ARTICLE

Baptism at School: CAA East Celebrates Growing Wave of Faith

November 27, 2025 | Chris Perrotte | OCN

A baptism is always a special occasion, but it is even more meaningful when young people choose to dedicate their lives to Christ. On Friday, November 7, 2025, four students — Marco, Sarai, Milaun, and Kingsley — from Crawford Adventist Academy (CAA) East Campus were baptised in front of their peers, family, and friends.

For Pastor Wallin O’Connor, one of the school’s chaplains, the celebration held particular significance. “This one is more special because it’s outside the church environment,” he reflected. “It’s in school, and these kids know each other. They’re witnessing to one another. They’ve observed the Week of Prayer, they interact with us as pastors, and we see how the Lord is leading them. In my humble opinion, it’s just a little more special. Here, our students aren’t all Adventist—so this becomes a powerful witnessing tool.”

Parents in attendance shared that sense of joy and pride, including Wayne Titus, Kingsley's father. Standing alongside his son in the baptismal pool, he had the honour of baptising him personally.

“I feel good about it. He’s been asking to get baptised since he was six. Every year he said, ‘I want to get baptised.’ Nothing was forced, nothing was pushed on him; it was a decision he made on his own. I’m very proud, I’m very happy,” Titus expressed.

Kingsley, now 11 years old, also shared the heartfelt reason behind his decision. “I want to give my life to Jesus and live with Him. I want to tell more people about Jesus, especially in places where they do not have access to the internet and other devices. As I get older, I will be able to tell more people about Him.”

The baptismal ceremony, held in the school gymnasium, opened with uplifting Praise & Worship led by the student group Ambassadors for Christ. Pastor Andrew Thomas conducted the baptismal vows, followed by the introduction of the candidates. Pastors Errol Lawrence and O’Connor then led the baptisms, each moment met with warm applause and quiet reverence.

Principal Judy Burgin-Hall explained that this wave of spiritual commitment began with the school’s decision to embrace the “Pentecost 2025” initiative. “Since we adopted that mission, nine students have been baptised,” she noted. “Having baptisms at the school has inspired other children to take the bold step of giving their lives to Christ.”

This service marked the fourth school baptism since the initiative began, with another planned for spring. For Burgin-Hall, witnessing students make such life-changing decisions is deeply humbling. “Sometimes you just want to cry because you know where some of these children have come from,” she said. She recalled one student who initially said he wanted baptism but not to become a Seventh-day Adventist. “He was a non-Adventist. He got baptised—and today he’s a member of one of our churches.”

“It’s a very humbling experience because I feel that being in an Adventist school, we often believe these kinds of things will simply happen, but they don’t. I think Pentecost 2025, it didn’t force us, but it opened our eyes to truly understand what the real essence of a Seventh-day Adventist school is,” shared Burgin-Hall.

Whether a child is witnessing a baptism or being baptised, it is an experience they will never forget. They will share that joy with their friends and family. They will become an example for others. That is why it is important for us to always be there for them.

“Pastor Thomas and I have the opportunity to minister here as volunteer chaplains at CAA – East, and I just want to encourage other pastors. I know our schedule is busy, but you need to take time out to invest in our schools and children because this is the result,” said Pastor O’Connor. “A lot of them will not come for our appeals in our sermons in our churches, but they will come and get baptised in front of their friends and serve as witnesses. Pastors, come and visit, for you never know the lives you will save; one day, it could be yours!”

Pastor Thomas echoed that message. “The ministry that takes place at a baptism is one that reaches beyond just the church. Many students are not Adventists or members of our churches. They see this, they hear it, and they witness their peers, and they want to be a part of it too. We want to encourage other pastors to see this not just as a school, but also as a ministry ground—fresh and renewed. New members come to this ground more than they come to our churches. It is important to invest in our children.”

As Proverbs 22:6 reminds us, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” When we invest in our children—guiding, nurturing, and walking beside them—we witness moments of profound faith like those shown by Marco, Sarai, Milaun, and Kingsley as they publicly dedicated their lives to the Lord.

Chris Perrotte
OCN Reporter