Adventist leaders often lament the impact extensive travel and days of meetings have on their health. So it’s good to see attendees at the General Conference Session hitting the pavement early every morning and getting their steps in.
“When you’re standing in a windowless exhibit hall all day, it’s nice to get outdoors for a walk or run—even if it is just around the city block,” said Julie Lee, vice president for marketing for Maranatha Volunteers International. “It also offers a bit of quiet from what can sometimes feel and sound like chaos.”
Runners and walkers are taking advantage of the downtown vicinity to get up at sunrise and explore North America’s smallest national park, the Gateway Arch National Park in St Louis, Missouri. The park features tree-lined avenues, a small artificial lake, lush lawns, and, of course, a giant metallic arch towering over the park.
“This park is so beautiful and very fresh,” said Soo Myung Nam, president of the Korean Publishing House, who walks with his wife every morning. “Especially the Arch is a unique and wonderful construction.”
For many of those who are active in the mornings, health is an important factor.
“Remember, when we stop moving, we start dying,” said Elly S Abejero, from the Central Philippine Union Conference, who was out exercising with his wife, Caryl. “One of the reasons [to exercise] is that we need to preserve our body, and we need to become healthy.”
Dr Paul Amo Kyeremeh, West-Central Africa Division Health Ministry director, agrees.
“The more we sit, the more we accumulate fat in the body. When we exercise, it helps us burn fat, so that there will be enough circulation within the body for us to do well.”
Dr Kyeremeh said delegates are eating a lot at these events, so exercise is essential. “I encourage each one of us to practice the Adventist health message. Exercise and nutrition are very, very important.”
It would be easy to excuse someone for sleeping in and losing their routine. The nights are often late, and the days are long. But as Chris Chakovan, an Australian helping delegates with their IT needs, said: “It’s got to be done.”
“It’s easy to get lazy. We’re on opposite time zones, but if you give up in one aspect, you give up in all aspects,” he said. “I want to be my best, and that means doing the things I’m already doing.”
Wilson George Sekaggo, a delegate from Tanzania, said, “I do exercise, because this is my daily activity. [It] makes your body fresh and your mind clear.”
Not just the delegates are taking advantage of the opportunity to exercise.
“We like to exercise,” said Sabaya Sando, visiting from Florida, US. “We want to make sure we start the day right. Anytime we have an environment that is natural and promotes God’s creation like we have here at the Arch, we like to go out and enjoy God’s creation.”
While the business taking place in St Louis is important, those involved are still taking time to appreciate God’s providence.
“God has granted everything, all the blessings for us to enjoy in this world, and health is more important for us to maintain,” said S Rajasekar, principal of the Seventh-day Adventist Matriculation Higher Secondary School in Tamil Nadu, India.
