This Month's Issue

Story by Ricardo Bacchus

Eight-year-old José Martínez didn’t know what to do or who to turn to. His mom abused him verbally and physically, frequently saying, “Why didn’t I get an abortion?” His brother bullied him. His sister ignored him. His stepdad, an alcoholic and drug addict, deserted him. Martínez longed to be wanted; he felt abandoned instead.

One day in his hometown of San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico, Martínez saw his brother and cousin smoking weed. Wanting an escape from the reality of life, he tried it and was instantly hooked. Finally, I found something that makes me feel whole, he thought.

Story by Cynthia Mendoza

Though she never considered herself an artist, Adrienne Rowe-Saulsbury has firmly established herself as one through her “Bible Page” art. Just as the description implies, Rowe-Saulsbury, a fourth-grade teacher at Allegheny West Conference’s Columbus Adventist Academy (Ohio), draws on Bible pages using colored pens and pencils to creatively worship and connect with God.

The Columbia Union Conference is gearing up for #relentless2022, the union's August 10-14, 2022 camporee (Register at cucamporee.com). And we started thinking about our favorite past camporees. Which are yours?

"[God] used art to help me to move forward, He used art to do something new in me ... And I think one of the reasons I love art and I have loved my journey is because it allows us to go back to it childlike place, when we think about worshiping God, and we think about getting in a space with God," says Regina Johnson.

Story by Cynthia Mendoza