Columbia Union Members Participate in Successful Global Youth Day

Story by V. Michelle Bernard / Photos by Ross Patterson and Mark Sigue

Distributing food and water to the less fortunate and refugees, visiting nursing homes and cleaning parks were just a few of the acts of service that Columbia Union Conference youth and young adults participated in last Sabbath’s Global Youth Day.

As part of this ongoing ministry, members from Potomac Conference’s Sligo church (pictured) in Takoma Park, Md., gathered food items and distributed them to nearby Syrian refugee families.

Another group from Washington Adventist University (WAU) in Takoma Park, Md., and Potomac Conference’s Beltsville Tech Road Campus (pictured above) in Silver Spring, Md., collaborated to distribute water bottles in Langley Park, Md., and pack care packages with personal items for victims of domestic violence, sexual abuse, substance abuse and sex trafficking, through the nonprofit Turn Around.

“I was so moved and excited by what small thing we could do for these victims,” says Bethany Sheridan, a freshman social work student at WAU. “It was humbling to find out that a simple bag with items like T-shirts, deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste, body wash, tampons, towels, snacks and other things could benefit an individual so much. It can feel insignificant to be that third-party helper, but the representatives of this ministry assured us that it was going to go a long way.”

See how other members around the world served on Global Youth Day here.

Click here for ideas on how to serve during the 2019 Global Youth Day (and throughout the year!)