CAP Camp Address

This is a speech delivered on behalf of the CYM Central Executive Committee by Deputy Chairperson, Brother I. L. Phara, on the 21^st July 2016 at the CAP Camp Farewell Function:

Good evening brothers and sisters, we greet you all in the wonderful name of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. We are humbled today to come before you as the Central Executive Committee of the Christian Youth Ministry of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa – which is the only vehicle used by the church to advance the aspirations of young people in URCSA, and aims to equip them to become spiritual adult members of the body of Christ.

We assemble today, the 21^st July 2016, three days after the world celebrated the birth of an icon of reconciliation in the twenty-first century – Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. Through his teachings of Ubuntu, we can all call ourselves human beings without looking at anyone's skin colour or background.

Today also marks a historic event in that one of the founding members of our youth ministry (CYM), Professor Reggie Nel, delivered his inaugural lecture at the University of South Africa. We are very proud as young people to have one of the best scholars of youth development in our church.

We are honoured today as CYM to be tasked with providing these closing remarks to a very successful CAP Camp, which was held here in South Africa this year. I trust that our guests from here in Africa, as well as those from Belgium and Germany have once again enjoyed the excellent hospitality that South Africa has become known for.

This CAP Camp is the latest in a long tradition of exchanges between young people within the Reformed Church. The CAP Camp idea was conceived more than a decade ago. The early organisers – Professor Nico Norman Koopman, Rev De Wet, Rev Makoko and many others – made it possible for all of us today to participate in this prestigious event in the calendar of our churches.

The objective of the camp is to expose young people in our churches to other ecumenical churches in other parts of the globe. During the time that we were together – the time of community service that we embarked on – through working together we gained a strong understanding that we are all the same before Christ. We realise that it does not matter where we come from, what language we speak and the different hues our skins are – we are all brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.

I am sure you have formed strong bonds over this time and I know you will be communicating with each other on a regular basis. Each one must now go back to his/her country and congregation and give testimony that our God is truly a universal God, and that we are all bound together by His universal love for all of us.

In conclusion, let me quote Nelson Mandela when he said "People respond in accordance to how you relate to them. If you approach them on the basis of violence, that's how they'll react. But if you say, 'We want peace, we want stability,' we can then do a lot of things that will contribute towards the progress of our society."

I wish you all of the best on your journeys back home. Travel well and God bless!!!

CYM CEC was represented by its chairperson, Brother N. Mabuza, and deputy chairperson, Brother I. L. Phara.