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SACLA Youth Day 4

Sunday 11 July 2004

The first ever SACLA Youth Conference was held from the 7th to the 11th of July at the Youth For Christ Training Centre in Magaliesburg, and if you missed it you certainly missed out. Nearly 600 young people from around South Africa gathered at an event that is bound to change this country. The theme “Change Agents for a Changed Society”, fitted in very well with what the young people aim to do and that is seeing a Godly nation and obviously starting with themselves.

This Youth Conference came about from the SACLA Conference that was held last year. The young people there felt that they need a Conference of the same magnitude but only focusing on Youth Leadership. What was very evident from the beginning was how diverse the group was and everyone was willing to learn. The Praise and Worship that was held every morning was absolutely Spirit Filled. The angels in heaven were rejoicing. The conference was divided into 4 tracks and the delegates could choose to attend the one that suited them best.

Different speakers from around the country were chosen to speak to the delegates and judging from the reaction by the delegates all the speakers we well chosen. This was not a conference where you were made to feel good about yourself and what you are doing as a leader; it was for most people a wake up call. One occurring theme throughout and which stuck out for me was that we as young people need to let go of pass hurts and dark secrets. We were challenged to look deep within ourselves and ask God to create within us a clean heart.

“What was awesome for me was when I witnessed Gods children raise over R10 000 when an offering was taken up”, said one of the delegates. This was truly amazing because it showed that we are very serious about changing our society. The Saturday of the Conference seemed to be the highlight of the week. Edgar Ramasamy from SONLIFE Ministries spoke at a plenary in the morning on the Relationships that we must have and how we must balance it out. “There is no use in having a wonderful relationship with God and you don’t have one with people around you”. It ended with us getting into groups and sharing where we fail and then having the group pray for you. In the evening a time of Worship was held for about 4 hours and the young people were able just to be with God.

It was not all work and no play. Everyday for 2hrs we were able to relax either by playing sport, going on a hike, sharing your views at the speaker’s corner or just lying around in the sun (which was a God Scent). This was a time where you could do you own thing but it turned out to be a time where friendships were made.

The Conference ended with a speaker who was very significant in pioneering the SACLA Conference last year, Mark Manley. He challenged us to respond to the challenge that has now been set before us. “The task has not ended at the conference but it begins when we get home”. It was hard saying goodbye but at the same it was exciting because we now go back and implement what we have learnt and come the next SACLA Youth Conference the issues which we dealt would be resolved.

by: Neville Grimmet