HONG KONG (ABP) — One year after it was postponed because of the SARS outbreak in Asia, the 14th Baptist Youth World Congress opened Aug. 5 in Hong Kong, with 3,500 people from more than 70 countries.
The opening session of the Baptist World Alliance youth meeting featured traditional Chinese costumes and music from around the world — from bagpipes to steel drums.
Meeting once every five years, the Baptist Youth World Congress is sponsored by the youth department of the Baptist World Alliance. Young people travel from all over the world to participate. BWA will mark its centennial next June when the Baptist World Congress, also held once every five years, meets in England.
Yan Yin Lo, one of the thousands of Hong Kong youth participating, said she loved the music and was delighted to meet a lot of people. “I have never seen so many foreign people before,” he said. “They are warm and friendly and speak English.”
And after three days and nights of continuous travel, Sanggra Gitor from India arrived in Hong Kong exhausted and tired. “But all the tiredness was washed away,” he said, during the opening session.
Donald Lawrence, BWA youth department president, urged the young people to “choose Jesus Christ, who brings true life.”
“As young people you can get involved in things that can land you in trouble,” Lawrence told the capacity crowd. “But there is no pretense in Jesus who wants to give you fullness of life. Choose Jesus who will guard your dignity.”
Participants, who were welcomed by Sam Luke, president of the Hong Kong Baptist Convention, also heard how the gospel came to Hong Kong through missionaries in the early 1800s. Their legacy has today resulted in the 161 churches of the Hong Kong Baptist Convention, with 62,000 members.
Hundreds of Hong Kong Baptist young people, with glowing lights held high, called on listeners to pass the gospel on in the same way it was brought to them.
For Judy Bailey, worship leader for the congress, the opening day was “a taste of heaven.” “I did not know what to expect when I came,” she said. “… I am very happy with how open people are and how many different cultures there are.”
Bailey pointed out that, in the first half hour of the opening program, there was music from Jamaica, Norway, Hong Kong and other countries. “This encourages people to be pliant and respectful of each other. It encourages each of us to love each other and it's a good time to pray together,” Bailey said.
-30-