For the first time in more than three years, the North American Division Family Ministries held an in-person Family Ministries Advisory Committee at their offices in Columbia, Maryland, April 18-19, 2022. In addition to reports and brainstorming sessions, two leaders from the Atlantic Union received Lifetime Achievement Awards for their work in Family Ministries—Dionisio Olivo and Samuel Peguero.
NAD Family Ministries director Claudio Consuegra and associate director Pam Consuegra presented the awards that were delayed due to COVID-19 restrictions. “It was an honor to make this long overdue presentation,” they said in a statement.
Dionisio Olivo is the vice president for Hispanic and Portuguese Ministries for the Atlantic Union Conference and serves as director for Family Ministries, Sabbath School, Adventist Chaplaincy Ministries, and Medical Cadet Corps. Samuel Peguero serves as the Greater New York Conference Family Ministries director. Both were recognized for their service with a special award featuring inukshuk formations. The word inukshuk means “to act in the capacity as a human.” According to historians, inukshuk formations hold great symbolism for the indigenous people of Canada, Alaska, and Greenland and were used for various purposes. On occasion, the Inuit would construct inukshuk formations along the shoreline to point the wayward traveler back home. If lost, one would only need to look for this familiar figure and follow the direction it was pointing.
The Consuegras recognized Olivio’s and Peguero’s work serving in their posts while positively and faithfully impacting families. “We recognize Drs. Olivo and Peguero’s years of dedicated ministry and the positive impact of their lives and ministry.” They added, “Just as the inukshuk point wayward travelers back home, [their] ministry has made a positive difference to families here on this earth, as well as pointing them toward their eternal home in heaven.”
North American Division Family Ministries and Atlantic Union Conference communication
