Spring retreat for Hakka youths inspires new generation to deepen commitment to Christ

["Taiwan Church News" <enews@pctpress.org>]

3127 Edition

January 30~February 5, 2012

General Assembly News

Spring retreat for Hakka youths inspires new generation to deepen commitment to 
Christ

Reported by Chen Wei-chien

Written by Lydia Ma

Hakka Youth Spring Retreat, a camp that has inspired many Hakka pastors to 
become full-time ministers in the past, was held again recently. The retreat 
included Taize meditative prayer sessions, a prayer walk in the mountains, and 
a youth forum. Held on January 25-27, 2012 at Presbyterian Bible College in 
Hsinchu, the retreat attracted nearly 70 youths and left a lasting impression 
on them.

This year’s retreat topic was “Survey of the Bible” and PCT Associate General 
Secretary Kho Sing-Doh and many Hakka pastors were the main speakers. Rev. Chen 
Ke-an, the event’s coordinator, led youths in the prayer walk on a nearby 
mountain and chaired the youth forum.

Chen said that last year’s retreat theme was “Prayer”, hence, it seemed 
appropriate and natural that this year’s theme should be “Bible Reading”. He 
hoped that Hakka youths would acquire the habit of reading the Bible early on 
in their lives. Hence, he also invited a few PCT seminary students to the camp 
to mentor youths and placed students and mentors in groups of 3 or 4 during 
group discussion sessions.

“It’s very important to train youths in applying what they’ve read in the Bible 
to their own lives. Hence, the youth forum is the place for youths to discuss 
and discover what they can do for Hakka communities,” Chen told Taiwan Church 
News. 

PCT Hakka Mission Committee Secretary Lee Fong-Jiao underscored that many Hakka 
ministers today responded to the call of full-time ministry during spring camps 
similar to this one. She hopes the camp will serve as an awakening for today’s 
Hakka youths and inspire them to make a commitment to serve Hakka people. 

“These youths need to learn how to be independent so that they don’t remain 
reliant on their pastors all the time. This is the only way for them to secure 
a future for Hakka people,” she said.

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