Angela Baerg – Collegedale, Tennessee … Diego Luna, member of the Denver South Seventh-day Adventist Church, had never attended an Adventist school before college. When his mother urged him to apply to an Adventist university, though, he was shocked when every door along the way opened, making it possible for him to attend Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee.
Now in his junior year as an accounting major, Luna appreciates the community of faith he’s found on campus. “It’s the perfect place for me,” he says. “It offers a safe haven for students who are following Christ. I’m overjoyed to be here.”
One of Luna’s favorite aspects of campus life at an Adventist university is the deep sense of spiritual fellowship he discovered through a small faith community. Initially hesitant to join, he accepted a friend’s invitation to attend a group focused on the Book of Isaiah and the theme of salvation—complete with a hot meal together each week. Luna soon found himself looking forward to their Tuesday meetings.
“This is fellowship,” Luna remarked. “I think this is probably what it felt like in the early church. We shared spiritual fulfillment, learning, and laughter. It felt so right, as if it were divinely ordained. I’ve started carrying my Bible around more, opening it and reading it more often. It inspires and breathes life into you.”
When looking to find summer employment, Luna’s mother suggested applying for a position with the Rocky Mountain Conference (RMC) Summer Camp program at Glacier View Ranch in Ward, Colorado. Unsure of his direction, Luna joined his parents in prayer over the phone to seek guidance. Less than 20 seconds after hanging up, an email arrived accepting him to work at the camp.
The experience proved to be a meaningful one as Luna was inspired by both the leaders and the children that he met at RMC’s Summer Camp. He was especially impacted during a special session for children who have lost family members. The camp offered healing through a combination of therapy and immersion into nature. The week started out challenging as one child acted out in anger. However, as the week progressed, the group bonded through their time in nature, shared prayers, and personal stories. By the end of the week, every child in Luna’s group had requested baptism.
“I really wanted to be there for those children, and I was very grateful that God used me in that way,” Luna says. “I was so happy that I could help provide a safe haven for their faith just like the one I found for mine at Southern.”
—Angela Baerg is a Southern Adventist University alumna and a freelance writer for Southern Adventist University’s Columns Magazine. Photo supplied.
