Statements and Confession Declared by Youth at SACLA

Opening statement:

We are facing a number of giants, any one of which could destroy our country, but if combined with one or more other giants could completely devastate us.

These problems are too big for us if we are divided, but if under God we are united, then we will have, with God’s power, the ability to bring these giants down.

God calls us to a deep, ell-embracing unity so that we can identify with and feel each others’ pain, and in the fellowship of Christ embrace those amongst us living with the daily horror of these problems.

We want to be real Christians in the real South Africa, and we will no longer ignore the devastation in people’s lives all around us. We are God’s instruments of healing in a land is desperate need of healing.


Statements:

Please will you stand if …

… you or a loved one is living with HIV or AIDS, or if you have lost someone from AIDS this year.

… you or someone you know has been sexually abused or raped this year.

…you or a loved one is unemployed, or goes hungry for lack of food.

… you or a loved one are a victim of a crime that has changed your life severely.

… you or a loved one are the victim of a violent act or acts this year.

… you have been discriminated against because of the colour of your skin this year in a way which has dehumanised you.

… your family relationships have broken down to the point of separation or divorce.

Closing Confession:

I confess my blindness in not seeing other people’s needs; my judgementalism and pride which causes me to consider myself better than others.

I confess my lack of compassion which has left people isolated and lonely and even excluded from the church; and my lack of action in the face of great evils which has allowed our land to be threatened by the giants of HIV & AIDS, Crime, Violence, Poverty & Unemployment, Racism, Violence against women and the breakdown of families. I repent of wrong attitudes which regard others different from me as inferior, and which has allowed others to become victims of these giants.

We commit ourselves to helping those in need instead of looking the other way, and to loving others unconditionally as Christ has taught and shown us, and to obey all that he tells me to do.