If you think our youths are disconnected from God and religion, there is a group that will prove you wrong.

Thirteen young people from the across the Bermuda Conference of Seventh-day Adventists travelled to Louisville, Kentucky in December to attend the Generation Youth Christ Conference.

Alyson Thompson first went in 2016 and has returned each year since, taking more and more Bermudian Adventist youth with her.

“I was so energised in my faith from GYC and I desperately wanted my friends at home to experience it too,” she said.

“I was able to convince my friend, Erin Basden, to come along the next year.

“She had been desiring to learn more about God as well, so in 2017 we attended GYC in Phoenix, Arizona. In 2018, we returned to GYC in Houston bringing a total of 13 Bermudians.

“Over the past three years, young Bermudians have been fully immersed in and transformed by God working through this global event.

“From our time at GYC we have all grown closer to God and as a result we’ve overcome health issues, addictions, depression and anxiety.

“We have developed a greater sense of our life’s purpose and found strength and hope through life’s difficult moments.”

Last year’s conference was Randall Lister’s second. He had been reluctant to attend his first but “some gentle nudges from Alyson and Erin” persuaded him to give it a try.

“I was blessed by it and found it to be truly enriching,” he said.

“I believe it was because it enhanced me spiritually through the united prayer sessions, it enhanced me intellectually through the daily seminars and it also enhanced me physically and socially, by way of the outreach projects.

“Simply put, I felt that GYC had prepared me to be a well-rounded Christian by giving me wellness of mind, body and soul.

“I also felt that my first GYC had impacted me so effectively that I really wouldn’t need to ever go again.

“But the prospect of travelling to GYC with a bunch of newbies and getting to see their reactions as they experienced the marvellous intricacies of it for the very first time was a hard one to pass up.

“And so, reluctant as always, I signed up to go to GYC again. And, of course, in the end I am glad that I did because once again I was blessed.”

Chelsea Crockwell was one of the “newbies” he travelled with.

She had heard about GYC and, as her faith evolved, she felt more and more compelled to go.

“My relationship with God has really transformed over the past year. God truly put a strong desire in me to attend GYC in Louisville.

“I just knew I had to attend but, although my desire to go was strong, my funds to get there were weak.

“However, my faith in God, who is bigger than my budget, inspired me to take a step of faith.

“Through contributions from my church and loved ones, my younger sister, Destiny, and I were able to attend.”

Open to people aged 18 to 35, the conference helped all three in their quest to achieving a more intentional relationship with God.

Alyson had been wondering why she was not having the same spiritual experience as some of the people around her.

“She decided to study the Bible with more fervor and follow its teachings deliberately.

“I questioned whether my religion was actually helping me in any way and if the Bible was true and why it seemed to work for some and not for me.

“I remember thinking that maybe the Bible will work if I follow what it says 100 per cent. I set out to test every idea that I came across in the Bible, one by one, for myself.”

Positive change happened in the way she “thought, acted and in [her] overall health” and, as a result, her faith “became more grounded”.

Randall was raised an Adventist. Baptised at the age of 10, he became a member of Warwick Seventh-day Adventist Church, but didn’t fully grasp its teachings until years later.

“It wasn’t until I got older and I grew up and God allowed me to go through some things that I began to really understand what the Bible verses that I had learnt, years before, really meant.

“As I began to experience life’s ups and downs and tests and trials, I suddenly remembered the little old memory gems that I had learnt, back in my childhood.

“And I then realised that they were more than just words. They were promises to me; promises of reassurance, peace, strength, guidance and hope. In the difficult times of my life, those promises would come racing to my mind and would pull me through.”

Chelsea grew up in a mixed-faith family. Like Randall, her relationship with God developed through her experience as a young adult.

“Growing up, I wanted to do life on my terms and so I had to learn some hard lessons,” she said.

“But it was through these times that I discovered God’s unfailing love, grace and mercy towards me. My Adventist faith has always been a foundation in my life. Now that I am older I have a deeper appreciation for my faith’s fundamental beliefs.”

The next Generation Youth Christ Conference takes place in Columbus, Ohio from December 30 to January 3. For more information: waytogyc@gmail.com; gycweb.org