Educational missionary work is extremely important and actively pursued in Bangladesh. Currently, there are 147 schools in Bangladesh, home to approximately 30,000 students. Among these, 35% are adherents of the SDA faith, with the remainder being Muslim and other Christian students.
There is one college in Bangladesh with departments in theology, business administration, English literature, education, and nursing. However, all departments except nursing have not yet received official accreditation from the government. President Park YunGown and the staff are working diligently to achieve this accreditation.
Additionally, there are seven boarding schools within the Bangladesh Adventist Union Mission. Students from these schools grow to serve as workers, ministers, and leaders in various churches across Bangladesh. While the number of students is increasing annually, the space available to accommodate them is severely lacking. As the student population grows, the burden on schools also increases, placing them in a difficult situation. These boarding schools are running at a deficit and cannot be self-sustaining without the support of the Bangladesh Children Sponsorship Service (BCSS).
The situation is slightly better at the 12 Adventist International Mission Schools (AIMS), which have been recording financial profits recently due to increasing student numbers, using these funds to support the church and other schools.
However, all schools face challenges with outdated buildings, unsanitary living conditions, and inadequate electrical facilities that frequently result in power outages. Generators are used, but the facilities are insufficient for a stable power supply. Moreover, the water facilities are outdated and deteriorated, exposing children to diseases such as typhoid and cholera. In the dormitories, 18-20 students share a room, battling temperatures over 40 degrees Celsius. These children need more balanced meals and better dormitory conditions.
They hold the potential to become significant servants of God in the future Adventist Church of Bangladesh. Kim YoHan, president of the North Asia-Pacific Division, stated, “Your prayers and attention can bring happiness to these children, and I am confident that as they grow, they will become significant pillars of Bangladesh,” and he appealed for “much interest and prayer for their future and well-being.”