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East Union Mission

LUIS ANTONIO PAREDES MARTÍNEZ

Luis Antonio Paredes Martínez

East Venezuela Union Mission is one of two unions established in Venezuela and one of 24 unions under the Inter- American Division. It is located in the north-central part of South America. Its territory is the eastern and the eastern portion of the state of .1 More specifically, East Venezuela Union Mission’s geographical territory comprises the states of , Guárico, Amazonas, , , Anzoátegui, , , , and Bolívar; the eastern portion of Apure; and the Capital District. East Venezuela Union Mission’s territory’s estimated population was about 13.4 million as of 2019.2 The official language is Spanish, but 15 indigenous languages are also spoken by diverse ethnic groups and cultures.3 East Venezuela Union Mission was created when the Inter-American Division completed a territorial readjustment on November 3, 2008.4 This concerned eight fields: Central East Venezuela Conference, Central Venezuela Conference, Central Llanos Venezuela Mission, East Venezuela Conference, Northeast Venezuela Mission, South Bolivar Venezuela Mission, Southeast Venezuela Conference, and South Central Venezuela Conference. As of 2019, East Venezuela Union Mission had 113 established districts, 41 pastors, 51 ministers, 36 full-time lay people, 183,451 members, 593 organized churches, and 270 organized groups.5 The headquarters are located in , Estado Aragua, Calle Piar Num. 10, La Romana. A soon-to-be headquarters building in acquired in 2017 is currently being remodeled. The move to this new building will take place for two reasons: the capital city is a more central location for people to visit the offices, and the international airport is only 30 minutes away from the new location. Institutions Schools: The union’s territory has 339 teachers among 13 schools and colleges that offer primary, middle, and diversified levels of education.6 In the center of Caracas, Colegio Adventista Ricardo Greenidge serves the capital city. On the west, Carapita Adventist Academy in Barrio El Manguito offers primary and secondary education. Alejandro Oropeza Castillo Academy serves the small cities of Guarenas, Estado Miranda. Colegio Adventista “Andres Bello” offers primary, middle, and diversified education in the El Limón sector of Maracay, Estado Aragua. Two hours away from that is Colegio Adventista Libertador de Camaguán in Estado Guárico. Colegio Adventista General Rafael Urdaneta in the Bolivar municipality, Palotal sector, Barcelona, Estado Anzoátegui, has served the entire sector since 1975. On the east, in Maturín, Estado Monagas, Colegio Adventista “Dr. Braulio Pérez Marcio” offers daycare up to the last year of secondary education. In Ciudad Guayana, Estado Bolívar, Maranatha Adventist College in the Alacranes sector offers preschool to high school and diversified education levels. In the same region of Puerto Ordaz Castillito sector, the Colegio Adventista “Andres Bello”-Puerto Ordaz campus offers primary and secondary education. In Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela Adventist College offers preschool to high school education. Augusto Mijares is an Adventist school located in a Sucre municipality neighborhood in Guarataro. In Santa Elena de Uairen, a zone on the border to Brazil, Gran Sabana School is the only boarding school, located in the indigenous community of Maurak, and offers preschool through high school education. Communications: East Venezuela Union Mission owns a television station, “Hope Media Venezuela,” located in the union headquarters’ offices. It prepares educational programs for Hope Media: Inter-American Division. There are also 15 short-wave radio stations throughout the territory. Publishing Agencies: There are five agencies or branches of the Inter-American Division Publishing Association (IADPA) in Caracas, Maracay, Puerto Ordaz, Maturín, and Kumarakapay (south of Bolívar state). Youth Camps: There are five youth campgrounds for different youth activities like camporees and family camp meetings, among others. They are located in Morichal, Chuspita, Camatagua, Mahanaín, and Auká. Health Institutions: Centro Integral Adventista de Vida Sana at Quebrada Grande, Estado Monagas, offers natural treatments for health recovery, resting, and recreation. The core of this natural treatment includes a vegan diet, hydrotherapy, therapeutic massages, exercises, personalized medical attention, and other treatments. It has a capacity of 20 patients that can stay at the center for two or three weeks. Its inaugural ceremony was held on February 26, 2015, with Pastor Israel Leito, Inter-American Division president, present. Dr. Sara Otahola has been in charge of the medical department since its inception. Beginning of Adventist Work in La Gran Sabana With the arrival of missionaries to La Gran Sabana and to the port of between 1880-1910, the Adventist message reached the territory of what is now East Venezuela Union Mission. The message spread in La Gran Sabana between 1880-1902. An indigenous chief called Auká received visions, messages, and instructions from God. Among his visions, he saw a white man with a black book coming to confirm his visions and bring a message from God. The Indian chief, obedient to the vision, changed his and his people’s lifestyles. They abandoned polygamy and sacrifices and began to keep the Sabbath. Auká died waiting for the arrival of the white man with a black book.7 At the beginning of 1900, the news of the existence of these indigenous people was brought to the English Guyana Mission offices in Georgetown. Pastor Ovid Elberth Davis, mission president, traveled through the jungle in 1910 with a miner to visit them, but, because he contracted yellow fever, they had to return. A year later, even with yellow fever, he returned with a native interpreter and local helpers who carried their loads. They were to explore the area and try to find the indigenous people. When they found them, the natives were very happy to see Pastor Davis; his arrival fulfilled the chief’s vision. Pastor Davis stayed 24 days, and, in that time, he preached using the Bible and sang hymns, confirming Chief Auká’s vision. Pastor Davis became critically ill, and he asked Chief Jeremías to bring the people to sing and pray and to ask them to stay faithful to what they had learned until Jesus returned. On July 31, 1911, Pastor Davis died. The natives wrapped his body and buried him at the foot of Mount Roraima on the border of Venezuela and British Guiana, where his remains are to this day. Pastor Ovid Elberth Davis was the first foreign missionary to die in Venezuela.8 W. E. Baxter and C. B. Sutton arrived from Curaçao Mission at the village 13 years later. Chief Jeremías’s son had a letter from Pastor Davis and a list of over 100 believers of the Adventist faith. Baxter and Sutton reported what they found. An anonymous donation of $4,000 USD for what was known as Davis Indians Mission was received by the General Conference.9 In March 1927, A. W. Cott and R. J. Christian from Georgetown were sent with their wives to Roraima. Mr. and Mrs. Christian stayed there for a short time. Mr. and Mrs. Cott and their daughter, Elizabeth, continued their work for eight years, establishing small schools and teaching the Bible, agriculture, and home economics. By 1939, they had established Adventist missions in Luepa, Kamoirán, Akurimá, and Arabopó.10 Arrival of the Adventist Message to the City of Caracas In 1907, B. E. Connerly from Puerto Rico entered Caracas, Venezuela, through the Orinoco River selling books and magazines with the Adventist message. Many subscribed to El Centinela magazine.11 The first missionaries who lived in Caracas permanently arrived on August 1, 1910. They were Frank Lewis Lane and his wife, Rose; and Richard Greenidge and his wife, Rebeca.12 Frank L. Lane prepared illustrated lecture series on Daniel, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Revelation’s prophecies. Meanwhile, the Greenidges prepared rooms for hydrotherapy treatment. Bible lectures on Daniel and Revelation were given to many people. Some embraced the Bible truth, and 11 people were baptized in the first baptism on March 25, 1911. The first church in Venezuela was organized with 15 members on March 26, 1911.13 Venezuela depended on the General Conference for missionaries. In September 1913, the Lanes had to travel to the United States due to health issues, and missionaries from the United States were sent to Venezuela on various occasions to substitute for them, but they also had to return due to illnesses. On February 2, 1917, William E. Baxter and C. D. Raff arrived to establish an organizational structure to be named “Venezuela Mission” in Cárcel a Pilita, La Concordia sector. Baxter would be president with Raff as secretary-treasurer of this mission.14 Today, it houses the Iglesia Adventista del Séptimo Día de la Concordia. In 1918, Rafael López Miranda from Puerto Rico went to Venezuela with Ángel Ojeda to sell Christian books.15 They traveled to Camaguán and, after hard work, organized the second Adventist church in Venezuela. There, they met José Lamas, who contributed to spreading the message in the country. Four years after arriving in Venezuela, on March 15, 1922, López Miranda was ambushed and assassinated in the outskirts of El Cobre, becoming the first Adventist martyr in Venezuela. In 1921, B. E. Wagner, secretary-treasurer of Venezuela Mission, included El Rey que Viene, Los Videntes y Lo Porvenir, and other books to be sold. Through the sales of these books, many people were touched, and congregations in Camaguán and were organized in 1921 and 1924, respectively.16 By 1922, the Greenidges had established a small church school in Caracas and, later, another in Camaguán. The first church was built in 1927 in Camaguán, and, by 1932, 114 new believers were baptized.17 In June 1936, Colegio Adventista Ricardo Greenidge was founded in Caracas, and it is still in operation.18 Events that Led to Organization of East Venezuela Union Mission In 1910, the General Conference directly oversaw the territory now known as East Venezuela Union Mission and sent missionaries there. Until 1919, Venezuela was part of South Conference.19 When the first mission was organized in Venezuela in 1919, it was called Venezuela Mission. William Baxter became president after working for two years in the country. This small organizational structure allowed the church to grow and be fortified. By 1924, Venezuela Mission had organized a church in Caracas, Camaguán, and San Fernando with 110 members altogether, and it had established Colegio Adventista Libertador de Camaguán with approximately 50 students.20 The Adventist Church grew rapidly in Venezuela and Colombia. In 1927, Colombia-Venezuela Union Mission was organized with Henry E. Baasch as president. It was originally located in Cali and moved to Medellín in 1930.21 The union included Venezuela Mission, Atlantic Colombia Mission, and Central Colombia Mission. In 1927, Venezuela Mission had four organized churches and 140 baptized members. Gospel preaching was fortified through medical services in the beginning. The Greenidges offered hydrotherapy services and, at the same time, were able to teach many people about the Bible. In 1940, the establishment of the first medical institution, Dispensario Adventista de Caracas, fortified the church and helped it grow. It officially opened its doors on October 12, 1940, through the initiative of Augusto Rodolfo Sherman, mission president, and Ricardo Fitó, mission secretary-treasurer.22 In 1950, the Colombia-Venezuela Union Mission board voted to readjust the territory. Venezuela Mission would have two missions, West Venezuela Mission in and East Venezuela Mission in Caracas. By 1952, the two missions had 922 members and 11 churches.23 In 1956, there were 1,615 members and 20 churches.24 In 1964, the membership grew to 5,545 and 40 churches.25 By 1966, East Venezuela Mission had 23 churches and 2,650 members, while West Venezuela Mission had 18 churches and 2,539 members.26 In 1979, due to the rapid growth of the church, the status of East Venezuela Mission was changed to East Venezuela Conference with Pastor Luis J. Flores as president.27 After 1988, due to the country’s political-territorial crisis, the Adventist Church decided it would be best to separate Colombia and Venezuela. The decision was taken on June 4, 1988. Venezuela had sufficient administrative and financial capacities for this decision to take place.28 For those reasons, on November 14-18, 1988, Colombia- Venezuela Union Mission voted to readjust East Venezuela Conference’s territory. East Venezuela Conference split in two: Central Venezuela Conference located in Caracas and East Venezuela Mission located in Maturín. This vote was officially taken at the East Venezuela Conference Triennial Session of January 9-11, 1989. This was the foundation of East Venezuela Union Mission. In March 7, 1989, in Cúcuta, Colombia, a vote was taken to readjust the territory once again and create Colombian Union Mission and Venezuela-Antilles Union Mission.29 Netherlands Antilles Conference in Curaçao, Central Venezuela Conference in Caracas, West Venezuela Mission in Barquisimeto, and the recently created East Venezuela Mission in Maturín comprised Venezuela-Antilles Union Mission located in Caracas. Venezuela-Antilles Union Mission had 43,758 members, 187 churches, and a total of 80 full-time missionary employees, which included school and other institution personnel.30 In 1990, Pastor Nathaniel García Robayna’s study of the Adventist message’s advancement in Venezuela and Iván Omaña’s thesis findings helped inspire the growth of the church. By 2001, Southeast Venezuela Mission in Puerto Ordaz was created.31 In 2002, the creation of South Central Venezuela Mission in Maracay was voted on. These were part of East Venezuela Union Mission’s territory.32 By the end of 2002, the administration of Pastor Julio Palacio, Venezuela-Antilles Union Mission’s president, decided to divide the union territory into two – the west and east territories. This was the basis for the organization of a new union in Venezuela: East Venezuela Union Mission.33 In 2005, in its quinquennial session, Venezuela-Antilles Union Mission voted to start an experimental union in the east of the country with Pastor Josney Rodríguez as president.34 In 2008, at the Inter-American Division year-end meetings, a readjustment of Venezuela-Antilles Union Mission’s territory was decided upon. It was also decided to request the General Conference for an evaluation, which would result in later opening the Venezuela experimental union under the name of East Venezuela Union Mission. On November 3, 2008, the decision was finalized.35 When the new field was created, another experimental field in Guarenas was voted on November 24, 2009, called Central East Venezuela Mission.36 On April 7, 2010, the General Conference approved the readjustment of Venezuela-Antilles Union Mission, officially creating East Venezuela Union Mission located in Maracay with Pastor Josney Rodríguez as president and Pablo Carreño as secretary-treasurer.37 At that time, its fields were Central Venezuela Conference in Caracas, South Central Venezuela Conference in Maracay, East Venezuela Conference in Maturín, and Southeast Venezuela Conference in Puerto Ordaz. By November 2013, during East Venezuela Union Mission’s year-end meetings, it was voted to name Pastor Jaime Rojas coordinator of the new South Venezuela region located in Santa Elena de Uairén, Estado Bolívar, starting on January 1, 2014.38 On September 7, 2014, it was voted to request the Inter-American Division board to perform a study and learn if making this region a union was feasible.39 In that same year, a vote was taken to begin the study to create Northeast Venezuela Mission with headquarters in Barcelona, Estado Anzoátegui, effective January 2015.40 On March 29, 2016, it was voted to create Central Llanos Venezuela Mission with headquarters in Calabozo effective June 1, 2016.41 Its administration would consist of Pastor Jorge Atalido as president, Pastor Luis Paredes as executive secretary, and Pablo Carreño as treasurer. East Venezuela Union Mission Accomplishes its Mission Venezuela churches face the challenge of preaching the message. Union leaders, local fields, and churches with active church members are united in the mission and follow three strategies: 1. Communion with God and Spiritual Growth. The primary focus of all activities and programs is for all church members and people to integrate and get involved in the discipleship plan, which means to follow the steps of Jesus Christ as the model. It also means to study the Word of God, pray, and attend church regularly. To fulfill this integration and involvement, the church promotes the program “Revived by his Word,” the study of Adventist books by Ellen G. White, and the study of Sabbath School lessons with the purpose of developing a spiritual relationship of love for and commitment to God. 2. Relationship and Integral Development. This refers to providing ways and means for members to discover effective ways of relating with each other. Programs are developed based on the principle of creating identity and union between church families. These programs offer training in different areas of growth, including spiritual and social areas. 3. Fulfilling the Mission. East Venezuela Union Mission’s goal is that every church member becomes a true disciple and shares the gospel to all people to strengthen their spiritual life. Today, over 3,000 evangelistic small groups exist. Each week, church members share Bible studies with thousands of interested people in the territory. They are organized in discipleship couples that contribute to the formation and training of new believers. Church members have created social programs to take care of the community’s basic needs and bring the church’s membership to the community, allowing for the involvement of the majority of church members.

Recent Events East Venezuela Union Mission has experienced constant growth due to the implementation of discipleship programs throughout its territory. The greatest joy is to observe church elders, leaders, and members in general commit themselves further every day to the church and its mission. In 2019 and in previous years, even in the midst of the economic and political crisis the country is going through, churches have creatively helped communities with food, medical attention, clothing, potable water, hygiene kits, and other services. Venezuela’s Adventist churches began to be known as loving and caring churches that help the community with their needs. Due to mass migrations, churches lost leaders and membership and created programs to train new leaders. What is Needed to Fulfill the Mission The greatest challenge to East Venezuela Union Mission is to reach places with no Adventist presence, such as sectors of the Gran Caracas and other cities. Another challenge is to reach all levels of society via suitable strategies. Migration has displaced church members, pastors, and lay people, creating permanent difficulties to reach new territories and take care of the existing ones. East Venezuela Union Mission needs pastors and lay people who are committed to its mission. Low purchasing power has been an enormous challenge to preparing church and evangelism materials due to high costs and the lack of raw materials. A percentage of what is required has been supplied to the present time. However, a large percentage of people still need to be equipped with materials published by the church in order to continue evangelizing. List of Presidents Josney Rodríguez (2005-2015); Jorge Atalido (2015- ).

SOURCES Colombia-Venezuela Union Mission executive board minutes. November 14-18, 1988. Secretariat archives. Medellín, Colombia. East Venezuela Union Mission Department of Education statistics report. July 2018. East Venezuela Union Mission electronic archives. Maracay, Venezuela. East Venezuela Union Mission executive board minutes. September 7, 2014. 064. East Venezuela Union Mission archives. Maracay, Venezuela. East Venezuela Union Mission executive board minutes. November 9-12, 2014. 135. East Venezuela Union Mission archives. Maracay, Venezuela. East Venezuela Union Mission executive board minutes. March 29, 2016. 014. East Venezuela Union Mission archives. Maracay, Venezuela. East Venezuela Union Mission mid-year meeting minutes. “Department of Education statistics report,” July 2018. East Venezuela Union Mission electronic archives. Maracay, Venezuela. East Venezuela Union Mission mid-year meeting minutes. June 2019. Secretariat archives. Maracay, Venezuela. East Venezuela Union Mission year-end meeting minutes. November 24-25, 2009. 037. Secretariat archives. Maracay, Venezuela. East Venezuela Union Mission year-end meeting minutes. November 13-14, 2013. 118. East Venezuela Union Mission archives. Maracay, Venezuela. García Robayna, Nathanael. Sin Temor al Futuro. Caracas: Talleres Gráficos Litobrit C.A. Venezuela, 1989. Greenidge, Luis E. “Comienzos y desarrollo de la obra adventista en Venezuela.” Unpublished document for Denominational History course, Colegio del Caribe, Trinidad, W.I., 1934. Spanish translation by Lucía Báez de Molina. Caracas, 1986. “Historia: La Iglesia Autóctona (Extraído de la tesis doctoral del Pr. Ivan Omaña).” uvoc.com.ve. Accessed 2020. https://uvoc.com.ve/historia/. Inter-American Division year-end meeting minutes. November 3, 2008. 179. Inter-American Division archives. Miami, Florida. “Lenguas de Venezuela: Lenguas indígenas.” Academic: esacademic.com. Accessed November 14, 2018. http://www.esacademic.com/dic.nsf/eswiki/596021#Lenguas_ind.C3.ADgenas. Prieto, Moises. Recordando Nuestra Historia. Maracay, Venezuela: LitoArt Publicidad, 2010. Schupnik Fleitas, Carlos Rafael. Aquí Obró Dios. Nirgua, , Venezuela: Artes Gráficas del Instituto Universitario Adventista de Venezuela, 2010. Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia. First revised edition. Washington, D.C.: Review and Herald, 1976. S.v. “Venezuela.” Venezuela-Antilles Union Mission executive board minutes. February 1, 2001. 001. Secretariat archives. Maracay, Venezuela. Venezuela-Antilles Union Mission executive board minutes. November 18-19, 2002. 168. Secretariat archives. Maracay, Venezuela. Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook. Various years. https://www.adventistyearbook.org/.

NOTES 1. “East Venezuela Union Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Online Yearbook, accessed 2020, https://www.adventistyearbook.org/entity?EntityID=31960.? 2. Ibid.? 3. “Lenguas de Venezuela: Lenguas indígenas,” Academic: esacademic.com, accessed November 14, 2018, http://www.esacademic.com/dic.nsf/eswiki/596021#Lenguas_ind.C3.ADgenas.? 4. Inter-American Division year-end meeting, November 3, 2008, 179, Inter-American Division archives.? 5. East Venezuela Union Mission mid-year meeting, June 2019, secretariat archives.? 6. East Venezuela Union Mission mid-year meeting, “Department of Education statistics report,” July 2018, East Venezuela Union Mission electronic archives.? 7. Nathanael García Robayna, Sin Temor al Futuro (Caracas: Talleres Gráficos Litobrit C.A. Venezuela, 1989), 13.? 8. Carlos Rafael Schupnik Fleitas, Aquí Obró Dios (Nirgua, Yaracuy, Venezuela: Artes Gráficas del Instituto Universitario Adventista de Venezuela, 2010), 44.? 9. García Robayna, 15.? 10. Ibid.? 11. Luis E. Greenidge, “Comienzos y desarrollo de la obra adventista en Venezuela” (unpublished document for Denominational History course, Colegio del Caribe, Trinidad, W.I., 1934), Spanish translation by Lucía Báez de Molina (Caracas, 1986), 9.? 12. Schupnik Fleitas, 31.? 13. García Robayna, 7.? 14. Ibid., 25.? 15. Ibid., 34.? 16. Schupnik Fleitas, 34-35, 55.? 17. Moises Prieto, Recordando Nuestra Historia (Maracay, Venezuela: LitoArt Publicidad, 2010), 19-20.? 18. García Robayna, 40.? 19. Seventh-day Adventist Encyclopedia (1976), s.v. “Venezuela.”? 20. Greenidge, 39.? 21. Prieto, 20.? 22. García Robayna, 49.? 23. “East Venezuela Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, accessed 2020, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1953.pdf; and “West Venezuela Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, accessed 2020, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1953.pdf .? 24. “East Venezuela Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, accessed 2020, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1957.pdf.; and “West Venezuela Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, accessed 2020, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1957.pdf .? 25. “East Venezuela Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, accessed 2020, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1965,66.pdf.; and “West Venezuela Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, accessed 2020, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1965,66.pdf.? 26. “East Venezuela Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, accessed 2020, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1967.pdf.; and “West Venezuela Mission,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, accessed 2020, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1967.pdf .? 27. “East Venezuela Conference,” Seventh-day Adventist Yearbook, accessed 2020, https://documents.adventistarchives.org/Yearbooks/YB1979.pdf. ? 28. “Historia: La Iglesia Autóctona (Extraído de la tesis doctoral del Pr. Ivan Omaña),” uvoc.com.ve, accessed 2020, https://uvoc.com.ve/historia/.? 29. Colombia-Venezuela Union Mission executive board, November 14-18, 1988, secretariat archives.? 30. Prieto, 5.? 31. Venezuela-Antilles Union Mission executive board, February 1, 2001, 001, secretariat archives.? 32. Venezuela-Antilles Union Mission executive board, November 18-19, 2002, 168, secretariat archives.? 33. Pastor Josney Rodríguez, interview by author, June 7, 2019.? 34. Ibid.? 35. Inter-American Division year-end meeting, November 3, 2008, 179, Inter-American Division archives.? 36. East Venezuela Union Mission year-end meeting, November 24-25, 2009, 037, secretariat archives.? 37. Schupnik Fleitas, 111.? 38. East Venezuela Union Mission year-end meeting, November 13-14, 2013, 118, East Venezuela Union Mission archives.? 39. East Venezuela Union Mission executive board, September 7, 2014, 064, East Venezuela Union Mission archives.? 40. East Venezuela Union Mission executive board, November 9-12, 2014, 135, East Venezuela Union Mission archives.? 41. East Venezuela Union Mission executive board, March 29, 2016, 014, East Venezuela Union Mission archives.?

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