Baha’i Youth and their adult companions from St. Croix and St. Thomas recently attended a Caribbean-wide youth conference in Barbados. Attending from St. Croix: Vanessa Ayala Berg, Jose Berrios Jr., Jevon Bradshaw, Parisa Bradshaw, Chandler Franklin Chandler, Marco Cruz Jr., Xawntoia Franklin, Michael Hendershot, Indigo Jones, Brynn Lester, Kasmus Patrick, Kimie Russell, Pedram Samoori and Ashley Soto. Attending from St. Thomas: Julie Armbruster, Lynn Berry, Jimson Blanc, Vinneisha Clement, Denali Miedema, Luke Miedema and Adoracion Rivers.
When asked what was the most important thing they learned at the conference, Brynn Lester (16) replied: "The most important thing I learned at the youth conference was that youth play a huge role in the community. We have to set examples we have to be good role models for the younger youth. We have to show them the right way. We can’t misguide them; we have to show them the correct path. That if they set their mind to something, they can achieve it, and if they fall and need help that we will be here to help them. Also, we have to show them that backbiting is bad because in these days everyone does it and it hurts others. It may seem unrealistic to stop backbiting, but it’s something we all need to strive for."
Kasmus Patrick (20) had this to say: “I learned that different cultures respond in different ways with each other, but we could still get along with each other and still go through God’s work and make a difference in the community by helping out the youths of today’s society set an example for the next generation.”
The Virgin islanders joined youth from the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Jamaica, Antigua, St. Kitts, St. Eustatius, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, St. Croix, St. Thomas, Guyana, Trinidad and the Dominican Republic. Altogether, there were 227 participants at the conference.
Among the topics explored by the youth were: Community Building, Spiritual Development and Youth Empowerment.
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