Youth Forum

This is a story I wrote this week...

Lately on Monday and Friday nights, outside the World Relief office in Wamena, a lively group of Papuan youth can be found hanging out and practicing a music drama. These youth are passionate about God and about spreading the message about HIV/AIDS to their peers. They are some of the 25-30 members of the youth forum in Wamena.

It all began five years ago when a donor collaborated with the local AIDS Commission (KPA) to form the youth forum. However no activities occurred in the first 3 years and in the next 2 years there were only special events, like World AIDS Day, when the KPA asked the Youth Forum to participate. The donor promised to help fund the youth forum’s activities and asked World Relief to help facilitate the group, however funding has never come through.

Nelson is one of the youth leaders in the forum. He has been active for about 2 years and initially joined because he saw many of his peers far from God and he has a passion to help others. He loves coming to the youth forum after a busy day or when he is in a bad mood because it is a release for him and it refreshes his spirit. He and 2 other leaders help the youth forum continue despite the lack of follow through and support from the founding organizations.

World Relief has taken the group under its wing as well and the group now enjoys regular meetings. They recently completed the Choose Life sessions, a highlight for some of the members because not only were the sessions “flexible, fun, and full of jokes and interesting stories”, but several of the youth note how it has helped build their confidence. Orvinche says “before I wasn’t confident but now I feel confident. I like that I have learned how to be a leader and I like the activities.” Now that they have more knowledge about HIV/AIDS and are more confident leaders, they are ready to reach their peers.

Young Papuans are considered at high risk for contracting HIV/AIDS in Papua. There are many intertwining factors leading to this risk such as lack of knowledge, risky sexual behaviors, poverty, and gender. The Choose Life sessions build up the character of the youth but it also addresses some of these issues, giving them basic knowledge about the disease and giving them a safe place to learn about sexuality from a Biblical perspective.

Some of the youth forum members joined after an invitation from a friend or relative, but they didn’t really know what it was all about. Yet they are glad they came because they realize the advantage of being part of this group – for the fun, the community, and the personal growth. However, some have personal reasons for wanting join. Norinche was actively seeking membership in a group dealing with issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. She witnessed both a friend and a brother die of AIDS and this motivated her to join the Youth Forum. She desires to reach her peers so that “they will understand the dangers of HIV/AIDS and how to avoid HIV.”

Two motivations guide the members of the youth forum, the desire to see their peers drawn closer to God and to share about HIV/AIDS. The drama they are practicing tells the story of four young people who are lured away from God and become trapped in their sin. Their friends try different things like traditional practices and modern medicine to help them out, but to no avail. At the end, they are helped out of their sin by caring pastors coming alongside them.

Once the drama is ready, the youth forum will perform it for young people in the local churches. The words of the song say “Rise up like the eagle; out of all my troubles you lift me up…” Henita’s vision for the youth forum mirrors these words, she wants to motivate young people who feel the weight of sin or those who are living with HIV. “To give them strength to rise up again and have a strong desire to live well. “