Young people and adults from the Seventh-day Adventist congregations in Anguilla joined others around the world in a Global Youth Day March on Saturday, March 16.
Wearing t-shirts marked “Adopt”, the marchers pointed to the need for parents and communities to work towards eradicating violence and promoting wholesome living among Anguilla’s children. The march, in The Valley area, took in the campuses of the Albena Lake-Hodge Comprehensive School. Invited guests included Governor Tim Foy and Inspector Randolph Yearwood from the Royal Anguilla Police Force both of whom addressed the gathering on the grounds of the Scouts and Guides Ruthwill Auditorium, the place of assembly after the march. Pastor Julet Simon and other representatives from the City of Faith Church also joined the march.
Governor Foy, attired in one of the awareness t-shirts, told the marchers, sheltering under the mahogany trees from the searing heat: “I want to pay tribute to all Adventists in Anguilla, and throughout the world, for the remarkable work you do as a community, particularly your work focusing on youth. It is very, very important.” He also commended the Adventists for their kindness which resonates in the community and the region torn in many ways by strife.
The Governor took the opportunity to refer to the violence, over the weekend, in New Zealand which showed that there was a sickness of violence in society. He said it was a consequence of racism, sectarianism and prejudice which were all too common. “It is a sickness and there is only one thing to cure it, and that is the medicine of kindness,” he observed. “That’s the message of our Lord Jesus Christ. Love and kindness are the only answer.”
Inspector Yearwood spoke about current and planned efforts by the Police Force to divert young people away from crime; educating them about the dangers of crime; and guiding them towards making the right choices in their early lives. “It certainly is not difficult for any of us to recognize that the propensity and the increased level of criminal and anti-social behavior amongst our young people are on the rise,” he stated. “Therefore, as a community we have to do all that is within our power to reduce and derail the growth and involvement of our people in such behaviours.”
Earlier, the senior law enforcement official said: “On behalf of the Commissioner of Police and, by the extension the Royal Anguilla Police Force, I congratulate you on your celebration of Global Youth Day 2019, with your focus on ‘Adopt’.
“The Royal Anguilla Police Force is pleased to partner with you on such an initiative. It no doubt brings to the forefront the important role that our young people can play in our society, and the greater expectation of society as it relates to our young people.”
Two short sermons were delivered by Myah Romney, a fifth grade student at the Adrian T. Hazell Primary School, and Clayton Thomas, a fourth grade student at the Morris Vanterpool Primary School, both holding membership in the Pathfinders’ organization.
“The devil likes to whisper lies in our ears but we can look in the Bible and poke holes through every one of them,” Myah stated in part. “If you are visiting somewhere for the first time, which will be better? To wander around not knowing where to go, or to have someone take you around and point out all the best spots? The devil wants us to think that the word of God is boring, but with God as our guide we can enjoy the best that this life has to offer. God only wants the best of you. God has a plan for you and me.”
The other student, Clayton Thomas, began his sermon this way: “Ecclesiastes chapter 12 verse 1 says: ‘Remember now thy Creator in the days of your youth while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh when thou shall say I have no pleasure in them.’
“What does God want us to remember? Parents, God wants you to remember that Proverbs chapter 22 verse 6 says: ‘Train up a child in the way that he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it.”’
In wrapping up the event, Pastor Trent Berg put it into perspective. “The Seventh-day Adventist Church, world-wide, has a Youth Ministries Department,” he explained. “It decided that it wanted to engage the senior youth of our Church – those between the ages of 16-30 – in a day of service to the community. The theme for this year is ‘Adopt’, and it was determined that our youth here should adopt the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School’s campuses in Anguilla and so, as part of this week, they served breakfast to the students at each of the campuses. Today, we had a march that led us to the different high school campuses, and others, where prayers were offered on behalf of the educators, students and their parents.
“What is happening today is that everywhere around the world, where there is a Seventh-day Adventist Church, this kind of activity is taking place – not particularly the prayer at the school, but adopting some institution, person, animal or beautifying a place.
“All the photographs that were taken today are uploaded to a common site where all the young people of the various Churches, around the world, will be able to see what other young people from similar congregations are doing.”
Pastor Berg added that the event was being followed with an Adventist Youth Week of Prayer. In Anguilla, this included three out-door services: the first at South Hill; the second at Rey Hill; and the third at Island Harbour.
As part of Saturday’s Global Youth Day initiative, the youth of the Church, on Friday March 15th, conducted a motivational session for Form 6B students before serving them a nutritious lunch. This activity was in keeping with the Global Youth Day format which had prescribed that they adopt a patient, an orphan, or a community. Addressing the students were Mrs. Arianne Smith, Ms. Simone Edwards and Mr. Stedroy Hodge.
In addition to adopting the Form 6B students, the church’s youth also held motivational sessions with the PRU and WISE students earlier through the course of last week.
