by John R. Brooks, ELCA News Service
Participants in the Youth Gathering of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA) were treated to an international evening
featuring speakers from Guatemala and Sudan, a dance troupe from
Ramallah, and a popular Christian rock band from Australia. The
gathering is taking place in two back-to-back events -- July 5-9
and July 12-16 -- at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center and
Alamodome. About 40,000 Lutherans are attending the gathering
over the two-week period.
Francis Bok, a native of Sudan, was abducted by slave traders at
age 7 and spent 10 years in slavery before escaping in 1996. Bok
now lives in Boston and travels throughout the United States
telling his story. "I was not alone. God was with me," he told
the 24,000 participants attending the Youth Gathering July 14.
Bok, who has testified before the U.S. Congress and visited the
White House twice, told participants that freedom has no purpose
"if you don't use it [to help] other people."
Yessenia Vazquez grew up in Guatemala in extreme poverty and ran
away at age 15 to escape an abusive situation at home. She
walked to the U.S.-Mexico border in three months, was sent back
to Mexico three times and held 10 months in an immigrant
detention center for children before finally winning her freedom,
thanks to some nuns. They helped her complete her high school
education, taught her English and how to drive. "As the nuns
always told me, 'God has always had angels watching over my
shoulders. I pray that each of you knows that God is watching
you.'"
The Al Raja Palestinian Folkloric Dance Troupe, made up of
Christian and Muslim teens, performed traditional dance. They
attend the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hope in Ramallah and
are currently touring the United States. Musician Ken Medema
sang an original song, "Shall We Learn to be Friends," following
the dance performance. Newsboys, a longtime Christian rock band,
performed several of their hit songs to conclude the program.
Said lead singer Peter Furler: "After all of the concerts we've
played, [the band agrees] Lutherans are the loudest Americans in
America."
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
