eurasia news>archives>august 2006>se europe hosts field's first nyc for youth

 

SE Europe Hosts Field’s First NYC for Youth

 

Simone Finney
Southeastern Europe Communications 

Strumica, Macedonia-- For many young people from Southeastern Europe, just being there was a big deal. 

Between historical tension in the Balkans, visa challenges, travel expenses and families in which Christianity isn’t accepted, gathering representatives from Albania, Bulgaria, Italy, Kosovo, Romania and Slovenia was a feat in itself.

 

Watching friends and disciples develop was sort of a bonus.

 

From 2-6 Aug., 62 young people, youth leaders, missionaries, volunteers and international friends of the SEE Field gathered in Strumica, Macedonia for the field’s first-ever Nazarene Youth Conference (NYC).

 

“It was a great time to have rest, to stop everything,” said Cezarina Cutaj, a young Albanian woman living in Florence, Italy. “I met new people, and it was great to share different experiences with them, to see that we are part of a larger family.”

 

The week emphasized discipleship, with Global NYI Coordinator Gary Hartke bringing the messages each night, and various field and global leaders leading nine seminars on various elements of discipleship throughout the week.

This summer’s SEE NYC fulfilled a dream that the field’s  youth leaders have been working toward for nearly four years.

 

“We’re a very different field from the rest of Eurasia,” said Zhana Georgieva, the field’s NYI representative. “So many different languages––even different cultures––getting together without having a Balkan war was actually kind of a big surprise for me, and I give thanks to God for everything he is doing in our nations.”

 

For photos from the first SEE NYC click here.