Takriban vijana 10,000 kote katika Misheni ya Muungano wa Venezuela Mashariki walishiriki katika ziara ya "Urafiki wa Milele", ambayo ilitaka kuanzisha uhusiano na kuwafanya wawe mashahidi na kushiriki Yesu katika eneo lote, mnamo Februari 21-26, 2023. Washiriki vijana wa Kiadventista na wao. viongozi walitembea katika miji kadhaa, wakisambaza maandiko ya Kikristo na kufikia wafanyabiashara wa ndani na watembea kwa miguu.

Mchungaji Andres Peralta, mkurugenzi mshiriki wa Youth Ministries na kiongozi wa Pathfinders kwa ajili ya Kongamano Kuu la Waadventista Wasabato, alitembelea nchi na kushiriki katika mpango huo wa siku sita. Licha ya kufanyiwa upasuaji wa bega aliofanyiwa siku chache kabla, Mchungaji Peralta alisema alikuwa na furaha kuwa sehemu ya ziara hiyo katika miji kadhaa mashariki mwa Venezuela. "Ninaipenda nchi hii na vijana hawa," alisema, akibainisha kuwa zaidi ya mkoa mwingine wowote, ilikuwa ni mara ya tatu kutembelea.

Peralta aliwapongeza vijana wa Kiadventista nchini Venezuela, akibainisha uthabiti wao wa hali ya juu. "Pamoja na ugumu ambao lazima wakabiliane nao, daima huamka. Ninashukuru kwa nguvu za vijana hawa, ambao, bila kujali vikwazo wanavyopaswa kukutana nao, wanaendelea kusonga mbele.”

Jesús David Chacón, mkurugenzi wa Wizara ya Vijana kwa Misheni ya Muungano wa Venezuela Mashariki, alisisitiza kwamba ziara hiyo “haikuzaliwa katika moyo wa mwanadamu bali katika akili ya Mungu.” Aliongeza, “Inajulikana kwamba njia bora zaidi ya kuwaweka vijana wetu kanisani ni kupitia urafiki, na [ni] nia ya mpango huu kukuza urafiki wa milele.”

Kuwatia moyo Vijana Waliokata tamaa

Chacón pia aliwasihi viongozi wa vijana katika eneo lote kufanya juhudi maalum kujumuisha vijana waliokata tamaa katika maeneo mbalimbali ya huduma ya vijana, kama vile vilabu vya Pathfinders na Adventurers, bendi za maandamano, na michezo na burudani, miongoni mwa mengine.

Safari ya siku sita, ambayo ilikaribisha zaidi ya washiriki wapya 300 wa kanisa, ilianza katika Kambi ya Chuspita karibu na Caracas na kuendelea huko Aragüita, Anzoátegui.

"Ilikuwa mpango ambao ulituruhusu kushiriki, kuungana kati yetu, na kuendelea kusonga mbele," Lizeth Cáceres, mmoja wa washiriki alisema.

Rosayni Murguey, mwingine wa washiriki, alikubali. "Ilikuwa nzuri kukutana na mkurugenzi wa ulimwengu wa Pathfinders na kutumia wakati na marafiki wengi," alisema.

Huko Maturín, Monagas, vijana walishiriki fasihi, vitabu, na magazeti ujumbe wa tumaini. Pia walitangaza kituo cha redio cha ndani cha Waadventista. Shughuli hiyo iliishia kwenye klabu ambako walipanga maonyesho ya Biblia.

Aldemaro Malavé, mshiriki wa kanisa la mtaa aliyeshiriki katika mpango huo, alisema matembezi yao yalionyesha kanisa lenye umoja lakini lenye sura nyingi.

Kuwashirikisha Wanachama

Mchungaji Misael Hernández, kutoka wilaya ya Patria Adventist Church, alikubali. “Tukio hili limemshirikisha kila mwanachama. Ni jambo ambalo limetuunganisha katika imani na kutujaza furaha ya kuhubiri Neno la Mungu na [kuhisi] uwepo wake katika maisha yetu,” alisema.

Tukio hilo huko Maturín lilihudhuriwa na Francis Contreras, mwakilishi wa Baraza la Kutunga Sheria na rais wa Halmashauri ya Dini na Ibada, na Iraida Arismendi, aliyewakilisha gavana wa Monagas na meya wa Maturín.

Mchungaji Peralta aliwaombea maofisa hao wawili wa serikali na familia zao, akimwomba Mungu awaongoze na kuwalinda na kuwapa hekima wanapohudumu kwa manufaa ya kila raia.

"Nalipongeza Kanisa la Waadventista Wasabato kwa tukio hili zuri," Contreras alisema. “Inaburudisha kuona vijana wakiwa wamejitoa kwa ajili ya kazi ya Mungu. Ninakutia moyo uendelee na huduma hii kuu, hata zaidi sasa kwa kuwa kuja kwa Bwana kumekaribia.”

Arismendi alikubali. “Waadventista wanatoa huduma nzuri kupitia shule ya mtaani, ambayo ni kigezo katika jimbo letu kutokana na ubora wa elimu inayotolewa; pia, kupitia kliniki ya ndani, ambayo ni nafuu kwa kila mwanachama katika jumuiya yetu. Tunafurahia kazi nzuri mnayofanya,” alisema.

In Bolívar, the “Everlasting Friendships” tour gathered more than 4,000 people. The ceremony on Sabbath, February 25, included 1,176 Pathfinder and Adventurer investitures and 102 baptisms. During the special service, a mass choir of students from the local Maranatha Adventist School sang praises to God. The tour ended at the El Paraíso Seventh-day Adventist Church in the national capital, Caracas. Peralta attended both events.

“Pastor Peralta is a servant of God who loves young people,” said Jorge Atalido, president of the East Venezuela Union Mission, during the closing ceremony. “We feel happy to have him in our midst.”

A Rewarding Experience

Peralta, who said he felt loved during the days he spent in Venezuela, thanked church members and leaders for the experience. “The fellowship of young people has been very rewarding for me,” Peralta said. “I can tell they are passionate about ministry.” He closed by sharing his personal experience. “When the Adventist Church got in touch with my family, I would try to avoid it. But after a lot of struggles, I gave my heart to Jesus, and I don’t regret it.”

Peralta alisema uzoefu wake pia unaweza kuwa ukweli wa kisasa kwa vijana wengi. “Yesu alipigania familia yangu na mimi,” aliwaambia. "Yesu huyu huyu anataka kuwapigania na kuwatetea ninyi."

The original version of this story was posted on the Inter-American Division website.