The Western Highlands Seventh-Day Adventist Mission’s Youth Department recently awarded an advanced leadership training award to more than 70 participants.
Youth Director, Pastor Timothy Michael says this training that is provided free by the church to mostly its youths, is equivalent to a Master’s Degree program.
The participants have undergone intense four year leadership training, before being awarded by the Church.
The Western Highlands Seventh-Day Adventist Mission Youths were awarded with three different awards.
Master Guide pins which is a study of one year, Pathfinder Leadership Award or PLA, the highest award training for two years, and Advanced Pathfinder Leadership Award or APLA, the advanced highest award training of one year.
The training, which is offered free by the Church worldwide to its youth members, will help better the lives of the youths in their schooling, careers, and their leadership skills in church and within their communities.Pastor Timothy Michael gave the charge and said, ’’Master Guides go and train more pathfinders, PLA’s, go and train more Master Guides, and APLA’s, go and train more PLA’s and Master Guides. ’’
The participants were trained under the SDA Youth Department church manual, with intensive leadership skills on church leadership, community or workplace leadership, family management, advanced first aid training, survival skills, theology philosophy and such others.
The participants have the skills to do advanced first aid, do counselling on family management, courtship and marriage; they are able to teach literature or early childhood education.
They have the camping and survival skills, they can do fire and search rescue on land and sea, they have skills on finding nautical directions, and scouting. They can also conduct ceremonials such as marching drills, guard of honor, flag rising and such.
Facilitator, Mr Benson Safi told the youths to ’’shine your light as leaders in the church and of your community. Use your skills and talent for the right purpose.’’
The advanced program is not restricted to SDA Youths alone, but is also open to public to learn the important skills in life to balance the four aspects of life, Mental, Physical, Spiritual and Social.
The Church was proud to mention the name of the current Prime Minister, James Marape, who was trained with the same training to shape him to be who he is today.
Every beginning of a new year, youths register to go through the training.
By Vasinatta Yama, EM TV – Mt Hagen
