Is Christmas Pagan? DEBUNKING SOME COMMON CHRISTMAS CONFUSION 16 NEWS ADRA SAMOA RESPONDS TO DEADLY MEASLES OUTBREAK 5 ADVENTIST RECORD | DECEMBER 21, 2019 ISSN 0819-5633 editor’s note holidays and sacrifice The Christmas holidays are very important for me read and understand the loving Creator God. It took and my family. We do not live near each other so face- eight years before anyone accepted the message of to-face contact during the year is limited. But we make Jesus. up for this during the Christmas holidays. I think of their sacrifice and courage and the many The only time I have not spent Christmas with Christmases they spent away from family and friends, extended family was as a boy, as part of a missionary for the sake of Jesus and His good news. family, in Papua New Guinea. In those days the over- However, even these sacrifices pale into insig- seas missionaries only received a trip to their home nificance compared to the sacrifice of the One who country once every three years. This was one of the inspired them—Jesus. The biblical Christmas story small sacrifices we made as a family to see Jesus’ reveals that Jesus was God in every way—eternal, all messages spread among the people of Papua New powerful, all knowing, ever present, just, but most of Guinea. all, loving. This year I walked the Kokoda Track in PNG with Humans on earth had rebelled and needed someone an ADRA group raising funds for The 10,000 Toes to overcome the tragic disease of sin that led to eternal Campaign to stop Type 2 diabetes in the South Pacific. death. Someone needed to live above sin and conquer Most people know the Kokoda as an iconic walk made death. So Jesus came, just as everybody else comes famous by the Australian soldiers who eventually into the world, as a baby—but a baby who would save defeated the Japanese along this track in the latter the world from sin and death. He gave up all of heaven part of 1942. However, the first foreigner to walk the and the close association with the Godhead to be one track was Fijian Seventh-day Adventist missionary, Peni of us. He was born like us, but as our Saviour—that is Tavodi. why Jesus brings “joy to the world”. When Seventh-day Adventists came to PNG in 1908, Luke 2:10,11 (ESV) records, “Fear not, for behold, the country’s governing body had already assigned land I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all areas and people groups to the other churches—no the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of territory was available to Seventh-day Adventists. After David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord.” further insistence, Seventh-day Adventists were given I spent those Christmases in PNG with my dad, the Koiari people, based on the Sogeri plain and living mum, brother and sister, in visiting areas of the country in the mountains behind. where we had not been before and where God had What is now known as the Kokoda Track was the brought new people groups to Jesus. And I climbed Koiari highway through the jungle. At the time these the Kokoda Track this year with my son and daugh- people were cannibals, they practiced sorcery and were ter-in-law. I have never been abandoned by my family, very hostile to others. As I climbed the steep mountains nor been lonely at Christmas, but, best of all, I have a over roots and rocks, slid down the muddy drops and hope and a future beyond sin and death because Jesus crossed the treacherous fast mountain rivers I thought became a human and conquered of Tavodi and the Australian missionaries with him, these issues on my behalf. I thank such as Septimus Carr (and his wife) and G F Jones God for the Christ of Christmas (and wife). who enables us to be adopted back As a small group, these missionaries conquered the into God’s family forever. treacherous terrain and entered hostile villages with Jesus’ message of peace. They worked in healing— Glenn townend prayer, health teaching and basic medicines to eradi- SPD president cate disease—and teaching the children to count and /SPDpresident senior consulting editor graphic designer noticeboard adventist media glenn townend linden chuang [email protected] locked bag 1115 senior editor template designer subscriptions wahroonga nsw 2076 australia jarrod stackelroth theodora pau’u [email protected] + 61 (02) 9847 2222 assistant editors noticeboard + 61 (03) 5965 6300 cover credit maryellen fairfax julie laws mailed within australia and felicity thompson abn 59 093 117 689 copyeditors letters nz $A43.80 $NZ73.00 other “Image of ‘San baby’, part of vol 124 no 25 tracey bridcutt [email protected] prices on application. the God of Hope photography kent kingston news & photos website project, Immanuel.” melody tan [email protected] record.adventistchurch.com december 21, 2019 | Adventist record 3 news adventist fire solomons school needs water Brett Partridge/Jarrod Stackelroth “Orange is a fresh, youthful and Jones Adventist Academy materials to the Solomons until creative colour,” according to graphic (Solomon Islands) is facing a after Christmas so the best solution design specialists Canva. severe water shortage after loggers is to raise funds to purchase tanks “It has the warmth of red and the optimism of yellow, and it commu- destroyed a dam on a neighbouring and guttering from Gizo or Honiara.” nicates activity and energy and property. They are hoping to provide 20 encourages socialisation. Orange Brett and Christine Partridge, 3000L tanks, and guttering. The looks and feels fresh and healthy and members of Kellyville Adventist tanks cost $A750 each and the can even stimulate appetite. And Church (Sydney, NSW), discovered guttering will be around $A5000. because it is very easy to see, it is this dire need while visiting the Although there is no budget used to catch attention and signal isolated Adventist secondary school available, ADRA has opened an safety.” with Hills Adventist College students account to help with this project. Orange is the colour of one of in October. “If you can provide an early my favourite animals—the tiger. It’s The school, located on the Christmas present to a school with a colour that fills me with joy when north end of Vella Lavella Island, a great basic need it will mean so I see a beautiful sunset or trees in relied on the dam to supply all the much,” said Mr Partridge, who is autumn. And now orange—specif- school’s drinking and washing water supporting the school through the ically a shade of orange known as for 450 young people. After the Solomons Education fund. “Adventist Fire”—has become a first dam was destroyed, teachers ADRA will provide tax-deductible significant part of my job. You see, built a makeshift dam, but recent receipts. To support the project, one of my tasks is to roll out the heavy rains created a landslide that contact Kylie Humble at ADRA South Pacific Division’s identity destroyed the new dam. Australia. project, which includes the distinc- “We have taken tive orange signs that many of you would have seen outside our local first action to install a churches and conferences. The diesel pump to pump signs are helping to catch people’s grey water from a attention and raise awareness of the spring for all ablutions Seventh-day Adventist Church. and washing,” said Mr While we previously had a myriad Partridge. “Because of logos, colours and designs, we there is plenty of rain now have consistent branding. The we need to install aim is to present a strong and clear tanks ASAP. We are identity so that the Church can be unable to transport Jones adventist academy in solomon islands. more easily recognised by members of the public. We are excited at the many ways the new branding is being embraced san equal first for cancer care around the South Pacific. Along leisa o’connor with the signage, it is being used on Cancer services at Sydney service, care planning and coor- stationery, websites, social media, Adventist Hospital have been dination, complications, follow-up t-shirts, banners and flags (see rated significantly above the NSW and support. Hospital CEO Brett identity.adventistchurch.com for average across eight key perfor- Goods said the results confirmed resources). To me it seems fitting that our mance measures, a result equalled the remarkable care provided by the colour is “Adventist Fire”. It reflects only by Campbelltown Hospital in San Integrated Cancer Centre team. our calling to be disciples for Jesus, south-western Sydney. to be “on fire” for Him. As we head More than 11,000 cancer into the new year, let it be our patients receiving services at burning desire to grow our identity over 44 facilities across NSW in Christ as we look were surveyed for the Bureau forward to His soon of Health Information and return. the Cancer Institute of NSW Outpatient Cancer Clinics Tracey Brdicutt Survey 2018. Patients rated SPD Communication the poon day infusion centre at the san. director their experience of access to 4 Adventist record | december 21, 2019 adra samoa responds to deadly measles outbreak tracey bridcutt ADRA Samoa staff are working moega and Faleolo, all possible with In light of the closure of local tirelessly in response to the deadly funding from ADRA Australia, ADRA schools, Samoa Adventist College measles outbreak in the country. New Zealand, ADRA International and cancelled all end-of-year functions More than 60 people have died as a the New Zealand High Commission.