Third National Youth Gathering for Nicaraguan Lutherans

Youth at the Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua’s 2017 National Youth Gathering.

NICARAGUA – The Third National Youth Gathering of the Lutheran Church Synod of Nicaragua (ILSN) took place October 28-29, 2017. Thanks to the financial support from many Lutheran Church–Canada congregations, 200 youth from all over Nicaragua and Honduras were able to come together at the Lutheran Mission Center in Chinandega.

Many of these teens have come to know about Christ through LCC sponsored feeding programs in the villages where ILSN congregations are located. Special thanks are due to LCC for promoting these feeding programs, for those who support Concordia Lutheran Mission Society (CLMS) and Lutheran Women’s Missionary League – Canada, and to the ILSN’s members who organize and run these programs.

A team of LCC members from Kitchener participated in the event: Rev. Roland and Anita Syens (Holy Cross, Kitchener); DPS intern Lenora Wallden (Holy Cross, Kitchener); and Erika Brandt (Bethel, Kitchener), and myself. Rev. Syens brought greetings from Canada and a special gift for each of the youth, a bracelet engraved with the words: “Christ Alone – Christ Forever NYG Reformation 500.” Because this was written in English, the youth were excited about the opportunity it gave them to witness to others when asked what “Christ Alone – Christ Forever!” meant. On Saturday afternoon Lenora Wallden was blessed with the opportunity to speak about her own adventures as a Lutheran and how the Lord has worked in her life—as well as how He is working in the lives of Lutheran teens in Canada.

The event focused on the Reformation themes of “Faith Alone, Grace Alone, Scripture Alone, and Christ Alone.” On Sunday morning, Rev. Syens was asked to preach for the Holy Communion Service (assisting ILSN President Marvin Donaire), where he spoke on Joshua 1:9 “The Lord is with you wherever you go.”

“This really enforced my understanding of the connection between brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of nation or language,” explains Lenora Wallden. “How amazing it is to be part of a family in Christ that spans the globe. It was an incredible blessing to see these youth and their love of Christ and experience the joy of the growing Lutheran Church in Nicaragua.”

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Lenora Wallden is DPS Intern at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Kitchener, Ontario.

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