Colourful Dreamer

This was a gathering of 16 people from 14 different Provinces within the Anglican Communion. A further 7 people from 6 Provinces (and one of the ACC youth reps) were unable to attend due to lack of finance to attend, inability to gain an entry visa, or difficulty in taking time off work. Given the difficult times we live in both for the Communion and economically, this showed that interest in the work of this Network is still strong, and we continue to fulfil a vital role in encouraging those working with young people at the Provincial level, and in advocating for youth ministry and those who work with them across the Communion. It was a privilege to be present, both representing youth ministry in this Province, and as one of the organising group. It was inspiring to meet people from around the world who share our passion for youth ministry, getting to know them, learning from them, and to be able to offer what we have learnt from doing youth work in our context. We are one o...

At the recent meeting of Anglican Provincial Youth Officers in Hong Kong we worked on a new edition for Buenas Nuevas, the journal of the International Anglican Youth Network. As a taster, here is one of the articles that will come out in this next edition. Moving youth ministry from being apriority to being part of the fabric of who we are? Over recent years many dioceses and provinces within the Communion have made ministry to and among young people a priority. A lot has been written about the importance of youth ministry. Youth policies have been approved by synods with acclamation. Bishops have spoken enthusiastically about youth ministry, sometimes beginning their Synod report with this good news. Other provinces have affirmed the priority of funding youth ministry initiatives and the importance of engaging those under 25 with the gospel and Anglican tradition. At the recent meeting of Provincial Youth Officers in Hong Kong there was a lot of good news on this front. B...

I recieved from a friend It is work reading and thinking about. WEEP FOR THANDI A few weeks ago, my daughter attended a “team building” exercise at which the members of the team gave a presentation on their lives.   One team member, who grew up on the Cape Flats spoke of her impoverished childhood, describing a small home without electricity or running water. She mentioned that she and her two brothers shared clothes because they didn’t have enough to have a complete set each. She said, “I didn’t know that was WRONG .”   She said that she had only one pair of shoes, and thought that was OK because she didn’t know that it was WRONG to have only one pair.     She concluded by saying that she had thought it was an easy happy existence, and only learned later that she was WRONG because it was a very hard life and she was   unhappy without knowing it. . She apologised, giving the excuse that she DIDN’T KNOW ANY BETTER.   Thandi, who through grit, intel...