By Patience Kasweka

The Lusaka District of Zambia Provisional Annual Conference held its Youth Retreat on June 27, 2015. The Retreat helped young people learn about Methodism, Youth and Development, and Youth Culture. The retreat was so helpful to the young people in the district especially that most of them it was their first time to be exposed to such occasions. The retreat empowered our brothers and sisters to get knowledge on the origin of the united Methodist church and its founder and the kind of a person he was. From the trainings led by Kasweka Patience, the participants were encouraged to live the kind of life that our founder John Wesley lived. The life of Prayer, Discipline, Sharing the Gospel whenever he found audience and helping the underprivileged. This presentation helped the young people to look at John Wesley as a Mentor in our Christian Life.

The youth participants then listened to the next presentation about Youth and Development; they were challenged to be creative in whatever they do and to put into consideration that the church, community and the Nation at large was looking up to them. The youth were encouraged to invest in Education, be disciplined, build their self esteem, persevere and avoid early marriages for them to grow and develop further. The last presentation dealt with Youth and Culture, the session began with Romans 12:1-2. Young people were challenged to renew their minds instead of following the prevailing cultures. ”When any one is in Christ is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Several participants to the Retreat testified that this event was timely and helpful for them in following Christ and living their lives as Christian young people.