3,000 adventist youths attend week-long union mission

ABOUT 3,000 Seventh-day Adventist youths from around the country attended a week-long Papua New Guinea Union Mission (PNGUM) 4th National Youth Congress at Bautama mission ground in Central.
It was the biggest compared to the previous congresses, with the last one held at Kambubu, East New Britain in 2005.
PNGUM youth adviser Edward Lohia said the youth congress was supposed to be held after every five years but this one was held after 14 years because regional congresses were held in between as agreed during the last National Youth Congress.
Young people came from all 22 provinces with some faced struggles and challenges on their way to camp.
“Some youths from the Western Highlands Mission (all highlands provinces apart from Chimbu and Eastern Highlands) travelled down to Lae, came to Oro via the sea and walked to Port Moresby on the Kokoda track,” Lohia said.
He said youths who came from Milne Bay had their belongings washed from a vehicle while crossing a river.
“What they could hold on to was what they came with to the camp. They lost everything but they did not want to go back because they chose to attend the congress instead of worrying about the material things.”
The youths attended leadership training and counselling on social issues apart from bible teachings.
All sessions were related to the theme of the camp: “Lifting the bar of excellence”.
“It was all about spiritual enrichment,” Lohia said.
The main challenge faced throughout the camp was food.