In Inter-America, Young People Share Hope, Food and Water During Global Youth Day
A group from the Grants Town Adventist Church in Nassau, take to the community to deliver bags of food and water to some 220 homes. Image by Libna Stevens/IAD
March 22, 2018 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens/IAD
From left to right: Barry Shane Saunders, Savonne Sherman of Nassau and Pastor Al Powell of the IAD during the Global Youth Day program held from Nassau, Bahamas, Mar. 17, 2018, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Image by Abel Márquez.
For the fifth year in a row, thousands of Seventh-day Adventist young people from across Inter-America skipped church to show the love of Jesus in their communities. The annual event coined as Global Youth Day encourages Adventist youth around the world to “Be the Sermon” in their cities and communities as they engage in spreading compassion and hope through acts of kindness.
This year’s focus was on providing food and water to those in need. Young people across the Inter-American Division (IAD) territory took to the streets to share food, donate blood, visit hospitals and nursing homes, plant trees, offer prayers in public areas, distribute clothes and literature and much more.
The annual event, held Mar. 17, 2018, featured a 24-hour live broadcast on Hope Church Channel and carried on globalyouthday.org showing the activities held around the world.
“I’m so overwhelmed to see what God has been doing in the lives of the young people and how He’s using them in amazing ways during this Global Youth Day,” said Pastor Al Powell, youth ministries director for the church in Inter-America, who oversees more than 1.5 million young people throughout the territory.
Young people provide haircuts, free dental care and distribute food in Guatemala.
Young people gathered at the Atlantic Caribbean Union in Nassau, Bahamas, the hub of the live broadcast of IAD’s feature. The young people shared their experiences and witnessed the acts of kindness that took place across the island and the IAD territory.
Powell spent hours in Nassau with young people who visited homes of the elderly, spread cheer to needy children, delivered food and water in several communities, and visited the island’s large correctional facility.
Theodore Swain of the Grants Town Adventist Church in Nassau was among dozens of young people who donated and packaged canned goods, rice and water to take to the 220 homes near the church. “This was a good experience to give and help those who are in need,” said Swain. “We explained to them what Global Youth Day is all about and what it means to us and told them that it’s about helping others in the community as Jesus did.”
A youth group from the Real Harvest Church brought some cheer to more than 30 children at the Children’s Emergency Hostel facility, a social services organization that assists children in transit to foster homes. They told bible stories, talked about values, played games and delivered food to the center.
Food and water continued to be distributed to homes for the elderly in Nassau where young people sat with the elderly, sang and prayed with them.
A resident of the Unity House in Nassau is given a hug and water during a visit by young people during Global Youth Day. Image by Libna Stevens/IAD
Another large group of young people visited the Bahamas Correctional Center to pray and thank officers for their dedicated service in the work they do every day.
“We are happy and appreciate you as officers for your sacrifice and commitment to your service in The Bahamas,” said Powell as he addressed the group during a worship service led by a group of young people.
Elsewhere across the IAD, young people cleaned and painted playgrounds in public parks, offered health screenings, adopted grandparents, gave free hugs, took care of the homeless, gave free haircuts, free dental clinics and prayed for police officers, distributed literature and donated blood.
To view the live broadcast of Inter-America’s Global Youth Day program and activities young people engaged in throughout the day, Click HERE