Congress draws in thousands

**Delegates from the different missions during the congress in Port Moresby on Monday.**

**Youths from New Britain New Ireland Missions of the Seventh-day Adventist church on their allocated zone at the campsite at Bautama in Port Moresby on Monday.**

A SEVENTH-DAY Adventist Youth Congress has drawn masses of people from across the country into Port Moresby this week.
Rows and rows of tents of different shape, size and colour could be seen at Bautama, a twenty minutes’ drive outside of Port Moresby.
A pastor from one of the missions that travelled in with his members said the daily sessions would be on helping youths in making informed decisions in their lives.
Sepik Mission Youth director Pastor Misikaram Guguna said this year’s event was with the theme ‘Lifting the Bar of Excellence’.
Guguna brought 289 youths from the Sepik Mission, which is East Sepik and West Sepik provinces.
“I brought 289 youths from Sepik Mission to Port Moresby
“They are from these districts Ambunti, Angoram, Wewak Island, Maprik, Yangoru – Saussia, Aitape and Vanimo.
“We will be here for almost a week, the meeting runs from Dec 16- 21. Purpose is lifting the bar of excellence,” Guguna said.
“We are living in the modern age, we have to lift young people’s lives and help them see how they can become successful in life.”
“There will be both Bible and motivational sessions to help them make right decisions.
“Guest Speaker is coming in from the US.
“Sepik Mission is happy to be here. It is very difficult to bring a huge number. But young people were passionate and committed to come here and will in turn go back home and offer what they are trained here,” Guguna said.
Two months ago at the same venue (Bautama) almost 5,000 women attended a week–long women’s congress opened by Prime Minister James Marape.
The event ran from Sept 23 – 29, was the third Adventist Women’s Congress organised by the Central Papua Conference and was themed “Empowered to Arise and Shine”, based on Isaiah 60:1.