Dozens of children and young people march through the streets of communities in Frederiksted, St. Croix, as part of the ending initiatives during the “Impact 24 Your Journey to Joy” evangelism efforts and community impact activities. The march, held on Apr. 13, 2024, drew young residents and their parents to witness the music, positive messages and values upheld by the church’s Adventurer and Pathfinder Clubs. [Photo: Curtis Henry]
April 23, 2024| Frederiksted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands | Dyhann Buddoo-Fletcher and Inter-American Division News
“Young People are a Force to be Reckoned with,” exclaimed Pastor Busi Khumalo, youth ministries director of the General Conference (GC), at the conclusion of the “Your Journey to Joy” Adventist Youth Rally held recently in Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Adventurers and Pathfinder members from throughout St. Croix march in communities in Frederiksted, on Apr. 13, 2024. [Photo: Curtis Henry]
“Young people, if trained properly, will do wonders,” said Khumalo. “Let’s understand who we are, and what we stand for as Seventh-day Adventists. When we train our young people to fear the Lord when we train our young people to know the Lord, they are a force to be reckoned with. They are weapons of mass destruction for Jesus,” he said.
Pastor Busi Khumalo (center), youth ministries director of the General Conference stands between Auckland Flemming (left), Pathfinder area coordinator and Denae Bell (right) deputy Pathfinder area coordinator in St. Croix. Leaders led the street march through several communities to bring awareness to the community about the church’s uniformed groups in Frederiksted on Apr. 13, 2024. [Photo: Curtis Henry]
The group braved the threatening rains. With Khumalo and local youth directors leading the dozens of uniformed adventurers, pathfinders, master guides, and church supporters, and backed by the VI Pulse marching band, they all sang on the journey: ” Everywhere we go, people want to know who we are, so we tell them, we are Pathfinders!” The march attracted scores of onlookers, including children.
Drum corps members play at Grove park to start the youth march on Apr. 13, 2024. [Photo: Curtis Henry]
“If you want to change the community, if you want to change the church, involve young people in something worthwhile,” he continued. “When young people have nothing to do, they are dangerous. The devil will give them drugs; the devil will give them many things to do; that devil will destroy their lives.”
Onlookers watch the youth parade as they march through their community on Sabbath, April 13, 2024.[Photo: Curtis Henry]
“We want every child in St. Croix to be a member of the Adventure Club. We have no membership restrictions…if you want your child to be revolutionized and changed, bring them to the Seventh-day Adventist Church, bring them to join the club and list your child in the Adventurer Club,” said Khumalo.
Pastor Leriano Webster, youth ministries director for the North Caribbean Conference, addresses the attendees at the youth rally held on Sabbath afternoon, under a white tent on the grounds of Central Seventh-day Adventist Church, April 13, 2024. [Photo: Curtis Henry]
Pastor Leriano Webster, youth ministries director of the North Caribbean Conference, said they chose the march route because the Seventh-day Adventist church often distributes goods in the community. Webster mentioned that they offer community service to demonstrate the love of Jesus and connect with the community they are familiar with. He said, “It’s all about connecting with the community that we are very well-oriented with.”
Leading up to and beyond the street march was a total of five youth engagement projects to advertise the ‘Your Journey to Joy’ Mission Impact, said Sabrina C. DeSouza, associate treasurer at the General Conference, who took part in and oversaw the completion of the projects.
Sabrina C. DeSouza, associate treasurer at the General Conference, speaks at one of five youth engagements session held at the Central Seventh-day Adventist Church, St. Croix, Apr. 11, 2024. [Photo: Curtis Henry]
In addition, said DeSouza, was the Journey to Joy chapel program at St. Croix Seventh-day Adventist School. “We had Pastor Busi Khumalo, who did a wonderful charge for the children,” she said.
A young person from St. Croix dialogues with a General Conference treasury team during a youth engagement session at the Central Adventist Church’s multi-purpose center in St. Croix, on Apr. 11, 2024. [Photo: Curtis Henry]
Additionally, a group of young people were drafted to perform a skit, informed DeSouza. “This was all arranged by members of the GC team along with local conference leaders, because there was no drama club,” she added. The youth group performed at the Adventist school chapel service, and “the kids loved it,” she said.
General Conference treasury team members paint together with students at a special mural created by Mikaell MicMill a local Adventist artist, at the St. Croix Seventh-day Adventist Church on Apr. 15, 2024. [Photo: Curtis Henry]
The fifth project was the painting of a mural at St. Croix Seventh-day Adventist School.
Grateful for the outreach
Jacinta Berthier, the principal of St. Croix Seventh-day Adventist School, reported that the evangelistic program was successful despite the weather conditions. “I think the weather affected more students not coming out to the evangelistic programs, but I think it was successful because two of our students got baptized at Bethel Adventist Church during the Vacation Bible School program,” she said.
Two treasury staff members clean up the floor of the multi-purpose room at Central Adventist Church in St. Croix, on Apr. 11, 2024. [Photo: Curtis Henry]
“I am very thankful that the organizers included the school and that the impact did not just remain in the church,” she said.