The Healthy Youth Workers recharged batteries for their next ministry
September 6th–7th, 2021
We have had another very successful HY Workers Conference. We are simply grateful! This was the seventeenth one. In all, we gathered in an amazing number of 38 of us. Once again we took advantage of the great services of the Immanuel Conference Center. We are so thankful – both, the organizers and the participants as well:
“Thank you for beautiful and kind atmosphere. I really appreciate the fellowship of brotherly love and acceptance that always prevails at the conference.”
“Thank you very much! I enjoyed the relaxation, the beautiful surroundings and especially the wonderful meetings with amazing people. Thanks for this unique opportunity!”
“The HY Workers Conference is always an encouragement and inspiration for me to continue my ministry.”
The theme was “God’s Restart”. We jumped headfirst into the program. In the opening outdoor activity, we attempted to crawl through a special giant cube built on its spike without dropping it. In an attempt to accomplish this seemingly unsolvable task, we had to work together and rely on the help of others. You wouldn’t believe how many interesting facts you learn about yourself and how many things you learn in such an activity.
The weather was good, the hotel staff pampered us. We all together managed to create a pleasant atmosphere and a safe environment. This created a unique space to open up difficult and challenging topics.
The core one was the question of the calling to the Healthy Youth ministry against the backdrop of today’s unpredictable times. How have the HY Workers managed to sustain the struggle for their callings in the period of covid? Where did they draw the necessary resources, strength, encouragement? What has changed and how have the HY workers managed to adapt to these changed?
Over the two days of the conference, we heard an overwhelming amount of difficult and sad stories. But all of them were interconnected with encouragement and crowned with hope. Important words were spoken:
“As soon as possible, schools themselves started to send requests for HY programs. No one had even thought that we, the HY Workers, could stop our ministry.”
“Children still need HY programs – and much more today than before. We just need to find new ways. We have to go to the places where the covid period has taken the children. Many of them have fallen into the traps of online world. Let’s not be afraid of that. If primary school pupils had managed to sign up for an online lesson of program, we can succeed as well!”
And so, dear HY Workers, keep looking for and keep going!
We are sure that your vocation for HY ministry is still alive. For the new school year, we wish you much strength, hope and faith that your work is not in vain.
