For the past nine years, Global Youth Day (GYD) has touched thousands of lives worldwide for Christ—including the young people who participate. This year was no different. On March 19, 2022, hundreds of youths across the Cayman Islands Conference of Seventh-day Adventists were out in their Global Youth Day t-shirts to impact the communities of Prospect and Red bay in Grand Cayman and Spot Bay in Cayman Brac. The theme for this year was “Loving the Forgotten.”
Pastor Carlon Nyack, Youth Director of the Cayman Islands Conference, shared, “As we considered the theme, we thought it fitting to impact some of the senior members in these communities who were in need. So we collaborated with the Filadelfia and Creek churches to find these individuals. In Grand Cayman, we also worked with the Prospect and Red Bay executive community team to find these individuals and inform the community that we would be in the community.”
On GYD, a small group from Filadelfia church was tasked to distribute 10 Foster’s gift cards of $100 each to senior members in need, a total value of $1,000. In addition to this, other groups shared food and fruit baskets, literature, and over 300 evangelism cards, specially designed for youth to engage community members. There was a special group of Pathfinders under the leadership of Merle Watkins, Pathfinder Director and Assistant Youth Director, who went to some senior members in East End where they were presented with food baskets and warm soups.
Youth leader Jordon Williams from the Bodden Town church, while in the community, discovered a senior citizen that indeed was in need. He called some church members to gather food, and later in the night, the group was able to deliver the food and assist in cleaning up the senior citizen’s home.
Other activities for GYD included “prayer walks” and “prayer drives” that covered the persons and vehicles in the communities mentioned. In addition, our Youth Association President, Sonya Brown, organised two worship sessions for the day. The morning session was held at the Seafarer’s Association Building in Prospect, and we would like to thank them for allowing us to use their building without charge. The afternoon session was held at the Spotts Public Beach.
We had a fantastic praise team organised by Savannah and Kings churches for the worship sessions. In addition, we had two dynamic youth speakers; in the morning, we were charged to “Be the Sermon” and be the hands and feet of Jesus by Markino Fearon, a recent graduate of Religion from the Northern Caribbean University. And in the afternoon session, we were reminded by Jamian McFarlane (known for his musical skills) to continue to Love the Forgotten just as Jesus remembers and loves us with an everlasting love.
We thank the Youth Executive committee and the diligent, hardworking Adventist Youth Ministries (AYM) leaders in each church who assisted in planning and making the day what it was here in the Cayman Islands. Kudos to Sis. Lori-Ann Bingham-Street, AYM Leader and Pathfinder Director, and her team for the job they did to organise the impact on Cayman Brac.
We express our gratitude to Pastor Reinaldo Dracket, President of the Cayman Islands Conference, Pastor Kevin Danvers, Personal Ministries and Prayer Ministries Coordinator, Pastor Caple Thompson, Health Ministries Director, Pastor Denton McKogg, Chaplain Cayman Academy and Pastor Vaughn Henry, former Youth Director, for their attendance at the Global Youth Day activities.
We truly appreciate all the Pastors, parents, young people, and children who came out to support us during this year’s Global Youth Day. May God bless the youth as we continue to “Be the Sermon”, not only on GYD but every day of the year until Jesus comes.
Submitted by: Pastor Carlon Nyack, Youth Director Cayman Islands Conference.
