Adventist young people in Inter-America engage in Global Youth Day
Young people in Monterrey, Mexico, talked and shared pizza with those living in the street by a main bus terminal during the Global Youth Day activities throughout the North Mexican region. Image by Daniel Gallardo/IAD
March 22, 2015 | Montemorelos, Nuevo Leon, Mexico | Libna Stevens/IAD
Program presenters from (L to R): Daniel Ortiz, Martha Plasencia, Reyshel Johnson, Juan Antonio Vite, host the Global Youth Day live program from Montemorelos University in North Mexico, Mar. 21, 2015. Image by Daniel Gallardo/IAD.
Thousands of Seventh-day Adventist young people in Inter-America engaged in a day of spreading kindness and hope in their communities and cities during the Global Youth Day initiative held on Mar. 21, 2015.
Sponsored by the Adventist world church’s youth ministries department, the Global Youth Day annual event motivates young people around the world to “be the sermon” as they show the love of Jesus in their communities. The event featured a 24-hour broadcast on Hope Church Channel showing the activities held around the world.
Students gathered at Montemorelos University in North Mexico, the hub of the two-hour live program for Inter-America, to share how they were the sermon and witness what had taken place across the territory during the day via live feeds and through video reports.
In the nearby city of Monterrey, scores of young people hit the streets and parks to share food, water, and clothing with those in need.
Louise Nocandy(right), associate youth ministries director for the church in Inter-America, helps a homeless person button his new shirt. Young people distributed clothes and blankets in Monterrey. Image by Daniel Gallardo/IAD
One group of young people sought the homeless at one bus terminal, to help them clean up and keep warm. The youth prayed for them and ate pizza together with them.
Other young people went into a supermarket and paid for one couple’s grocery bill as they went through the register.
“This is what being the sermon means, being practical Christians reaching out to those less fortunate, spending time with them and showing that we care,” said Pastor Abner De Los Santos, vice president of the church in Inter-America and main organizer of the event. “It’s a lifestyle change being the sermon.”
Pastor De Los Santos prayed with a dozen homeless there who were grateful for the gesture.
Carmen Santiago was happy to be part of Global Youth Day this year to spend time talking, eating and praying with the homeless. Image by Daniel Gallardo/IAD
Carmen Santiago, a third-year medical student at the University of Nuevo Leon (Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon), was joined by other university students. She was delighted to sit on the floor and eat pizza with several of the homeless there.
As a youth leader in her church and first time participant in the Global Youth Day, Santiago was inspired to take part in the special community outreach with fellow Adventist young people.
“It has been an amazing experience to be part of touching the lives of others,” said Santiago. “It’s important as young people that we get involved in the work of God, not only in our churches, listening and learning about God, but sharing the message of hope in an active way,” added Santiago.
Santiago plans to engage the group of 18 young people in her church in identifying projects in their community and seek out people who live on the street.
Montemorelos University students help offer free haircuts during the GYD activities. Image by Daniel Gallardo/IAD
In Montemorelos University, one of 14 universities across the Inter-American Division, hundreds of students and faculty went to neighboring communities in the city of Montemorelos to “Be the Sermon” by holding health brigades, visiting orphanages, singing for the sick in hospitals, offering free haircuts, marching through the neighboring streets, sharing balloons, praying for passersby and spread joy.
University students also spoke to middle schoolers and encouraged them to stay in school, motivate them to dream big and reach their goals. Others spoke to high school students about recycling and protecting the environment.
In the Atlantic Caribbean region, which is comprised of The Bahamas, Cayman Islands and Turks and Caicos, young people provided lunch for police officers, gave out soup and loaves of bread, held prayer walks, released balloons in communities, and held youth rallies.
Young people of the Hillview Seventh-day Adventist Church in south Bahamas visited homes, wrote prayer requests on balloons and prayed for residents during Global Youth Day. Image by John Garcia
In the Dominican Union, young people marched through the streets, prayed for onlookers, held concerts at parks and held a special program for some 200 needy people to give away food, share music and hold health seminars.
Food baskets were distributed all throughout the Inter-Oceanic Mexican region, while health fairs, and prayer sessions in different spots throughout cities and communities were held.
Young people in south Colombia provided food and items for underage children in correctional facilities, held puppet performances for children in hospitals, and played games in needy communities.
In Panama, young people gave free hugs and massages to promote happiness and rest during the Sabbath, donated blood, helped carry groceries for supermarket shoppers, and distributed food baskets and school supplies.
Pastor Abner De Los Santos prayers for the couple whose grocery bill was paid by the young people of Monterrey. Image by Daniel Gallardo/IAD
Puerto Rico saw hundred of young people skipping church to feed the less fortunate, visited the sick in homes, and held signs at different locations to pray for people’s problems.
In west Venezuela, young people prayed for drivers at traffic lights, marched through the streets with messages of hope and distributed literature.
Elsewhere in Inter-America, scores of young people marched for health awareness, shared hope, prayed in hospitals and nursing homes, held concerts in parks and public areas, distributed literature and more.
With some 1.5 million young people throughout the church in Inter-America, youth ministries leaders are seeing a renewed inspiration as the annual event was held for the third time.
Young people wait their turn to share how there were the sermon during the Global Youth day activities. Image by Daniel Gallardo/IAD
“We are very happy to see that the young people in Inter-America are a powerful generation involved in God’s Word, following God’s path especially during this Global Youth Day,” said Louise Nocandy, associate ministries director for the church in Inter-America. “It’s not about talking about being the sermon, it’s about living, about showing, about touching the lives of others who need God’s love.”
To view photos of the Global Youth Day in North Mexico, click HERE
To view video report, click HERE
View Inter-America’s Global Youth Day 2-hour broadcast
English: https://youtu.be/J94XQb3Xqtg
Spanish: https://youtu.be/lbax8K89x7o