Eloped!
How would you feel if your 13 year old daughter "eloped" with her boyfriend knowing it would put pressure on you, because of your beliefs, to accept their marriage? How would you go about changing attitudes towards marriage in young people in your community?
The theme at our youth camp was Personal Development. We had 145 participants attended and I had the opportunity to offer teaching on Love, Courtship and Marriage. This is important because other than the issue of young teenagers eloping, there is also an issue of the younger generations, particularly in Metro Manila, moving away from the traditional parent arranged marriages of their community. These young people feel free to be involved in relationships based on "love" that they have observed elsewhere but, unfortunately, this usually means they absorb the bad influences of those who don’t follow Biblical standards.
The teaching was conducted in a learner-centred style with active participation and interaction among the youth. We covered topics like: God's Creation of Humankind in His Image - Male and Female; Valuing of Self; Distinguishing True Love from False Love; Healthy Relationships; Developing into a Responsible Person; The Right Time to Marry; Choosing the Right Person to Marry; The Process of Courtship; Preparing For Marriage.
The last hour of the session was a question and answer session with a panel composed of three persons - one married man, one married woman, and one single lady.
The teaching was done with utmost cultural sensitivity and godly wisdom. The participants liked it very much and were eager to learn more.
Several young people who are passionate and strong in their faith boldly shared and testified of God’s marvelous interventions in their lives.
Click here to read more ministry stories.