David Williams Daniels President of the Moravian Youth Union of South Africa
Khulekani Magwaza LWF Council Member
The June 16 1976 uprising that began in Soweto and spread countrywide profoundly changed the socio-political landscape in South Africa. The students fought a good fight, 45 years later we still honour the never dying spirit of young people. “Josiah was eight years old when he became king of Judah and he ruled in Jerusalem for thirty-one years” (2 Kings 22:1 GNT) the youth are the future leaders of our churches and our world. A person’s major work for God may have to wait until he or she is an adult, but no one is ever too young to take God seriously and obey him.
The youth of 1976 never let Bantu education to disqualify them from being today’s leaders. David William Daniels President of the Moravian Youth Union of South Africa said “We are not the leaders of tomorrow, but of today. Today should never be seen as a day to party, it’s a day calling the youth to reflect, take action and be the change makers that is needed in our beloved Country”. Due to COVID-19, there are no big event that celebrate Youth day as before, but we can empower ourselves unite as young people, create opportunities for ourselves. Though we are not fighting for the same reasons as the Youth of 1976 we need to redirect our minds to the socio-economic state of our country.
“Let us take up our seats at the Leadership table and start getting involved with decision making. Remember we are all leaders someone is looking up to you and watching your actions or words” said Daniels. Youth engagement is a cycle of communities contributing to the lives of young people as this will keep our communities engaged and being able to take life’s decision. In closure Daniels said “We all need to find our calling in this world. It is natural for a leader to face challenges we can only bring change by great numbers of people working together with discipline and persistence”. LUCSA and our member churches would like to wish the South African youth a blessed youth day.
