News

Sri Lanka and India | Northern Asia Pacific and Southern Asia Divisions (NSD and SUD) 

The Adventist Church brought together several ministries to collaborate in launching the Youth Alive Conference for Hindu and Buddhist students attending Adventist Schools in Sri Lanka from August 19-24 and India from October 28-November 2, 2024. At the Lakpahana  Adventist College in Sri Lanka, the NSD Health, Family, Youth Ministries, Global Mission director, and local mission, along with General Conference Education and Health Ministries leaders, presented seminars to meet the needs of youth and introduced them to Jesus Christ. Youth participated in Youth Alive Friendship groups, where they played, learned, and worshipped in their preferred language (Tamil or Sinhalese). At the SDA Secondary School in Khunti, India, SUD leaders from the Division and Union were joined by the General Conference Health, Education, and the Center for South Asia Religions leaders to present relevant topics to the local church and community's Hindi-speaking youth. Pr Daniel Thaimei, Youth Leader, referred to Youth Alive and its speakers as “very practical, meaningful, and the need of the hour. I am immensely blessed.” Some participants shared, “We have never experienced  such an impactful program.” The leaders were enthusiastic about using the materials now available in their language to continue to expand this impact and help students who are struggling with addictions, depression, and other risky behaviors.

Lilongwe, Malawi | South Africa Indian Ocean Division (SID)

Youth from Malawi and beyond, came together during their vacation from July 29-August 3, 2024 to participate of the first Youth Alive Training and Conference held in the country. Organized as a collaborative effort between Malawi Union, Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division, and the General Conference, the training and conference offered expert plenaries and workshops on mental health, sexuality, addictions, healthy relationships, growing in faith and practical ways to engage in mission. Leaders were keen to start Friendship groups in their churches and schools, as a way to help build resilience among youth and young adults.

Harare, Zimbabwe| Southern Africa Indian Ocean Division (SID)

The East Zimbabwe Union leadership brought together youth and young adults across conferences for a Youth Alive facilitator training and conference near Harare from April 15 to 20, 2024. Young leaders and their mentors convened from near and far, eager to be equipped to help peers who are struggling with substance use disorders, behavioral addictions, mental health problems with suicide ideation, and abuse at home.  Experts from across Zimbabwe and neighboring countries introduced seminars and plenaries to address these issues, and youth leaders had opportunities for frank conversations with their peers and young adults.  Inter-generational mentoring, engagement in selfless service, and leading youth to find purpose in God as their Highest power are some of the resilience factors predominant in Youth Alive. Through education, fun cooperative games, worship, and small friendship activities, the young people left inspired to start Youth Alive groups across the country.

From August 28-September 3, 2023, young people from the West-Asia Field came to Turkey with their youth leaders and adult mentors to participate in the Youth Alive program. A key goal was to invite community friends from various cities in Turkey to join other youth and young adults for a weekend of inspiration, learning, playing, serving, and also making new friends. The week started with the training of Youth Alive adults and youth facilitators, equipping them to lead the Youth Alive Friendship groups (small groups of 8-10) and make deep connections with the youth. That training was followed by the Youth Alive Conference, where dozens of young people from various faith backgrounds gathered to learn about addictions, relationships, and mental health, and also encourage them in their spiritual journey, exploring God’s purpose for them.  They attended workshops, sang together, and listened to engaging devotional sessions. They played games and laughed together. They served the local community and developed deep connections, making new friends. “It was amazing to see how much the youth from different faith backgrounds enjoyed the Youth Alive conference,” reported Cindy Porto, Youth Alive coordinator for the region. “The youth left eager to continue meeting regularly and learning more about how to live a more full and abundant life,” she added. The local youth alive leaders plan to continue hosting several friendship groups throughout Turkey and convene them annually for a Youth Alive conference.

The Adventist University de Colombia (UNAC) was the venue for the launch of the first Youth Alive in Spanish, a spiritual strengthening and empowerment strategy for young people. The participants learned to develop resilience so that they make healthy decisions and better understand their gifts and purpose regardless of the difficulties they face. This event, which took place from May 1 to 7, not only marked a milestone in Colombia but also provided the nearly 200 attendees with tools to improve their communities. This first training provided seminars on various topics, such as active listening, emotional management, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills, among others. The importance of fostering these skills and attitudes among young people and youth leaders was emphasized. The topics were taught by doctors Katia Reinert and Julián Melgosa from the General Conference and doctors Hiram Ruíz, Pedro Iglesias and Cecilia Moreno de Iglesias, from the Inter-American Division. Pastor Mauricio Buitrago, director of the Health and Youth departments of the Northern Colombian Union (UCN), remarked: “Now our young people know this strategy for which they will have an immense responsibility; to host youth alive friendship groups in their communities.These youth will return empowered with that burning flame in their hearts, saying: ‘my choice is to live fully, now and for eternity.'”

Dozens of youth from across Egypt and other countries came together to attend the Youth Alive Conference in Alexandria, Egypt from August 8-14, 2022. They came to meet new friends, learn, play, serve, and worship. They also came to develop leadership skills and learn how to lead Youth Alive friendship groups in their communities, schools, and churches. They attended seminars on mental health, physical health, relationships, sexuality, addictions, and spiritual growth. They made many new friends and participated in service activities such as cleaning up trash from the beach, bringing gifts and playing with underserved children, and drawing encouraging cards for refugees. They signed the youth alive pledge to live free from addictive behaviors and to choose to live healthfully! They left inspired and excited to start Youth Alive groups in their communities, and to help their friends make healthy choices too!

Youth and adult mentors came together from July 25 to 31, 2022 to participate in the Youth Alive Conference held in Martinique. Representatives from French Guyana, Guadalupe, Martinique, and St Martin experienced it for the first time. Pastors and youth leaders were first trained to facilitate the Youth Alive friendship groups, and then the conference followed as youth and young adults joined in to learn, play, serve and worship. Over 150 attended the event which included seminars and plenary sessions presented by local and general conference presenters on topics related to physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. A number of youth shared their personal testimony on the final day, recounting how they were blessed to be there and left motivated to start youth alive friendship groups and clubs in their own church and school. Many signed the Youth Alive Pledge and committed to live a full life clean from addictions and risky behaviors. Pastors and facilitators left empowered and encouraged to see how quickly the youth bonded with other peers and mentors. 

On February 12, 2022, Youth Alive Participants of the Youth Alive Conference at Collonges could not contain their gratitude and admiration for healthcare workers during the pandemic. After hearing how staff and leaders at the La Ligniere clinic extended healing to many, they crafted beautiful thank you cards with words of encouragement shared along with some gifts to all the staff and health workers at the clinic. Healthy youth committed for service was a lived experience for participants of this Youth Alive Conference in France. Watch the videos and check out the pictures from this experience at the Instagram @youthfullyalive or on the youth alive portal facebook page.

After two years of pandemic and online programming, Youth Alive was launched in person at Collonges, France. A group of enthusiastic Youth leaders and Mentors came together to be trained as facilitators and a Youth Alive Conference followed with youth and young adults attending from throughout France. They engaged in learning together, sharing about their struggles, playing games, worshipping and praying, and also serving together. Many committed to living a life of purpose and service to God and others. Check out the photos and a report on Instagram @youthfullyalive or on our youth alive portal facebook page. 

During this pandemic and post-pandemic, many youth and young adults are struggling with their mental health. The Mental Health Talks were launched to provide a safe space for conversations among youth and young adults about the struggles they are facing. Please tune in and share the Talks with your friends. Check the mental health page for links or go to youtube and search for "Youth Alive Channel."