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Rawlins, Wyoming… “We have been trying to gain access to the Wyoming State Penitentiary in Rawlins for a number of years as part of the Adventist prison ministries. Eight to ten years as memory serves,” says Ted Williams, RMC coordinator of prison ministry.

Though working as a retired minister for Colorado’s Arkansas Valley and Lamar congregations, Ted is a passionate promoter of prison ministry. He has been engaged in this outreach in the Rocky Mountain Conference for 12 years.

“A Rawlins penitentiary inmate wrote many letters requesting a visit. Correspondence with the inmate begun a number of years ago and continues today. A litany of efforts brought us to stay in Rawlins for a week in early July 2019. We went to the prison asking for an appointment to meet with the chaplain there,” Ted shares what is a fascinating story of how God opens closed doors.

Several days latter he went to the prison for the appointment. “The conversation was cordial. Previously filed application forms were completed again, and we attended the required training with our first service held in that prison on September 21,2019,” he adds.

The inmate who wrote numerous letters was overjoyed. Several of his friends attended as well. Ted learned that a group of prisoners had been holding Sabbath services inside the prison on their own for several years. The original worship service time was granted for a monthly 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. Sabbath morning. There was no other time available and that slot of time was rather inconvenient for the Lorell and Carol Harold, church members from the Rawlins Seventh-day Adventist Church, who have volunteered to hold services in the prison one Sabbath a month.

“We talked and prayed about the situation. Not long after I was at the prison and met the chaplain, he asked if a Saturday afternoon from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m., would be acceptable for a service time, but no longer then meeting Saturday morning?”

“All I could say: WOW, what an answer to prayer,” Ted says.

The Wyoming State Penitentiary (pictured) is a historic, current, and frequently visited by tourists prison in Rawlins, Carbon County, Wyoming. It has operated from 1901, but was moved within Rawlins to a new location in 1981. In 2018, it is a Wyoming Department of Corrections state maximum-security prison for men.

There are two separate sections in the prison. The Adventist service is presently held in one section. Recently, the chaplain asked if the church would be willing to hold one more service in the other section. The details of that arrangement have just been satisfactorily concluded with coordinated meeting time schedules allowing for services in the two sections being conducted back to back on the same Sabbath.

“Now what we really need are more volunteers. We continue our prayers,” Ted Williams says, and asks church members elsewhere to join in prayer for more volunteers.

“Before we began services we supplied Adventist books for their library to allow the inmates access to materials in English and in Spanish. Among them are, Conflict of the Ages series, and additional multiple copies of Desire of Ages, Christ Object Lessons, Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, Ministry of Healing andSteps to Christ.

Ted Williams is fully convinced that “God has opened these prison doors in His own time. It is exciting to observe and participate in His provision.” He adds, “should church members and ministers inclined to be involved locally or from a distance we need all the prayer you can commit. If in your prayer time it seems clear to you that you would like to experience more involvement there are many opportunities available.”

—Ted Williams; photo by Rajmund Dabrowski

Denver, Colorado… Mile High Academy’s Kindergarten and 2^nd grade students teamed up with the Denver Inner City Parrish Food Bank to raise money for Thanksgiving meals. During the month of November, the two classes prepared and gave presentations to various school-wide morning meetings. A jar was placed in the front office with informative display signage, giving visitors and families an opportunity to donate loose change. The jar was also available at the school’s Annual Fall Festival. On Tuesday, Nov. 19, $198 was presented to Hunger Programs Coordinator Michael Bruno as a gift from Mile High Academy.

“In October, Mrs. Armendariz and I took our two classes to the food bank to donate the vegetables we had grown in our school garden,” said Jessica Gleason, Mile High Academy’s second grade teacher. “While we were there, the students were inspired to learn other, simple ways to help the Food Bank.”

While at the Food Bank, students decorated paper plates. These paper plates went home with the kids, challenging them to utilize the plates as a means for collecting extra change to donate to the Food Bank. Students also learned just how far the money can be stretched to help provide food for those that are hungry. Examples that were given include:

• $1 buys 10 cans of food
• $1 buys 4 meals
• $75 buys 4,000lbs of food

“I was surprised that $1 equals 4 meals,” said Aida Wentland, a 2^nd grade student at MHA.

“Watching our students work together as a team to help someone less fortunate was both humbling and inspiring,” said Gleason. “Our Mile High Academy team is always looking to find ways for our students to help those in the community, specifically those who may be less fortunate. And when we see even some of the smallest of students driven to help others, it shows that God is truly working hard on our campus.”

—Jocelyn Aalborg; photos supplied

Brighton, Colorado… The students of Brighton Adventist Academy witnessed and performed an appreciation event for their veterans, local heroes, on November 12. The event began with a gift, which the school had received – an extremely special flag that had been flown over our nation’s capital. To celebrate Veterans’ Day, the staff and students of Brighton Adventist Academy made a decision to fly the flag over their school for the first time.

Many local citizens were invited to attend. It included police officers, firefighters, city officials, and of course, veterans. There were several attendees whom the students knew but all the same they were pleased all came. Jodie Aakko, BAA principal, coordinated this event. She welcoming the guests, and presented a plaque explaining how the flag was received from our nation’s capital.

Bob Dunkin, the former BAA music teacher, played the song America the Beautiful on a trumpet. “My favorite highlight was when Mr. Dunkin played the trumpet. It was cool to see the teacher who taught me to play it,” said Angel Villalobos, grade ten BAA student. Tributes to the honored guests were then presented by the BAA Student Association officers .

The program continued with a BAA color guard team presenting the flag.  The color guard team included seven BAA students from the Greeley Frontiers Pathfinder Club and the Stallions Pathfinder Club.

It was a moment to remember. As the flag was raised, the BAA Student Association president, Angel Villalobos, played the national anthem on the trumpet. The congregation stood and recited the Pledge of Allegiance.

The preschool students presented posters to police officers and firefighters, in conjunction with their social studies unit. The veterans, firefighters, police officers, and city officials were presented with small gifts of appreciation. The program ended with a prayer, and the student body thanking their guests for their service.

“I liked the flag raising because I got to see lots of people I knew and I learned new things about the veterans,” said Olivia Evans, grade four BAA student.

“There were a bunch of cops and firefighters. I was surprised that they brought their fire trucks and police vehicles. I also liked when Mr. Dunkin played the trumpet. It made me feel inspired,” commented Tommy Thompson, grade eight BAA student.

–Brianna Bell and Lexi Contreras, grade ten BAA students; photos by Jodie Aakko

Erie, Colorado… Vista Ridge Academy students and staff gave a special presentation for local Veterans on November 11. To start the program, students of our local Pathfinders groups presented the flag as the audience sang our National Anthem. Next, students from the Early Childhood program led out in the Pledge of Allegiance. The First through Fourth Grade classes presented a short skit highlighting how we can appreciate the Veterans on Veterans Day.

Principal, Sandy Hodgson, interviewed special guest and former Vista Ridge Academy student, SSgt Jami DeVries from the 140^th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. DeVries was named USO National Guardsman of the Year, and told us she has to give 100% every day in her work and encouraged students to do the same.

Pat Koh, the music and Spanish teacher, spoke about her father serving in the military as a US Army combat medic in the Korean Conflict from 1952-1954. Koh shared if her father were with us he would want everyone to follow and serve God. To conclude the presentation, Hodgson, prayed for a special blessing on the Veterans attending.

Following the presentation, students and Veterans enjoyed a reception in the cafeteria. Students were able to meet the Veterans, and in turn Veterans were able to share about their experiences.

—Marsha Bartulec, text and photos

Katmandu, Nepal… A Global Health Initiatives team was honored to meet with Colorado Governor, Jared Polis, as well as US Ambassador to Nepal, Randy Berry, also a Colorado native. The meeting with Governor Polis was a social event organized, November 8, at the U.S. ambassador’s residence to present a new exhibit of American artworks from Colorado, sponsored by the U.S. State Department. Polis was with a small group of business people from Colorado on a trade mission to India and Nepal.

The Centura GHI team on a trip, November 6-18, from the Adventist Hospitals, included several members of the Denver and Front Range area Seventh-day Adventist churches.

Among them were Dr. Dave and Sandy Watson, members of the Newday Adventist Church, Sissel Jacobs, Lynda Kithil, and Greg Hodgson, members of the Boulder Adventist Church, as well as Dr. and Mrs. Dorr from Littleton Adventist Hospital. The Centura Health trip was to provide free surgeries to vulnerable women and training for local providers to decrease maternal and child mortality in Nepal.

“The Governor and Ambassador confirmed their support for GHI’s partner hospital in Nepal, Scheer Memorial Adventist Hospital, and the support that Centura Health has given to Scheer over many years,” Greg Hodgson, director of Global Health Initiatives, Centura Health, reported from Katmandu.

—Kim Kennedy with Greg Hodgson; photo by Sandy Watson

Loveland, Colorado… A Campion Academy week of prayer is always special. The 2019 program of the week was no different. It featured Benji Maxson, a former chaplain at Campion, who is currently pastoring in California, was the speaker for the week, October 28-November 1.

Commenting on the experience, Ireland Anthony reflected, that “this week of prayer was amazing. At first, I did not want to go, but the first time I heard the speaker, it made me want to stay for the entire week. I wasn’t at the best state with God at the moment, but when I was listening I could feel God’s presence surrounding the space.”

Maxson started off the first night with a relatable story about one of his first experiences as a pastor and how we all have different testimonies of how God has worked in our lives. Maxson held the student’s attention with his unique sense of humor. Student chaplains Madi Jordan and Nolan Eickmann also introduced the idea of giving up something for the week. Some chose to restrain from using social media or listening to secular music and were encouraged to use the extra time to commune with God through prayer and reading the Bible.

Each week of prayer comes with a theme song. This week of prayer’s song was “Who You Say I Am” by Hillsong. The song had an overall theme of believing in who you are in the eyes of God. This theme was also carried on into the talks given by Maxson. Each night Maxson introduced a new story in the book of Mark and told an entertaining personal story to go along with it.

Being at Campion again, Maxson related to many of the events on campus and had many stories to tell. Kendra Eickmann shared, “I liked how the speaker kept everyone’s attention by telling funny stories. The speaker was also able to connect his stories to life lessons taught by Jesus.”

The end of the week of prayer was closed with Vespers Deluxe, which is a special monthly Friday evening worship that is open to the community and includes an afterglow of doughnuts and praise time.

The year’s week had a very strong spiritual impact on the students. At the end of the last talk, Maxson made an altar call for students to accept Christ for the first time or rededicate their lives to Christ and more than half the student body went up forward.

—Megan Michalenko, Student Editor, This Week at Campion; photos supplied

Greeley, Colorado… How do you serve God? The answer: one day and one person at a time. Ralph Darrough was honored on Sabbath, October 26 at the Greeley Adventist Church for living his life this very way – every day. Ralph was honored for his many years of service to his country and to his church. A medic in the Korean War, he later served in several Conferences as a pastor and educator, and most recently as treasurer for Adventist Christian School.

During a church service Ralph Darrough was honored by two principals, Jerry Groeneweg and Jodi Aako, who have worked with Mr. Darrough, as well as by aformer student and later a pastor Rex Bell. ACS Board chair, Dr. Jerry Powell, Greeley church pastor, Jason Logan, and RMC Superintendent Lonnie Hetterle also paid tribute to Darrough and presented him a commemorative plaque at the end of the service. The Adventist Christian School gymnasium was also renamed the “Ralph Darrough Auditorium.”

“Many lives have been touched by Ralph and his wife Lois Waters,” reported Jerry Powell from the Greeley church. It was “selfless dedication to God and country,” that stood out in many years of serving the church.

—Jerry Powell, text and photos

Lincoln, Nebraska… Campion Academy and Mile High Academy are long-standing sports rivals, but at the recent Union College soccer and volleyball tournament, they decided to support each other’s teams.

Before the tournament, Campion volleyball coach Kelsey Cate encouraged her team to cheer on their sister school when they could. Ashley Halvorson, a senior volleyball player at Campion, then made a sign that read “Colorado Proud” so that the volleyball team could cheer on Mile High when they didn’t have a game. This led to both schools showing up to each other’s games to hold up the sign to cheer each other on and give high fives and hugs after the game.

Delanie Kamarad, a senior captain on the Campion volleyball team, reflected, “It felt empowering to cheer on Mile High. Not only did it make us feel good about ourselves, but I think that people on their team paid attention. One of the moms of the players came up to us afterwards and said, ‘Thank you so much. We really appreciate you guys and this means a lot to us.’”

Diane Harris, RMC associate superintendent of education, and a parent of a Mile High volleyball player, commented, that “our MHA girls were disappointed when they lost to Forest Lake and the CA girls were quick to encourage and pray with the team when the game was over. Also, the CA boy’s soccer team were our cheerleaders since both MHA soccer and volleyball teams were scheduled at the same time. They were louder and more positive than any other school!  Everyone played so well and I was proud of the character and CHERISH team spirit I saw in both our schools.”

—Ashley Herber, Student Editor at Campion Academy; photos by Union College (sign) and Diane Harris