The three General Conference (GC) Health Directors, headed by Dr. Allan Handysides, GC Health Ministries Director and his two associates, Dr. Peter Landless, and Fred Hardinge, teamed up with Northern Asia-Pacific Division (NSD) Health Director, Dr. Barbara Choi, and the Japan Union Conference (JUC) Health Director, Pastor Hiroshi Yamaji, to plan and organize a Health Conference for our JUC church members.
On August 12 to 13, 2013, the CELEBRATIONS training program was held in Kobe Arinodai Church, located next to the Kobe Adventist Hospital. From August 15 to 16, 2013, the team moved to repeat the same program at the Amanuma Church next to the Tokyo Adventist Hospital. The training is based on our need for disease prevention, and the need to use Christ’s method alone to do health ministry because Christ’s method alone will give true success in reaching the people.
Ellen White writes, “The Saviour mingled with men as one who desired their good. He showed His sympathy for them, ministered to their needs, and won their confidence. Then He bade them, ‘Follow Me.’” The Ministry of Healing p. 143.
During the Health Conference we emphasized preventive health care rather than curative treatments. The members were reminded that they are not medical personnel who can cure disease but rather direct their friends to the great physician–Jesus Christ. We also held a forum to plan and explore ways of sharing the health ministry in Japan.
The participants came mainly from the Arinodai Church, Amanuma Church, Central Church, Okinawa Church, and Kyoto Church. We had members who joined us from educational institutions located in Hiroshima and Yokohama. Japan’s San-iku Foods, and Nihon Kensei Kyoukai (a privately owned food factory) also sent their representatives to learn. We had good fellowship sharing how to bring our friends and neighbors to Jesus through the sharing of our health knowledge.
Article By Barbara Choi