In the words of Pope Francis to the entire youth – “young people… you are the heirs of a great testimony, a precious witness to Christ… You and your friends are filled with the optimism, energy and good will which are so characteristic of this period of life. Let Christ turn your natural optimism into Christian hope, your energy into moral virtue, your good will into genuine self-sacrificing love! This is the path you are called to take. This is the path to overcoming all that threatens hope, virtue and love in your lives and in your culture. In this way your youth will be a gift to Jesus and to the world.
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And so, the Youth for Christ or YFC known popularly, one of the family ministries of the catholic organization, the Couples for Christ Global Mission Foundation Inc., is spearheading the 24th YFC International Youth Conference right in the heart of Ilocos Norte, particularly in Laoag City this weekend, from April 7 up to April 9, 2017. Some estimated seven up to ten thousand youth individuals from all over the world are trooping to this Ilocano-speaking dialect northern-most part of the Ilocos Region.
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Coming from what the community experience of “unlimited love of the Lord” in the 2016 conference, this year is greatly anticipated to be another Spirit-filled journey towards its vision of – “Young people being and bringing Christ wherever they are.” It thus means that such the energy being brought by these throng of youth into this year’s conference must be a blast of powerful testimony of bringing Jesus Christ to Ilokoslovakia!
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This year’s conference is promised to be packed with dynamic workshops and Parish encounter that are relevant to the lives of the young Catholics. The aim of the conference is to prepare the YFC members to experience Jesus through the conference in the concept of fun, faith, freedom and friendship.
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But what is Youth For Christ? As stated above, the Youth for Christ is one of the ministries of Couples for Christ (CFC). It is largely synonymous of a “Family.” In a family, there are toddlers, kids, singles and unmarried individuals. If they are married then another family is created. This ministry aims to evangelize youth from ages thirteen (13) to twenty-one (21). It molds a generation of young, passionate, convicted and Christ-centered young people, reaching out to them in every community, campus and school. YFC develops strategies in evangelization and establishes programs relevant to the changing times, meant to deepen the youth’s relationship with the bigger church. Yes, this is very relevant in the light of what is happening in our country and society today where there is illegal drugs, crimes to include exploitation of the youth, killings, corruption, and others where our future generation is very much exposed. And if they are not properly taken care of and guided, that future generation will be gone to waste.
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The YFC has programs that aim to cater to all areas where the youth is present. The five (5) main programs are as follows: (1) Community-Based Program – It works on spreading the good news to the youth in dioceses and parishes. It works closely with the parish structure that it is in, participating in the various activities of the parish. As this program works in spreading God’s message to the whole community, it acknowledges that there are other organizations within the same community that are working towards the same purpose; (2) High School-Based Program – It aims to evangelize the youth in the High School level. YFC believes that there is a need to evangelize the young from the High Schools because it is in this stage of their lives where their formative foundations are crucial. This time allows them to lay the foundation of the people they hope to become.
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(3) Campus-Based Program – This is the evangelization program based within College or University level campuses. It seeks to provide a point of conversion/re-conversion where a young person can grow as man or woman of God and be encouraged to take responsibility and gain leadership as they lead others to God as well. As such, this program accepts the vibrancy, energy, dynamism and free-spirit of the youth, and strives to re-channel this youthful spirit for use in the mission of building God’s kingdom in their homes and campuses; (4) TORCH (Towards Renewal in Christ) Program – This is the support program of YFC and serves as an identity membership of the children of the CFC Mission Core Group members. These children are being prepared and motivated to share the torch of leadership that lighted the path of their parents to continue the CFC mission, as it is handed down from their parent’s generation to theirs; (5) YCOM (YFC Communications) Program – It is the official communications arm of Youth for Christ. Its task is to assist the ministry in spreading God’s word to its members and to the world, and proclaim God’s greatness in a creative and powerful way.
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Of course, the YFCs of Benguet are excited to join their fellow YFCs all over the world in Laoag City. My family and I, too, are very much excited to lead them and join them. Many thanks to my superiors who immediately approved my application for vacation. It will be a chance to see the joy in the many faces of the youth-delegates, to savor the Ilocano dishes like bagnet, logganisa, pakbet, and inabraw, go to famous places in the North, and to have a spirit-filled Lenten season next week.
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Indeed, when you take part in the Youth activity, you feel like closer to the Lord, closer to His love! Why not grab the opportunity and be lost in the love of God, rather lost in the noise of today’s society governance.