BLINDSPOT

Jecyrel B. Belga

Looking back on my many years in youth ministry, I see that I was working so hard to
win the hearts of students to the youth group. I want the youth group to be the place where they
found their connection, community, and identity. What I should have done was sought to win
their hearts to their families and our entire church. My mission should have been to help them
find their connection, community, and identity at home and with our entire church family, not
only with their peers.

The session about Global Asian Landscape Youth and Families was so good to me. Ms.
Wendy started it with our personal story, it catches me easily. Ms. Wendy also said “Don’t chase
happiness. Chase love. If you love deeply you will be happy.” She also asked us about our
dreams and fears and after that, she showed the survey about the dreams and priorities of young
people today. The motivation and priority of young people today is family and purpose in life.
Family is the best motivation for young people. Family can bring happiness and sorrow. There is
no perfect family. The formula would be, Gods plan + effort together = family. It is not easy to
have a family that is so strong, it takes effort. Family can be strong if the communication is open,
if the couples live for each other, the extended family provides support rather than pressure. The
children should be accepted with love. Women and men share the work of building a strong
family culture. The family has a great impact on the children, young people and to society. It can
affect so many things. My family wasn’t perfect but I could say that my parents did their best to
have a complete family. The more I stayed, learned and understand so many things when I
studied here in IFFA, the more I appreciate and love my family and the more I am empowered to
help the young people. Understanding the different types of family also helps me to wider my
mind and see things in different perspectives.

Accompanying young people means trusting in their search for meaning and purpose.
Many young people are searching for their purpose and looking for something in life. they have
so many blind spots and me, myself have my blind spots. We can help them in so many ways but
being with them and listening to them is the biggest help we could ever offer. To feel that they
have a family in the church is the best thing that the youth ministry can offer.
 Family as a basic community of love. Ability to share and care and can provide happiness
through acceptance, love and a sense of belonging. The idea of “home” gives happiness when the
family is strong and able.

God is calling me to build a home and to create an atmosphere of a family in our youth
ministry because some are looking and searching for it, some doesn’t have it, some have it but
they cannot feel that they are needed or belong, some are also begging for the care, attention, and
love of a family. I should also be a responsible mother for my youth ministry.