THE FUTURE IS NOW | Edyn-Mae Stevenson

THE FUTURE IS NOW By Edyn-Mae Stevenson

The saying can often be heard: “The youth are the future of our church.” In the Texas Conference of Seventhday Adventists, the rising trend of young adult leaders shows that youth are the present. Over the past few years, more and more young adults have stepped in to leadership roles, especially in their local Pathfinder clubs. Texas Conference Pathfinder Co ordinator Marilyn Boismier said this increase in youth leadership is “deliberate in an indirect way,” mostly due to the conference’s promotion of the Teen Leader ship Training (TLT) program. “We are hard at work,” Boismier wrote. “We hope to have every club in Texas participating in the program.” The new Adventist Youth Minis tries Training, or AYMT, certification is also at play in creating young leaders who are wellequipped and feel confident that they can do the job. This confidence shows in young

adults like Jose Leyva, former di rector of the Austin Oltorf Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church whose Pathfinder group is pictured above. “I knew I could handle it,” said the twen ty-one-year-old. “I felt prepared and had plenty of ideas!” “My leadership position was a huge influence on why I kept coming to church. I felt like I was needed.” Explaining his methods as director, Leyva said, “I heavily encouraged independence, letting them know how to overcome dif ficult circumstances and that God is present and all things can be done through Him.” After direct ing for almost three years, Leyva now assists with the Master Guide clubs. Twenty-year-old Robyn Foley took over director ship of the J.C. Wranglers for the

Joshua Crossroads Fellowship Seventh-day Adventist Church this past year. “I was never a TLT, but I was very involved with the church,” Foley said. “It definitely gave me what I needed to be a leader.”

San Antonio Scenic Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church “Jaguars” director, Sayd Villalvazo, gathers courage from more personal sources. “I have always been involved with club ministries for as long as I can remember,” he recalled. “My father, mother and sister have been directors in the past. When I was younger and saw them lead, I told God that someday I would like to become a Pathfinder club director just like them. My par ents were very excited and proud when I was asked to lead. Fortu nately, they offered their support and guidance.”

Daisy Hernandez, director of The Colony Spanish Roca de Salvacion Church Pathfinder club, put the mat ter of her directorship to prayer. “We just moved to the area this past September, and my kids (ages 12 and 14) wanted to continue in Pathfinders.” Unfortunately, the church they joined had not had a Pathfinder club in recent years. She was asked whether she would like to lead one. Knowing the young people in the church and commu nity needed this positive influence, she prayerfully accepted. The trend in young adult direc tors may also be having a positive effect on Pathfinder members. Foley explained, “Young lead ers like me are a wonderful thing for Pathfinders. We know

more about what they are going through; we know how to help them and make them feel more comfortable, and, more impor tantly, we give them inspiration. We show them that they can make a difference.” Foley shared a story about a particular Pathfinder who “is very shy, but he likes to help out.” During the 2019 International Pathfinder Camporee in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, “he opened up. He was telling me how he felt lost in the church, and I knew I was in the right place. We were going to get him on the right path again.” Irving Spanish Emanuel Sev enth-day Adventist Church Pathfinder Club Director Diana Mejia has been di recting Pathfinder clubs since she was sixteen. She finds purpose in teaching her Pathfinders to be grateful for God’s work in their lives. “One of the most important things in this life is to show my kids how to love Jesus,” she said. “Everything we learn, we need to pass to the next generation.” The Pathfinder members aren’t the only ones receiving benefits from the new leadership.

Travis Irish from the Hurst Seventh-day Adventist Church found a home in his Pathfinder directorship after leaving the Army. “I grew up the son of a Pathfinder director who also lead the Medical Cadet Core and started Youth Emergen cy Services.” After a few years following Irish’s military service, he saw a place where he could help out.

sisters, Sanique, left, and Suzan South, co-direc tors at Denton First Seventh-day Adven tist Church in Pilot Point, Texas. “We were both involved in Path finders when we were young. We love working with the youth, and this is an avenue to be of service to the Lord.” Their involvement is aimed at fulfilling God’s mission while encouraging other young adults to be involved.

Eduardo Castro, director of the Keene Spanish Seventh-day Adventist Church Soul Savers, called his Pathfinder in volvement “an answered prayer. Little did I know how big of a blessing it would turn out to be. The club directors at the time had such a positive impact on my life that I consider them family.” Robyn Foley summed it up nicely when she said, “I would be lost without my involvement in the church.” _________________

Edyn-Mae Stevenson is a senior music major at Southern Adventist University in Collegedale, Tennessee, who fondly remembers her Pathfinder campouts.

DAMIAN CHANDLER