In the hot summer, the Youth Ministry has a host of seasonal activities, among them our big day – the 25^th Youth Ministry Baptism on July 21.

       Before attending the baptismal class, the church will first interview the youth. I asked one of them why she enrolled in the baptismal class. She said, “I already wanted to enroll when I was in Form 2 but I had not reached the minimum age yet. So I must enroll in Form 3 because I believe God is real.” I continued to ask her what she would do if her good friends did not enroll in the baptismal class. While I was wondering how she would answer, there came a firm reply: “I will still enroll!” I was overjoyed at her determination.

       I particularly enjoy discussing with the youth how they have experienced God. Below is the sharing by four of them:

1. “My academic results in primary school were very good. But in secondary school, they became poor. I could hardly understand why God would still love someone as useless as me… One time, I cried my heart out at the great pressure of exams. I prayed to God to let me feel His presence. At that moment, I really felt I was being embraced by God. Meanwhile, the worship song “Do Not Worry” tells me that God will love me however I am… My doubts about God’s love for me gradually faded away.”
2. “I grew up in a highly competitive learning environment… I am accustomed to comparing with others all the time… I felt a sense of inferiority everywhere. I even doubted why God would care to create a “useless me”… One day, I attended a group leaders’ meeting as usual. The Holy Spirit suddenly called on me to make members feel they were being loved in a Christian community. At that moment, I deeply felt the mercy and tolerance God had for me all the time… I was like the younger son in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, covered in filth. Nonetheless, God embraced me without doubt.”
3. “For a period of time after the operation, I needed to use the wheelchair and clutches. I was afraid of how people looked at me. It all made me feel inferior… My mom then reminded me about the biblical teaching that we should think with sober judgment and should neither think of ourselves more highly than we ought, nor too lowly. I understood that in the eyes of Jesus, I am precious. I am the daughter of God… Since then, I have not taken seriously what others think of me. I personally experienced Psalm 31:24 which says: “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”
4. “A classmate criticized me by name in a school forum, calling me “shameless”… This made me almost collapse… I cried alone for a long time… Then it suddenly came to my mind that I could pray to God and ask Him to teach me how I should deal with this. Later, I told my teacher and my mom, both Christians, about this. They told me, ‘You did nothing wrong!’ This gave me much encouragement. I began to understand that God has all along been helping me in my life.”

       Listening to the life stories of our youth, there were moments of heartache but also endless astonishment. God allowed us to witness the beauty of transformed lives. The process is truly amazing.