Releasing our Youth The youth are the leaders of today. Their energy seems inexhaustible, their sense of adventure is boundless and their idealism is admirable. Allow them to discover a “worthy goal” and they will be relentless in pursuing and making sure the goal is achieved. They are passionate in what they believe to be significant. Sadly, most of our youth have been confined to an institution; relegated to keeping themselves busy with its programs and activities – perpetuating a tradition of myopic idealism that centers on what the institution should be. They are being nurtured into a feel-good mold where the primacy of an ethnocentric organization must be propagated and defended if threatened. This is where their energy is diverted; their sense of adventure bridled; and their idealism altered. Here they lost the opportunity – the essence of being a youth – to be the leader that they are called to be; to make a difference to a community and nation; to usher “His kingdom on earth.” But this need not be the case. We need to restore the youth to their rightful place and release them to fulfill their calling. We must redirect their energy from restrictive institutional concerns to nurturing identity with the community. The youth must regain their sense of adventure as they journey with the community towards transformational development and genuine peace. And more importantly, we need to give them space to dream – to see visions – for and with the community where “God’s kingdom on earth” is realized (JACO).
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 10:32:06 +0000
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