Youth Conversations: Springs of Hope and Healing Amid the Worldwide Pandemic

Amid a world facing this COVID19 health crisis, the opportunity to connect with the south and north, the east and west through the youth exchange program has been hindered. But hope has sprung with technology. Past participants from Costa Rica, South Africa, Tanzania, Philippines, and Sweden met during the four Thursdays of April to share hope and to usher in healing from all the experiences throughout this our shared pandemic journey, the world over.

Indeed, as Christians from different countries and context, we were able to hear from our shared conversations that HOPE is what we hold during this distressing and fearful time of our world’s narrative. And this HOPE springs from the FAITH that we bear in the GOD who sent Jesus Christ to the world, to take our human form and to share in our pains and struggles.

Hope Springs from our People

When reflecting deeper, one thing that gives me HOPE despite these bleak times is to witness how people, even though they are hard-off and are scarce in resource, but still managed to share something to those who are more needy in our communities. The community pantry initiatives in the Philippines gave me hope for my people.

Even if the government and its officials have red-tagged the initiatives and named these as work of those who are going against the authorities, people from all walks of life have established community pantries which truly give assistance to those who do not even have food for their tables because of the pandemic’s economic effects especially to the people who are below the poverty line.

Indeed, HOPE springs from our people, the ordinary people, and not from those who are in power because during these days, they are only mindful of what they can gain even at the expense of the people’s welfare.

Hope, Encouragement, and Inspiration from the Scriptures

One feature of the exchange that I truly miss are the biblical reflections led to us by theologians whether at the midpoint or at the end of our exchange journeys. This time, during the digital exchange, we had our supervisors, Åsali and Maria, leading us in the reflection of the Scripture text from Romans 12: 9-21 which says,

“⁹Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. ¹⁰Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.¹¹Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. ¹²Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. ¹³ Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.  ¹⁴ Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ¹⁵ Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. ¹⁶Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud but be willing to associate with people of low position.  Do not be conceited. ¹⁷Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. ¹⁸If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. ¹⁹Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord. ²⁰On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” ²¹Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.” (Romans 12: 9-21)

LOVE is at the very core of our actions as followers of Christ who in his earthy journey manifested love, for all. That inclusive love for the sinners, the outcast, the unclean, the unlovable, those who are treated as persons with no value, shown to us by Jesus led him to be crucified at Calvary. This radical kind of love gives us hope to do good despite the many trials, persecutions, wrong accusations, and hateful attacks against us who only desire to with serve with sincerity.

Romans 12:9-21 reminds us of our pastoral work, our task to shepherd the flock, our fellow believers and those who do not believe in God. The text comes as a challenge for us to good, even amid the evil and greed of this world. This is a reality nowadays that when you side with the poor and the underprivileged in our society, you are maligned of your actions and marked as subversives to the ruling powers that be. But our challenge is to manifest good works, to be midwives of healing and sources of hope amid the uncertainties of the future due to this current phenomenon faced by the world.

During these times, there is that greater call to be more compassionate and to be more understanding towards the people who are truly in need. And when we share something to the needy even though we also are in need leads to realize that our small acts of kindness create ripples.

Truly, the exchange is not just a life-transforming experience, but it is also a faith-enriching one. The prayers, worships, songs, hymns, and moments of reflection held during the exchange period also instilled an improved consciousness and awareness of the importance of faith especially among young people of today’s generation.

Hopeful Despite Frustrations After the Exchange

Honestly, I am one of those former exchange participants who felt frustrated about my countries situation upon coming home to the Philippines. After I have seen Sweden as “an almost perfect” country, I developed a feeling of frustration for my government, the elected officials, and even for my own people. Seeing the poverty and sufferings of the Filipino people, I became so frustrated. Because I only wanted a government that cares for the people, officials who selflessly serve and not think of their personal gains and lastly, for my own people to be mindful of who they vote during elections. It took a long time for me to embrace the reality and that my simple example as a youth leader would soon effect change in my immediate community. This is through youth empowerment and by simply inspiring young people, especially from underprivileged families, to develop themselves and to aspire for a degree for them to lift their families from the cycle of poverty. Also, by helping them develop a critical mind for them to weigh things out as with societal issues. As I would repeatedly say, the youth exchange program has enabled me to widen my perspectives about church and society.

From the experience of the exchange, I was even more inspired to take the road of service for the church and for the people in the community. Our Transfiguration experience of transformation done through the lens of the exchange program is but temporary. We must, like Jesus, go down to Jerusalem where we are called to serve the people, in the various ministries where we have been called.

Lastly, I was struck by the question, “What does the exchange mean to you?” For me, the experience, in a way, filled me with so much awe for the blessings and unexpected outcomes. And when asked to point out unforgettable aspects, for me it was music, foster family and foster congregation, and the beautiful season of spring in Sweden. Music became my instrument to touch the lives of my foster congregations and united my fellow exchange program participants in our constant music sessions during our gatherings. I gained another set of family from my foster home where I also felt loved and appreciated. More so, I learned more about what is truly a church in the Swedish context during my stay at the two foster congregations. And the beautiful spring, the time of our stay, symbolized the thoughts and ideas that bloomed and sprung from the worthwhile and life-changing experience in Sweden.

It’s a Wrap for the Digital Exchange 2021

Good things come to end. But what we experienced during the Digital Exchange was history unfolding before our very eyes and I was glad to be part of the said activity. During the four sessions, I was not only able to revisit the experiences, the emotions and the thoughts gained after that program but more, I was privileged to hear again from other young people from across the world about their societies and churches especially with this on-going pandemic. But maybe we have not realized that our conversations, in a way, helped us to cope and acknowledge our own versions of resilience. Little did we realize that our simple sharing of thoughts during the sessions served as creative means of catharsis which helped us step into the doors of healing. Thus, our coming together during the Thursdays in April began for all of us, the process of healing. This healing I am referring to is what we need to move forward despite the uncertainties.

As my mentor in trauma and healing sessions, Dr. Al Fuertes once shared, we may not go back to the old life we had before the pandemic or simply, we may never fix the broken jar or transform back the pot to its original state, but this does not mean that we cannot build a better and more beautiful future by putting the broken pieces together. We should not deprive ourselves of having a beautiful future because of this pandemic. Hence, putting together our broken pieces despite the noticeable scars would make us realize that we can still have a better and just future for the generations to come in our respective countries.

Indeed, our coming together, our sharing of experiences, our simple yet profound conversations among young people have created a space for us to begin the process of healing. And that is surely a spring of hope and healing amid the worldwide pandemic.

As I end my reflection, let me share this prayer of blessing that I was able to craft after attending in a thematic workshop held last February on Trauma and Healing:

May the springs of healing flow upon you.

May your broken pieces be beautifully assembled.

May your spirit be like bamboos that bend over winds and storms.

May your scars remind you of the strength you bear to endure adversities.

May your heart overflow with love and compassion for others amid uncertainties.

May your share God’s healing despite being wounded by injustice and unpeace.

May you bear the light of hope as your journey forward to a better order.

May you spread gratitude to every person you meet today and in the future.

May you act and walk daily to build a more just and beautiful post-pandemic society.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

Another exchange journey has ended but I hope that new insights have been added and acquired in our long pilgrimage of faith in this world. It is my prayer that we will continue to uphold the values of the exchange in our daily lives as young people who have committed to follow Christ who embodied love and compassion to all peoples. May we continue to be united in service and in faith.

Klein Emperado, Iglesia Filipina Independiente Participant, Young in the Worldwide Church Programme 2014, Participant, Digital Exchange 2021