GWAV Youth Elections of Parish Officials 2021/2024

The youth ministry on the evening of Thursday 22^nd October 2015 convened its members in the Lower boardroom of PCEA Kahawa Sukari Church to tackle two agendas, to hold their weekly Fellowship and to participate in the annual momentous exercise of electing leaders to take the ministry through the subsequent church year.

The convener of the evening was Mr. Simon Ngara (Baba Mercy) the Parish Youth Coordinator who kicked off the fellowship by expressing gratitude to all who had availed themselves despite the hanging clouds. The worship team led by Maureen Kiago took us through the praise and worship session that helped prepare our hearts for the very important task ahead of us.

Despite having started way past the stipulated time, the sharing session (Where members share their testimonies and experiences) had to take place and the audacious Ruth Waithera kicked us off in full swing with a testimony and later David Ndung’u shared his experiences in the issue of prayer and waiting for an answer that sometimes seem not to be forthcoming . He urged the youths not to ever give up on God for He always has good plans for us as seen in Jeremiah 29:11.

Simon to firm up the fellowship and usher us into the second agenda of the night gave the guiding word. He illuminated why electing leaders was an important exercise in the church drawing inspirational from Exodus:18 where Moses was advised by his father-in-law Jethro to “select capable men from all the people—men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain—and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens”. Having set the pace for the upcoming activity, Simon handed the mantle to the ‘sessioners’ Elder Maina Ngotho – Youth Patron who was to facilitate the elections.

The well-spoken patron of the youth started by lauding the orderliness that was apparent in the proceedings so far. While acknowledging Simon’s message on Jethro’s Wisdom to Moses, he reminded us of another Jethro an ordinary village man uncle to Whispers a middle-class protagonist who had a Son Junior, daughter Pajero and wife Thatcher, before you start wondering where you have heard of them as many in the room were pondering, they are fictional characters from Wahome Mutahi’s column Whispers published in The Sunday Nation from 1982 to 2003. Elder Maina Ngotho continued to talk on the qualities and importance of wisdom, the wisdom that comes from Above. We were reminded how in our daily life when faced with challenges as Jeremiah faced in the perplexity of executing his mission to uproot and tear down, to destroy and overthrow, to build and to plant(Jeremiah 1:10), we should strive for wisdom that first of all is pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. And finally be peacemakers who sow in peace and in due time reap a harvest of righteousness (James 3:17-18).

The elections was conducted by way of secret balloting – The Presbyterian way. George Kamau one of the youth members and also a church staff member was the returning officer assisted by Mr. Simon Ngara. The ballots were distributed and with no additional stay a Chairperson, Secretary, Treasurer, vice Chairperson and vice Secretary were chosen in that order. The leaders were selected from a list of 47 officials elected from their respective districts.

The new office were acknowledged by a standing ovation and though they did not give acceptance speeches, from their elated expressions you could tell they were ready for the work ahead of them which is to grow and uphold the vision and mission of the youth ministry through the help of God.

Here is the outcome of the elections.