In Inter-America, Adventist youth take on Global Youth Day to serve in their communities
Pastor Al Powell, youth ministries director for the church in Inter-America speaks to young people during the live Global Youth Day transmission from the IAD Headquarters Office in Miami, Florida, on Mar. 19, 2016. Image by Magda Salinas/IAD
March 21, 2016 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens/IAD
Thousands of Seventh-day Adventist young people from across Inter-America went into their communities and cities to spread kindness, compassion and hope on Mar. 19, 2016, as millions more young people around the world church celebrated the annual Global Youth Day.
Youth in Chiapas, Mexico carry food boxes to needy communities. Image from Facebook
Global Youth Day is sponsored by the General Conference’s youth ministries department and motivates young people to get out of their comfort zones and “Be the Sermon” by showing the love of Jesus in their communities. Global Youth Day activities around the world were featured during a 24-hour live transmission on the Hope Church Channel from right after midnight on Mar. 18.
Young people throughout Inter-America’s 24 major church regions distributed meals and clothing, visited hospitals and nursing homes, donated blood, prayed for people in main streets and parks, provided for the homeless, visited shut-ins, marched for health, offered free medical check-ups, donated blood, sang and prayed in public areas, held musical concerts, offered free hugs, gave away water bottles, cleaned out parks, and much more.
Young people from Breath of Life Church in Nassau, Bahamas hold up a sign for free hot soup for community members and passers by on Global Youth Day, Mar. 19, 2016. Image by John Garcia/IAD
Dozens of activities were highlighted during the two-hour live transmission held from the Inter-American Division office in Miami, Florida, in the evening.
In North Mexico, young people went into the streets of Monterrey, looking to feed and dress the homeless. Young people spotted a man named Carlitos in his 40s, who roams the city streets every day looking to drink his sorrows away. Carlitos agreed to spend a few hours with the young people where he was taken to get a shower, went to a barber shop for a haircut and a clean shave, was dressed with new clothes and sat with the young people to eat pizza. Carlitos was later taken to the Las Lomas Adventist Church in Monterrey, where he spoke about his experience and was prayed for.
“When I woke up today I thought my day was going to be one of drunkenness, but you came to me and gave me new clothes and food,” said Carlitos. Carlitos was given toiletries, a blanket and more food to take with him.
Before and after photos of Carlitos, who lives in the streets of Monterrey, who was offered a shower, haircut, new clothes, food, and invited to church where he spoke about his day and was prayed for by young people. Image by Northeast Mexican Conference.
Caring for others is what Global Youth Day is all about, says Pastor Al Powell, youth ministries director for the church in Inter-America, “It’s about touching the lives of people within the community.”
Powell, who oversees more than 1.5 million youth in the 24 major church regions in Inter-America, says he was excited to see all that took place during the day across the territory last weekend. Powell hosted the live program from Miami with a dozen young people from the Caribbean who spoke about their outreach experiences and sang.
“Our young people are able to do so much for their friends and community that as a church we should provide more opportunities for them to witness and daily practice sharing the love of Jesus,” said Powell. “This is not just about ‘being the sermon’ on Global Youth Day but also practicing different ways and methods of witnessing what Christ has done for them.”
In the Central, Southeast, Inter-Oceanic and Chiapas regions of Mexico, more food was distributed in the streets, hospitals, and nursing homes. Free health screenings were provided in community centers and parks and the disabled and those with special needs were prayed for and ministered to, among other activities.
Adventist young people in Medellin, Colombia, hold up a sign saying “We pray for your studies” on Mar. 19, 2016. Image by Giovanny Ramirez/IAD
Similarly, in Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia and Venezuela, young people distributed clothes and food, prayed for people in the streets and in homes. Care and support was offered in drug rehab centers in Bogota, Colombia and prayers were offered for students and their classes in Medellin, Colombia.
The youth in Jamaica also visited needy communities and shut-ins with food, toiletry bags, clothes and offered prayers.
In Cuba, scores of young people wore ribbons saying “Jesus Loves You” while they offered health expos in public parks, distributed food to the homeless in the streets and cleaned up community parks.
For Louise Nocandy, associate director for youth ministries in Inter-America, seeing the young people serve their communities brings her great joy. For more than six years, she has traveled all over Inter-America and has seen how committed young people are to being Jesus’ hands and feet, and not only on Global Youth Day.
A girl holds a poster which reads “God loves You” in a large market place in Guatemala City, Guatemala, on Mar. 19, 2016. Image from Facebook.
“This generation of young people has a global vision,” says Nocandy. “They don’t want to stay by themselves, they don’t live with the idea that they belong to just a local church, they want to belong to a big world movement, so Global Youth Day provides that great opportunity for them.”
Yet Nocandy dreams of seeing young people reaching all groups of people, not just those with physical needs.
“We need to consider every population, every group, and have a larger vision to involve not the physical needs but the psychological needs,” says Nocandy. “It’s so good that we provide food, bring joy to those in need but we need to think about reaching the higher levels of society—the rich. They have problems with broken relationships at home, struggling with a son or a daughter who has left, so what message can our young people bring them? What spiritual food can sustain their needs and bring joy into their lives?”
Inter-American Division (IAD) youth leaders are very happy Global Youth Day this year was part of launching the week of prayer across the territory where young people can recommit their lives to God and continue serving in their communities throughout the year.
To view a photo gallery of the IAD’s Global Youth Day live transmission, click HERE