Our 2012 Youth Camp Awareness Concert

Felistas and I went out for a date on her birthday last Saturday. In the afternoon we attended our intermediate youth camp awareness concert. It was the culmination of months of intense preparations and advertising by our young people. The number of Facebook postings that were counting down towards the concert amused me. I'm sure other social networks that I'm not a part of were also employed to bring in the crowd of young people that attended the concert. We just sat back and enjoyed the afternoon. Below is a short account of the event.

The three MCs--Kapanda, Selina, and Koza

Juliet and Juliet singing a duet

Kapanda Chibambo, Selina Chibutu and Koza Gomile were the MCs. They were a fine combination and they did a fine job. The concert consisted of songs, poems, plays, etc. The theme was constantly around the life and work of Christ as the answer to the many questions that beset the lives of young people. The clarity of the gospel presentation was impressive. Issues affecting young people such as immodest dressing, pride, the reality of Satan, hypocrisy, morally questionable entertainment, sexual immorality, etc., were addressed in these presentations.

One of my old favourites, Steve Green's The Mission, was sung very well by Sanctum from Lusaka Baptist Church. I would have loved to have the words displayed on the screen but it looked like the young people knew most of these songs as they easily sang along.

Twalumba singing a solo

Sanctum, who sang Steve Green's The Mission

In one sketch, David's sin with Bathsheba, his complicity in the murder of Uriah, and his being confronted by Nathan were modernised in the context of inordinate office relationships. Another sketch was written two years ago by a young man in the church (together with his brother) when he finished high school. This young man died a few months later in an accident. It was a wonderful portrayal of how young people seek fulfilment in all the wrong places and end up being disappointed and devastated by the world...until they look to Christ who rescues them from sin and hell. I wished he were here to see the play he wrote!

Our Junior Youth Ministry also participated with one song

Petronella reciting a poem

Charles Bota, our elder who oversees the music side of KBC, was in Cape Town on duty but for a few minutes he was able to watch what was happening via Skype's video facility to make sure the young people were taking heed to his admonitions. He had told them, "If you are taking part to show what you can do, or to be seen as a great artist with great skills, or so that the girls or boys can admire your talent or gift, or just to raise money for the camp...then you have the wrong attitude. Whereas all these things will sadly probably be a part of the concert, for that is the nature of concerts, you must determine to be different!

"Let your attitude rather be one about which ten, fifteen, twenty years from now you will meet one soul who will say, 'Because of your ministry at the KBC concert on 1st December 2012, I became a Christian or was restored or was greatly ministered to.' Let your participation be one for which the Lord will say, 'Well done good and faithful servant. You were faithful to me in your ministry at the KBC concert on 1st December 2012.'"

Kasi singing a solo and ending with prayer

Wonderful a-cappella sang by this group called Kozo

I think the young people acquitted themselves very well. The presentations were of varying qualities, with some being amazingly high. The poem The Incarnation of Christ left my eyes wet with tears. Of course, there were the usual glitches that betrayed the fact that it was not professionals who put the concert together. The voices coming through the microphones were sometimes too low or too high, little effort was put into choreography and dressing, etc. Having said this, it was obvious from the quality of presentations that they are improving every succeeding year. This year’s concert was by far the best and I look forward to an even better set of presentations next year.

ChristLife also sang one song

The play written by the young man who died soon after writing it

One side benefit of such an event is that young people build wonderful relationships as they work together through all the preparations that go with such an event. It was also good to see youths from sister churches who not only came to attend but also to present some of the songs and poems. Thanks to the Chisomo, Evangel, Lusaka, and Mount Makulu Baptist Church youths for helping their fellow young people at KBC to put up such a wonderful event. Our God is an awesome God almost never took off, but in the end the two guitarists far outdid our expectations. Well done!

Mumba participating in a well-thought out poem entitled This Is 4

Wonga and Chipo (sisters) singing one song for us

As the last item on the programme, Lukonde Makupe from Lusaka Baptist Church shared from John 3:16 and Revelation 20:12 pleading with the young people present to consider seriously the love of God expressed in the death of Christ. Eternal life was only offered in Christ. He spoke of the two destinations—heaven and hell—that we must end up in after the judgment of God. Only those who are trusting in Christ will find themselves in heaven. He implored the young people not to wait but to call upon Christ for salvation.

Lukonde Makupe preaching the gospel towards the end of the concert

Part of the crowd of young people who attended the concert

This was a 2012 Youth Camp Awareness Concert. Apart from helping our young people to participate in raising some funds towards their camp, it was also meant to create awareness among the young people themselves that our annual youth camp was around the corner. In fact, the camp begins in three days’ time (on Thursday 6 December). We are expecting around 700 teenagers to come for this camp. Please pray for us. It is primarily an evangelistic event, which demands a lot from our church. However, when we see how the Lord has blessed this camp with conversions, we think that it is worth the effort. Watch this space for a report on how the Lord will answer your prayers.

The Incarnation of Christ poem that drove me to tears

The day ending with a romantic dinner, with a water fountain behind us

Well, the end of the concert spelt the end of part one of my date with my wife. Felistas and I then went for dinner with two of our friends as the second and final phase of our birthday date. In that relaxed atmosphere, chatting about “the good old days”, we ended our celebration of my wife’s birthday!