Photos: adventist.ua
ADRA Ukraine launches a program to support children affected by conflict
Kyiv, Ukraine
The Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Ukraine, the humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, launched ADRA Kids.
This new initiative is designed to support children whose families have been directly impacted by the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict. Since the start of the full-scale invasion, thousands of Ukrainian children have faced the loss of loved ones, displacement, financial struggles, and trauma. ADRA Ukraine notes that without timely support, many children risk developing serious long-term psychological consequences.
ADRA Kids is designed for children aged 6 to 14, including the children of veterans, fallen soldiers, missing persons, and prisoners of war; children from displaced families; those who have experienced hostilities or traumatic events; and kids who have suffered injuries.
According to ADRA Ukraine, the project’s mission is to provide both immediate and ongoing support—from material assistance to psychological rehabilitation. Plans include opportunities for children to participate in extracurricular activities, receive professional psychological counseling (both online and at ADRA centers), and attend rehabilitation camps and sanitariums.
The initiative’s long-term goal is to reach 100,000 children across Ukraine, helping them regain emotional stability, build resilience, and experience a renewed sense of childhood.
ADRA Ukraine has been working with children since 2014, when the conflict first escalated in the east of the country. Over the years, more than 50,000 gifts have been distributed, and 22,000 children 6 to 18 years old have received psychological support through various ADRA projects.
ADRA Kids builds on this experience by expanding the scope of care and focusing on children most affected by the current war. [ADRA Ukraine and ANN]
Church and regional leaders get ready to cut the ceremonial ribbon. Photo: West Thailand Region
New center of influence aims to support communities affected by poverty and displacement
Nong Luang, Thailand
Nearly 600 church members, leaders, and villagers gathered on September 6, 2025, to witness the inauguration of the West Thailand Region Center of Influence in Nong Luang, Mae Ramat District. The new facility, located on 2.4 acres of land, is envisioned as a central hub for mission, training, and fellowship among Adventist communities in western Thailand.
“Today, as we dedicate this building, we remember that it is more than just walls and a roof,” said Michael Worker, general manager of Adsafe for the South Pacific Division. “This is a center of influence—a place where men, women, youth, and children will come to learn more about Jesus. Here, hearts will be inspired, and lives will be empowered to share their faith. The true measure of this center is not how long the building will stand but the lives that are built within it.”
The West Thailand Region, an Adventist organization situated near the borders of Thailand and Myanmar, has long been a place of mission service in a challenging territory. The area is home to families and communities displaced by conflict, many of whom continue to face poverty and hardship. The new center of influence aims to provide hope, education, and practical support to refugees in the area, reflecting Christ’s compassion in action.
The West Thailand Region Center of Influence features a training center, cafeteria, and two dormitories, all designed to accommodate workers, students, and leaders for seminars, leadership development, and community programs. With few ordained pastors in the region, church workers have faithfully served for many years, and leaders believe this facility will empower them to take the next steps in ministry.
“Even though it is just the training center for now, it feels as if the regional headquarters is becoming a reality,” said Pastor Kanu Boon, executive secretary of the Adventist Church in the West Thailand Region.
Pastor Worker encouraged members to use the center as a launching point to reach the unreached with the gospel message, both in western Thailand and across the nearby Myanmar border.
As a central location for Adventist work in the region, the West Thailand Region Center of Influence will serve not only as a training facility but also as a beacon of hope and faith for surrounding communities. Leaders pray that the center will nurture disciples, empower workers, and inspire young people to take up the mission of sharing Jesus until His return. [Kanu Boon, West Thailand Region]
Wemylle Alves, Seventh-day Adventist teacher in Brazil. Photo: Kimberly Agosto/Andrews University
Court upholds religious freedom for Adventist teacher in Brazil
Patrocínio, Minas Gerais, Brazil
A court decision in the city of Patrocínio, Minas Gerais, Brazil, has upheld the religious freedom of a Seventh-day Adventist teacher, ruling against salary deductions imposed for her absence from Saturday activities.
Teacher Wemylle Alves, who works at Tereza de Castro Mariano State School and Serra do Salitre State School in the city of Serra do Salitre, had faced salary deductions after her requests to make up classes on days other than Saturday were denied. For Seventh-day Adventists, Saturday is observed as the biblical Sabbath, a day of rest and worship.
After experiencing repeated losses, Alves sought support from the Adventist Church’s legal department, which filed a lawsuit on her behalf.
“We are always willing to guide and help our members in situations like this,” said Daniel Aragão, the church’s lawyer for the central region of Minas Gerais. “We have the justice system on our side and will always seek it to assert the right to religious freedom when necessary.”
The presiding judge granted an injunction, recognizing that the school administration’s actions violated the freedom of belief guaranteed under Article 5, Section VIII, of Brazil’s Federal Constitution and conflicted with jurisprudence established by the Supreme Federal Court.
In his ruling, the judge noted that “the teacher was not even offered any alternative services, which aggravated the violation of her rights.” The Department of Education has been ordered to present, within 10 days, a schedule of complementary or supplementary activities to ensure that Alves can continue teaching without incurring a financial penalty.
For Alves, the ruling brought both relief and gratitude.
“At first, it was difficult. I felt wronged and even discouraged at times, as I was just trying to balance work with my faith. But today I feel enormous relief and immense gratitude for having this right respected. The court’s decision confirms to me that God cares for those who remain steadfast in their faith,” she said.
The ruling restored Alves’s rights and, according to church leaders, reinforces constitutional protections for religious freedom in Minas Gerais. [Jackeline Farah, South American Division, and ANN]
