M YA N M A R / T H A I L A N D
In It for the Long Hall
HONORING THE CHURCH’S LONGEST SERVING, OLDEST ACTIVE VOLUNTEER
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ach year, hundreds of Adventist young people step away from their studies or work to volunteer full time, for up to two years, around the world through the church’s Adventist Volunteer Service (AVS) program. Among them, Helen Margaret Hall is unique. She is both the longest serving and oldest active AVS missionary for the Adventist Church. Helen, who turned 80 on February 16, has served for 36 years as an AVS missionary on the Myanmar-Thailand border. During a leadership conference in Bangkok, Thailand, in January
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2018, Helen was recognized for these milestones by leaders from two Adventist Church divisions and from the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. Kevin Costello, AVS director for the Southern Asia-Pacific Division (SSD), commended Helen for her service both to the Karen people in Myanmar and in the Mae La refugee camp in Thailand. Helen was awarded special plaques from her home division by Glenn Townend, president of the South Pacific Division; her current division by Samuel Saw,
president of SSD; and the General Conference Adventist Volunteer Service department by vice president Ella Simmons on behalf of director John Thomas. Helen’s service includes years as an educator in four countries. A native of Australia, she first worked as a teacher and women’s dean at Kabiufa Adventist College (now Kabiufa Adventist Secondary School) in Papua New Guinea. She returned to Australia and served for 22 years in the Victorian Conference. During a bus trip from Nepal to London, England, Helen saw
