VENEZUELA
AMOUR
LOVE
ID LÍNGUA
Speaking a New Language of Love
S Ricky Oliveras, Office of Adventist Mission
14
omething new and exciting was happening on campus at the Adventist University Institute of Venezuela! Students and faculty from the theology department wanted to do something to have a lasting impact on the people around them. So, in 2016, they opened the Center of Languages, giving university students access to learning English, Portuguese, and French. Language skills were in high demand! “I had the privilege of seeing the birth of the Center of Languages and organizing the curricular contents of the courses that were taught,” recalled former coordinator Jane Mendes. “It was a great challenge, but with the support of my team of
teachers, we were able to advance in fulfilling the mission.” This urban center of influence has since evolved and now opens its doors to the entire city community, many of whom are not familiar with the Adventist message. Antony Vera, the current coordinator, spent a year teaching English at the center before accepting the responsibility of its leadership. “In 2019, we received a lot of students that weren’t believers,” he said. “So we created some strategies for reaching them and sharing the gospel with them.” The courses include devotionals and spiritual discussions that have piqued the interest of some students.
