23 March 2016 | St Albans, UK [Victor Hulbert with Adventist Review] Just two days before Europe found itself mourning the senseless loss of life in the Brussels attacks, hundreds of thousands of Seventh-day Adventist young people across the world spent 24 hours positively sharing life with those around them. Among them, were youth in the 22 countries of the Trans-European Division [TED], taking time to ‘be the sermon’ by helping out in old people’s homes, feeding the homeless, giving free gifts, and sharing their vibrant witness.
That certainly was clear behind the scenes during the TED hour. Sean Picart and Natasha Mirilov, the co-hosts, were surrounded by a group of Newbold youth who had spent the day involved in various volunteer activities in Bracknell and Reading, but who then came back to support the team telling the story of other volunteer youth in Poland, the Netherlands and various parts of the UK and Europe. While the hour looked good, it also involved a lot of technical expertise provided by the South England Conference media team under the leadership of Newbold associate pastor and SEC Media director, Vili Costescu.
The same was true in Norway where Tor Tjeransen, the Norwegian Union Media director, shared more stories of youth witness. The most inspiring included the Mjøndalen and Skotselv churches where GYD participants took part in a church operated outreach café. Youth from the Tyrifjord church wanted to honour the people who work night shifts in municipal institutions. Around midnight they visited the local hospital, the fire brigade and several other institutions and gave a rose and a big thank you to those on night watch.
Youth director, Pastor Victor Marley, was very impressed with an initiative in Oslo where the young people co-operated with the Norwegian Red Cross to create awareness of the need for people to be someone that refugees and immigrants can relate to. The youth handed out two small pieces of chocolate to passers-by. Written on the wrapper of one piece of chocolate were the words, ‘For you’, while the message on the other piece said, ‘For a friend’. The idea was, that they pass the chocolate on to someone else in need.
That perhaps summed up the joy and purpose of GYD. There was clearly inspiration for those involved – but also joy and hope for those on the receiving end.
As Sean stated in the midst of his hosting, “why do this just once a year. We are all saying, let’s do it regularly. It’s so good.”
For more on Global Youth day visit https://www.globalyouthday.org. For a selection of GYD pictures from across the TED visit our picture gallery. [tedNEWS]
tedNEWS Staff: Victor Hulbert, director; Esti Pujic, editor
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