Suriname: SDA Pastor Inspires Youth Ministry at his Childhood Safe Haven for GYD-2023
Scores of Adventist youth from the Suriname Mission deserted comfortable pews on Saturday, March 18, 2023. In a practical demonstration of the Global Youth Day (GYD) 2023 theme, Love is a Verb...
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Cover Photo: Children at the home are engaged in Bible activities on Global Youth Day led by Adventist Youth coordinating the ministry. Image credited to GYD team and used with permission by management
Scores of Adventist youth from the Suriname Mission deserted comfortable pews on Saturday, March 18, 2023. In a practical demonstration of the Global Youth Day (GYD) 2023 theme, Love is a Verb, the young people from the Smyrna Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church spent quality time with the children and adolescents at the Saron Children’s Home.
The annual GYD ministry, which is approved by the Adventist World Church, encourages Adventist youth to portray the love of Jesus through community-based activities, as determined by local leadership. Heeding a call from the Suriname Mission’s Youth Director to collaborate with existing, service-oriented entities within the church’s district, youth from the Smyrna SDA Church gave expression to the commandment of John 15:19 to love one another.
Team members are supervising members of the home while they are engaged in arts and craft. Image credited to GYD team and used with permission by management.
Shane Loseng, Smyrna’s youth leader, shared an inspiring devotional thought with the children which underscored love and forgiveness. Bible games kept the children engaged for hours; the day’s theme was also depicted through art, craft, and other projects. “The plan is to adopt the Saron home,” said Shane Loseng. “We want to realize our vision by creating an environment where young people feel relaxed and safe. We want to put this into practice by offering aid programs, [educational opportunities], meetings, workshops and re-creative and artistic activities - completely selflessly. It was not the first time for the young people of Smyrna to visit children's homes. Some of the children of a home they adopted have already begun attending church services,” said Shane.
The joy of Smyrna’s ministry was a magnet that attracted youth from the Bethel SDA Church and this team was led by Tamanisha Van Engel. Nelson Loseng and his cell group, Adullam, also joined the Smyrna Church. In this way, our young people felt connected to each other and used their time in a positive way.
“The young people from the Bethel and Smyrna churches are showing that Global Youth Day is not just a day but a lifestyle. They have truly embraced this year's theme – Love is a Verb. They make sure to not only speak love but also act on it. As the Youth Director of the Suriname Mission, I stand 100% behind this and give this effort my blessing and support,” said Pastor Chester Hinds, Youth Director of the Suriname Mission.
Team members are supervising members of the home while they are engaged in arts and craft. Image credited to GYD team and used with permission by management.
Interestingly, Pastor Roël Blackman, who shepherds both Smyrna and Bethel churches, has a unique bond with Saron Children’s Home which was a refuge for seven years of his life. Young people are close to his heart, and he likes to work with them. The youth leaders of the district reported that Pastor Blackman’s advice is always welcome, and they are grateful for his transparency. He often provides training for the youth of Smyrna and Bethel on how to have a godly influence on their peers outside the church and these training courses are highly effective.
After their impacting experience of ministering to the children, the Smyrna youth chose the Saron Children’s Home as the venue for the Youth Week of Prayer. “The young people feel that they do not want to stay in the church to follow the prayer readings, but to put love into practice by being with the children of the home, going through the topics of the prayer week with them, giving them space to express themselves and responding to their questions,” said the youth leader. “We are really proud of our youths,” said Pastor Guno B. Emanuelson, President of the Suriname Mission.
The facility houses approximately 40 children and is a haven for children of school age, whose home conditions are unhealthy for development. Saron Children's home was founded in 1910 and is operated by the Moravian Church.