The K.A.Y.O department is driven by the motto “Be strong in the Lord”, Ephesians 6:10.
The Youth Ministry is vital because this is when the Sunday School children make decisions about their faith and make concrete their values. The ministry is carried under the banner KAYO which cares for those aged 13-35. There two major transitions which happen here teenage and young adulthood. It is at this age that they choose to leave the church or join another denomination. They finish secondary school, college, move on to work and plan to start their own families.
The ministry is expected to recruit its members. We had planned to do this for the first time in the annual Diocesan Conference in 2020, but unfortunately this did not take place because of COVID.
Activities Achieved
- Despite this, the youth participated in mission, rallies, leadership trainings, sports, and greening activities.
- We had a successful diocesan breakfast prayer where we prayed and raised funds for the department project and mission.
- The department printed diocesan calendars whose profits has been used in mission work and the farming project.
- Organized successful first-ever Vuka Rites of Passage programme in December 2019.
The Vuka Programme
The V2A is a transitioning programme for the Form 4 graduates. The programme can be done at the local church, parish level, and culminate into a diocesan V2A conference. The focus of this programme is to equip the form Four Leavers to prepare for college life, and choice of career. Our inaugural conference had been planned one for May 2020 but due to COVID it did not take place.
A partner, “The Zabibu Fellowship” is expected to help the youth transition from college to adulthood and the workplace. This group is usually neglected yet it’s the best group of Christians who have untapped financial resources, skills, able to take risk, and do mission work. They need to be mentored to use all these for the glory of God. It is also this group that is usually struggling with unemployment and under employment.
Challenges
- Leadership: The leadership of the youth is very fluid because the youth are on the go. It is very important that they are guided so that there is surety of having leaders throughout the year and if one of the officials leave the vacancy should be filled. During the elections the clergy and parents need to guide and not get lethargic with them.
- Age set: The age set for KAYO is too large and diverse. So, there is need to create a strong teens ministry of those aged 13-17yrs, or the high schoolers.
- Parish, deanery and archdeaconry committees are not viable or active as they should.
- Pastoral the clergy and the lay leaders ought to plan for pastoral care for the youth in their homes, school and college as they do for other Christians
- Mentorship: The parents and the youth should plan for the activities of the youth. The parents and guardians should participate in determining the programmes that will add value to the youth in their church so that they are able to fund and facilitate their achievement. Both men and women ministries should be proactive on this.
- Resource Mobilization: The youth should be guided on the budget process and how to raise the funds as planned. The activities of the youth are wall beyond the diocesan quota that usually is the budget.
- Socio-economic challenges such as teen and college pregnancies, HIV/AIDS, stress and depression, academic poor performance, alcohol, drug and other addictions, immorality, abortions, lack of setting life goals, lack of good role models, irreligiosity, etc.
Ways To Overcome Challenges
- Hopes to partner with both the women and men ministries in building strong mentorship programmes.
- Increase school missions by identifying youth who can do mission in schools.
- Enhanced school chaplaincy by mature Christians, the Lay Readers, and clergy.
- Have working local church, parish, deanery and archdeaconry committees.
- Establish leadership fellowships.
- Networking forums.
- Career counselling and mentoring and job seeking preparation.
- Help them appreciate entrepreneurship as a career and help in resource mobilization, ventures and business pitching.
- Opportunity networking through AGPO and other government opportunities
- Set up departmental Income Generating Project
- Seek new opportunities in the greening movements which includes beautification of our church compounds through flower planting, maintaining hedges to add value to the spaces where these young people hang out.
- Mentor and couch on stewardship and work ethic
Future Plans
- Create a strong Teen Ministry.
- Train youth workers to work with the youth.
- Have a Lay Reader specifically working with the youth
- Equip parishes with counsellors.
- Start marriage preparation mentoring classes.
- Train peer counsellors and evangelists.
- Develop volunteering programs.
- Partner with Church Army to evangelize in parishes.
- Plan for mission and other emergency response programmes.
- Seek and collaborate with partners who can fund innovation hubs, ICT centres and small cottage industries.
Conclusion
A well-motivated youth is critical for the future of families, the church, and our country Kenya. Let all adults be good role models and the Youth Ministry Department is committed to create a safe and nurturing environment for our youth by engaging all stakeholders including, government and para-church organizations.