Sunday, August 6, was not a regular Sunday for the youth at the Apostolic Faith Church in Yakima, Washington. That day, around twenty-five people attended a youth program following the morning devotional service. The program included a meal, Bible games, singing, and praying together. The purpose of the program was to celebrate young people who will be starting new chapters in their lives, including recent high school graduates who are beginning college classes and jobs. The congregation put together the event to give the young people an opportunity to fellowship, learn from each other, and hear words of wisdom from older members of the church.

The youth program included time to sing action songs, and then two teams were organized by a young woman named Gabby to compete in a scavenger hunt. Femi Ojo, who was visiting from New York, led the hunt, in which one team had to search the premises for the hidden letters of the theme of the program, “GOD HAS A PLAN FOR ME,” and the other team had to use clues to decipher a code that would help them locate two Bible verses: Isaiah 55:8-9. Later, a young man named Enoch led a game of Bible Jeopardy on the first six chapters of Daniel. Groups had been studying these chapters before the game, so this was a test of their knowledge.

The games helped reinforce the message for the day: that God has good thoughts and plans for each and every one, to give them an expected end. Femi Ojo commented, “The youth program was a good time to sit down and fellowship and get a better understanding of the Bible and how it relates to our lives.” It also reminded the young people to put God first as they move to the next stage of their lives.

The elders enjoyed fellowship with the young people, shared timely words of wisdom, and prayed for them and the start of their new school year. Testimonies were also shared by the youth, letting people know of God’s goodness in their lives. The young people had some time to reflect on their times and activities and the impact the church has made on them. One youth named Biba said, “It made me really happy because we were all able to come together as a unit, learn together, pray, and still have fun at the same time, and eat good food.”

Miguel Ochoa, who attended the program, said, “The youth program was very welcoming and warm to the new people who want to follow the Lord.” While it was a special time for new people, it also served as a chance to spread the love of God. “The youth program was lots of fun and it was a good time to share our love for God with people who might not come to church regularly,” said Gabriela Verduzco.

The youth program was an afternoon of hope and love as everyone shared in the joy and prosperity of the young people, and welcomed more youth to enjoy fellowship and growth at our church in Yakima. Congratulations to this year’s graduates, and we pray God will be with them in the days ahead!