Cecil tells all: The (near-tragic) accident

Hi! Cecil here, just back from my adventures in Germany and England (yes, there will be photos to come soon).

I just thought I'd let you know about an accident I nearly had while on holidays. We went to Neuschwanstein - that castle in Barvaria that's really fancy and apparently what Walt Disney based his fairytale castles on. Behind the castle and over a 300 foot ravine is a bridge called Marienbrucke.

It's a great place for photos and of course I had to head up there to take some. While I was there, I'd just gotten ready to pose for a photo when a rather rude tourist brushed past me on the bridge and nearly bumped me off of it!

Fortunately someone grabbed hold of me and I didn't fall over the edge but phew! Talk about a close one. It was a real relief to get back down to the bottom of the mountain (walking, not falling!) and have an ice-cream.

Okay, I have to head off and find some more adventures to have - you know how it is! But have a great day!
- Cecil

News - ADRA and The Edge team up

ADRA teams up with The Edge to connect with youth
Warburton, Victoria

For a fourth time, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Australia has collaborated with The Edge to produce a special issue of the magazine.
“We do it to encourage the interest many young people have in the world around them. They have a lot of power in being a voice for the poor,” says Candice Jaques, communication coordinator for ADRA Australia. “This is about engaging them and getting them interested in helping others, both in their community and around the world.”
“Young people do want to make a difference,” agrees Record editor, Nathan Brown. “We hope this magazine will encourage that.”
The Edge is the South Pacific Division’s magazine for young people in Australia and New Zealand, published seven times per year as a supplement to Record. Look for the ADRA issue of The Edge in churches this week.—RECORD staff

More @ www.edgeonweb.org

News - Fire at Adventist school

Beulah College’s library, canteen and five classrooms were destroyed by fire on May 19.

Tongan school counts fire cost
Vaini, Tonga

A fire in the early hours of the morning of May 19 caused extensive damage to buildings at Tonga’s Beulah College but did not disrupt classes or exam preparation.
Believed to be caused by an electrical fault, the fire destroyed the college’s library, canteen and five classrooms, with damage estimated at $TOP400,000. With students away for Tonga’s Father’s Day holiday weekend, no students were injured by the fire at the boarding school.
“Through God’s ever-present leading and the support of a dedicated community of students, staff, parents, church members, ex-students and friends, students and staff have adjusted well during these difficult times,” reports college principal Mele Waqa Vaihola.
“At the moment, we are using the two science labs, home economics, computer and staff rooms for classrooms,” she says. “We are facing the problem of not having enough desks and chairs. We cater for that by seating four or five students per desk at the limited desks we still have. We are now using chairs from the nearby Adventist church, which are enough.
“One major problem is our library. With most of our student textbooks and teaching resources gone, we have no reading materials for the students,” says Ms Vaihola.
An architect has assessed the burnt buildings to determine whether they will need to be demolished or may be repaired and renovated.—Record staff

NewsShorts

> A former St George Rugby League player addressed students at Avondale High School, Cooranbong, NSW, on May 28 about the dangers of taking drugs. Darren Marton, the “Drugs: No way” campaign manager, spoke to students, staff and parents at an information session designed to tackle the increasingly dangerous issue of drug and alcohol abuse among teens. Mr Marton spoke of his own struggles with drug abuse, which culminated in the destruction of his promising football career. With recent statistics suggesting that up to 20 per cent of teens are using and abusing alcohol while 13 per cent live with alcohol abusers, it is an issue the community needs to tackle head on. All 480 Avondale students listened to Mr Marton’s powerful presentation, with a small handful of parents and community members also attending. Leighton Heise, Avondale school chaplain, said that although hoping for more community involvement “it highlights even further the drug culture in Australia, and how as families we tend to be apathetic about drug use, particularly alcohol in our communities.”—Braden Blyde

> “Jesus saves,” was the theme of a recent week-long spiritual program at Pacific Adventist University (PAU), which saw two students baptised and 50 others publicly dedicate their lives to Christ. After struggling with peer pressure and addictive substances, Neil Macdonald and David Kundi were both baptised during the program, which called on the students to recommit and consecrate their lives to God. PAU chaplain, Pastor Jeffrey Paul instigated the meetings after several recent incidents on campus.—Warren Marape

> Staff and students of Mountain View Adventist College, Sydney, NSW, volunteered their time to run a stall at the annual Blacktown Festival, held on June 2. Families from all over western Sydney were present, providing a good opportunity to present Adventist education to the local community. Hundreds of information packs were handed out as well as free balloons and face painting, done by student Revona Govender who finished in 2006, but came back to help promote the school. Marketing coordinator Fiona Lelilio was extremely thankful for the support of the MVAC staff and students. “Having an MVAC stand at the Blacktown Festival allowed us to get out in the community and show God’s love,” she says.—RECORD staff/ Fiona Lelilio

> Mountain View Adventist College (MVAC), Sydney, NSW, has begun its “Pray for 50” campaign in an effort to have 500 students enrolled by the end of the year. The school recently saw the need to build a new Middle school block, catering for students from Grades 5 to 8. Plans to further develop the college by building a much needed administration block after the Middle school building is completed at the end of July were planned but due to limitations in funds, the development cannot go ahead until 50 new students are enrolled at MVAC, and there are sufficient funds to continue the building project. The concept was envisioned by MVAC chaplain, Pastor Jean-Pierre Martinez, who is excited by the possibilities of God’s intervention.—Fiona Lelilio

> The Duke of Edinborough weekend camps have seen 19 Avondale School students (Cooranbong, NSW) experience the challenges of the Australian bush. Half the students ventured south to Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain on the last weekend in May, hiking through the rugged wilderness in rain, high wind and the occasional sunny period. The highlight of the weekend was walking to Marion’s lookout, although bad weather stopped them climbing to Cradle Mountain’s peak. The other 10 students spent the weekend riding through the Watagan Mountains, NSW, on pushbikes as part of their bronze-level award. They completed 65 km during the weekend, including steep climbs and rugged descents but students were blessed with no injuries or mechanical failures. Bill Ward, coordinator of the program, is already planning to make the trip an annual event for those going on to silver and gold levels of the award.—Braden Blyde

News - SAC students say thanks

SAC students visited Burwood police station to say thanks.

SAC students say thanks
Strathfield, New South Wales

Students from Sydney Adventist College (SAC) celebrated the National Day of Thanksgiving on May 25 by thanking others. The day began with students writing thankyou cards to staff members, family and friends during their roll-marking period.
On behalf of the college community, a group of students provided the staff of Burwood police station with morning tea.
“I was happy to see that our small gesture of gratitude to the police officers could make such a difference,” says SAC captain Jennifer Latu.
The students toured the police station and officers at Burwood Local Area Command presented the students with a certificate of appreciation in response.
“The annual National Day of Thanksgiving gives a wonderful opportunity to recognise those whom we may take for granted,” commented SAC chaplain Pastor Kevin Robinson.—Grace Rosales

News - Baptisms in Kiribati

Kiribati school baptises 107
Abemama, Kiribati

Kauma Adventist High School celebrated the baptism of 107 of its students during the past year.
“This is the most productive year in the history of Kaumu Adventist High School,” reports Pastor Tengon Taabuke, president of the Kiribati and Nauru Mission, who paid tribute to school staff members. “These baptisms came as a result of the work of school chaplain George Worru and all the staff of Kauma.”
According to Pastor Taabuke, the number of baptisms is more remarkable considering about 90 per cent of the high school students come from non-Adventist backgrounds. “Unfortunately, many of these young people go through persecution from their parents when they commit themselves to the church,” he says.
“Recently, I visited one of our church members on the island of Maiana and there I met one of the students I had baptised at Kauma High School. I asked her why she had missed the Sabbath worship service, and she shared with me the persecution she endures from her parents and relatives.”
Her parents don’t support her financially, explains Pastor Taabuke, so she has been unable to complete seventh form at Kauma. “But I believe these students will come to church when they leave home,” he says.
Kauma recently added Form 7 University of the South Pacific courses to its curriculum, making it easier for Kauma students to further their studies beyond high-school level.
Pastor Taabuke says that because of the support of the wider church, Kauma Adventist High School “is able to carry on the important task of caring for our young people, not only for this life but most importantly for the life to come.”—Pacific Waves

News - "Reading is giving"

Year 6 students at MVAC are aiming to read 300 books by September.

“Reading is giving” at MVAC
Doonside, New South Wales

Year 6 students at Mountain View Adventist College are helping others while they help themselves this year, by participating in Scholastic Book Clubs’ ClassroomsCare, a philanthropy-based literacy campaign designed to teach children about the joys and importance of reading and giving.
From April through to September, students in Maree Worker’s classroom and all across the country will read 100 books and, in turn, Scholastic Book Clubs, a division of Scholastic Australia, will donate 100 books to disadvantaged children.
The class of 34 students has set itself the goal of reading 300 books by September. More than 100 books have already been read.—RECORD staff/Maree Walker