In Inter-America, GYD Drives Young People to Share Hope and Reach “The Forgotten”

Global Youth Day (GYD) saw thousands of children and young people across the Inter-American Division (IAD) share the love of Jesus through acts of kindness in their communities on March 19, 2022.

The annual initiative launched by the Seventh-day Adventist Church motivates young people to unite their efforts and get out of their comfort zones to “Be the Sermon” as they spread joy and hope wherever they go.

This year’s overall focus was “Loving the Forgotten,” such as church members who might have been neglected or left the church, a community member who is facing pressing needs, as well as orphans, the elderly, disabled, homeless, or anyone facing dire challenges during the uncertainty that lingers in the world today, youth leaders said.

Purpose and Passion

“Global Youth Day is a special day with many opportunities for young people to impact the community with purpose and passion, where they can serve and testify in a more collective way where they live,” said Pastor Al Powell, Youth Ministries director for the church in Inter-America. Impacting the community year after year means over 1 million young people in Inter-America are active every year in serving and impacting their communities, he added.

There’s been so much excitement, not just on Global Youth Day, said Powell during a half-hour online program where young people and leaders reported their activities of the day. “We are seeing a trend now: young people loving the Lord who are zealous in doing something for Jesus every day, not just on Global Youth Day.”

Distribution of Missionary Book

One of the major activities of the day included the distribution of thousands of copies of the missionary book The Ultimate Hope, by Clifford Goldstein. Engaging young people in distributing the book is important to share amid a lingering pandemic, wars, and uncertainty, said Powell.

More than 30,000 young people in Southeast Mexico dedicated the day to praying and distributing thousands of copies of The Ultimate Hope in major cities and communities. In Ciudad del Carmen, Campeche, more than 7,000 copies of the book were given out to onlookers and businesses as part of the overall initiative to connect with people and “plant a seed of hope in the hearts of the people,” local youth leaders said. “We are very happy because we have seen how young people are dedicated and show they love the mission [of spreading the gospel],” said Pastor Victor Martínez, Youth Ministries director for the church in Southeast Mexico. “Global Youth Day is not just an event. It’s about helping others, impacting the community, being transformed; it’s a lifestyle.” Young people cleaned parks, visited the elderly, and assisted in medical brigades.

Former Church Members

Focusing on former members who left the church, young or old, was key for youth leaders in Chiapas, Mexico, to expand the impact of GYD, local leaders said. Young people took time to reach out to those who left the church, pray with them, and invite them to youth and worship activities, according to Daniel Torreblanca, Youth Ministries director for the church in Chiapas. More than 20,000 former members were connected and invited to different church activities and initiatives.

Pastor Pako Mokgwane, associate youth ministries director for the Adventist World Church, spent a week before GYD encouraging and training young people to invite former members to return to church and God, where they will be loved. Mokgwane took part in praying and singing in the streets with the young people and greeting those who were donating blood in Tuxtla Gutiérrez, Chiapas. Young people prayed with motorists, distributed food and literature, held concerts at parks and malls, and more. In Venezuela, young people collected food and clothing to be distributed across the country. Nearly 1,000 young people throughout the West Venezuela Union territory distributed bags of food, bread, warm meals, clothes, shoes, and toys.

Dozens of young people loaded up a small boat to impact Sabaneta Island and its adjacent islands to distribute food and clothing. “We wanted to remind the forgotten of the world that Jesus loves them, and so does the Seventh-day Adventist Church,” said Pastor Orlando Ramírez, president of the church in West Venezuela.

Visiting Rehabilitation Centers

Hundreds of young people in Colombia also took to the streets to distribute the missionary book, visited the elderly and the sick, reached out to former members, and reassured everyone they met that they are special in God’s eyes, local youth leaders said.

In South Colombia, young people visited drug rehabilitation centers, shared messages of hope with those living in the centers, and prayed for them. Rayan, a young man recovering from addiction to hallucinogenic drugs, said he was thankful to see the Adventist group visit. “Thank you for coming to see us,” he said. “My mother lost hope in me, and she does not visit me anymore. I only have my father and the hope that God has not forgotten me.” Rayan said he wants to reach out to the nearest Adventist Church when he completes his recovery.

“Our young people are fully committed, passionate, and empowered to work on behalf of Jesus,” said Pastor Leonel Cardenas, youth ministries director for the church in South Colombia.

Food Distribution

Young people in Guatemala distributed 5,000 food items to needy families and the missionary books through special marches and caravan drives in cities and communities, as well as assisted in rebuilding low-income family homes.

In The Bahamas, young people participated in partnering with health ministries to assist in providing medical and mental health initiatives, as well as distribute clothing to the needy and homeless and packages in the inner cities.

El Salvador saw more than 10,000 young people, including Pathfinders, Adventurers, and Master Guides, distributing lunches and dinners to people in nursing homes, orphanages, and hospitals, as well as the homeless in the streets. They also delivered more than 1,030 bags of food to homes, provided medical brigades across 40 communities, and distributed over 10,000 missionary magazines and books.

In Panama, hundreds of young people were mobilized to impact their communities by cleaning parks, schools, and churches and ministering to the elderly in nursing homes.

Carrying out the Mission

In the Dominican Republic, more than 30,000 young people distributed food and missionary magazines, donated blood, and painted homes. At the end of the day, the young people gathered for praise and worship programs throughout each region.

Pastor Andrés Peralta, associate Youth Ministries director for the Adventist World Church, joined young people in Santo Domingo during Global Youth Day. He congratulated young people for their passion and commitment to sharing the love of Jesus. “You carried out the mission given by God through this Global Youth Day,” said Peralta. Joy, happiness, a joint purpose, and the drive of the young people was seen everywhere, he added.

Elsewhere in Inter-America, young people delivered food to migrants, orphans, and hospitals, ministered to people with special needs, visited prisons, cleaned up neighborhoods, delivered care packages to frontline workers, and helped rebuild churches.

Victor Martínez, Uriel Castellanos, Laura Acosta, Moises Aponte, John Garcia, Gustavo Menéndez, Kayc James, Fabricio Rivera, and Bernardo Medina contributed information to this report.

This article was originally published on the Inter-American Division’s website