CEBU, Philippines - No, definitely not the halo, halo, halo sonata. Not the Beyonce song.
But the halo, felt and seen, when thousands of young people from all over the world promised to “Step Up and Move Forward.”
In the recently concluded Youth for Christ 16th International Leaders Conference (YFC-ILC) held on April 3-5 at the Cebu City Sports Complex, 9,000 youths gathered to declare and celebrate God’s goodness and moving forward to a greater height.
This annual gathering is one of the biggest events of YFC.
Delegates come from different provinces in the Philippines like Bicol, Ilo-Ilo, Misamis Oriental, Metro Manila and from different nations around the globe like Singapore, US, Europe, Kenya, East Timor, Thailand and Carribean.
Stepping Up
Staying true to this year’s theme “Step Up”, this annual gathering has stepped up in all aspects – from the activities to the sessions.
YFC International Head Rommel Ancheta said that they have added more activities to this year’s conference.
“We have added the 1st Clergy Congress for our priests and the Bounty Parade wherein the participants can share the delicacies from their respective provinces. The Cebu City Government has sponsored 50 lechons,” he said.
The 3-day event features the much-anticipated activities like Workshops, Praise Parade, Set Dance Competition, Cheerdance Competition, Regional Booth Contest, A Capella and Gag Contests.
Furthermore, they have added a twist to the usual session talks done by the missionary speakers.
“We let them present their talks with songs and dances,” Ancheta said.
Likewise, original praise songs written by YFC members themselves were introduced. These songs were “Gracious God” and “All For You.”
This year’s theme is taken from this conference’s key verse Philippians 3:13-14: “One thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
More than the Usual
Event Head Gelo Saludo stressed that through ILC, they will celebrate Christianity in a more than usual kind of way.
“What we want them to do is to enjoy Christianity. We want them to step up and not just be a normal Christian. We want them to live up their faith and let Christianity shine through the vibrancy in their youth and the things they do,” Saludo said.
Ancheta adds, “We call on the youth to rise above everything especially the problems that go with being a youth”.
Saludo added that YFCs have their own way of putting a livelier face to Christianity to keep them from vices yet still having fun and focusing on God.
The conference further taught the youth how to be better leaders through the example of Christ.
As Saludo puts it, “We are teaching them to follow the leadership shown by Christ. Stepping up in their leadership means not looking for money or fame.”
YFC Day
As if stepping up in the ILC events and Christian teachings isn’t enough, the Cebu City Council set the bar higher as it declared April 3 as “YFC Day”.
Councilor Nestor Archival sponsored the resolution and the Council approved it during its regular session last Wednesday.
“We believe the City Council has been convinced at how big the impact of the event is. God has worked His ways and they realized that this is for the good of the youths. I’m happy that God through YFC has been recognized,” expressed Nina Donaire, YFC Cebu Provincial Youth Head.
In addition, a week before the conference, some of the youth participants have already stepped up – for the nation, as they participated in the GK Youth Build 2009 at the GK Site in Minglanilla.
With these 9,000 youths who dared to be different, when they could have preferred to succumb to problems and gone astray, proves that the youth is not anymore the hope, but the saviors, along with Christ, of the world.
These Youths for Christ have chosen to move to the groove, to step up and to go forward in Christ.
And God seemed to affirm that, as incidentally, by the end of the conference, he displayed a halo of rainbow, signifying his promise of hope for the world.
Definitely surrounded by His embrace, He is the saving grace.
And the YFCs did feel and see the Halo.