the main hall.
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Once a month,
a delicious potluck is served
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with a lot of international
dishes and flavors.
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This is a great opportunity
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to grow relationships
and nourish the body.
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The children of this church
are catered to in a special way.
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They are put first because this group
wants them to take leadership
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and ownership of church life.
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They are the future of this congregation
and through them,
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friends and parents are invited
to many fun activities.
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Please pray for Adventist children
around the world
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who will lead God’s church
in the coming days.
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And thank you for your support
of the mission offering,
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which helped start this church.