wfn.org | International youth meeting tackles global problems, mission work

[NewsDesk <NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG>]

July 16, 1999  News media contact: Linda Bloom*(212)870-3803*New York
10-31-71B{377}
 
By Kelly C. Martini*

NEW YORK (UMNS) -- After Michael Williams spent a weekend with children in
an economically underdeveloped neighborhood in North Philadelphia, he
realized parts of that American city were just as economically depressed as
sections of Liberia, his own country.

But he knew that no one from Liberia would believe it.
	
Williams was among the 150 youth from more than 39 countries immersed in
similar experiences during an International Youth Conference for Mission
July 1-12 at Geneva Point Center, N.H., and then at mission sites along the
East Coast. The United Methodist Board of Global Ministries and its Women's
Division sponsored the conference.

Formally, the teen-agers shared their stories and experiences on global
issues such as racism, poverty, the struggles of children and environment
degradation through workshops, core groups, and plenary sessions.
Informally, they chatted with youth from different cultural backgrounds and
countries around meal tables and in cabins.

The experience helped them realize the root causes of the issues and the
need for ministries to address the problems.
	
The diversity of the group surprised Uiyeon Kim of Bettendorf, Iowa.  "I
suddenly realized that we were united in one common ground and that was the
fact that we were all children of God," he said. "It was an experience of a
lifetime, relating and sharing with people from all over the world."

African youth told about coming together to educate society on the dangers
of female genital mutilation. A young man from Sri Lanka discussed working
for peace during a continuing war.  U.S. youth shared their shock over the
shootings at Columbine High School in Colorado. Everyone sat in silence when
they learned of the race-related shootings in Illinois and Indiana.

Daniel Won of San Jose, Calif., said he hoped to make fellow church members
more aware of the issues society must face.
	
The youth left New Hampshire to do hands-on mission work in urban and rural
areas of the East Coast. Their assignments included urban gardening, working
with children, painting and building houses, feeding the homeless.

"It was satisfying to know that we were helping people out, and that we were
able to get some work done," said Monika Bautista of Union City, Calif., who
painted a day-care room at a neighborhood house in Wilmington, Del.

Participants were selected for the event after demonstrating their interest
in mission through applications, written essays and letters of
recommendation, according to Joyce Sohl, chief executive of the Women's
Division and a planning team member.
	
"This is a time in their life where they are deciding to go into mission as
a vocation, to do it as a volunteer, or support it through their prayers and
resources," Sohl said. "This event helped them make that commitment."

# # #

*Martini is the Women's Division's executive secretary for communications.

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