IS/IVCF Help in Building Young Hearts and Minds

Construction took place over the weekend of Friday 21st to Sunday 23rd October at the Turning Point Camp site in Maracas Valley, St Joseph as IS/IVCF hosted their Annual National Leadership Training Retreat. The theme for this year’s retreat was “Work in progress”.

IS/IVCF has been doing work in Trinidad and Tobago since 1956. Over the years students have been trained to impact the lives of their peers through their local school groups. The retreat is scheduled at the beginning of the school year to prepare the students for the terms ahead. The main objective of the retreat is to ensure that the student leaders are properly trained to execute the goals of the IS/IVCF organization at their respective schools.

Each day was strategically planned to meet the general needs of the groups. Firstly the students were given an introduction or refresher to the IS/IVCF organization and what it entails. Devotions were the first thing on the agenda for both Saturday and Sunday and it began at 5:50am and lasted for 30 minutes.

The Local Church vs IS/IVCF was one of the topics done by facilitator Joseph Caterson.  He taught the students about the significance of both the local church and their IS/IVCF groups. He went on to teach on the topic Fulfilling the Mandate – Maintaining the Vision where the participants learned how to plan group activities with that topic in mind.

The student leaders were later taught how to start a new group by facilitators Kurt and Laura Thiel. Reuben Singh, a member of the board of IS/IVCF was invited to the retreat to teach the young leaders how to keep and record the money that would go into the groups through offerings and other donations.

Other important topics that followed included How to Lead Someone to Christ, The Value of the Sponsor, The President’s Role and Leading a Bible Study Session. Student leaders were given the opportunity to practice what they were taught as they went out into the community in groups to do field evangelism.

From beginning to end the activities were compacted into a holistic package to foster growth in the student leader. Each session was made very interactive and students were allowed to ask questions and make suggestions.

According to staff supervisor Sharon Cummings “the expansion and growth of the clubs depends on training” and as such it was very important to have a good representation of the groups from schools across the country.

Student leaders who attended came from schools in Point Fortin, Siparia, St James, Diego Martin, El Dorado, St Augustine and Couva.

Some of the students were only able to attend for one day, however they were elated to be there, even for that short time. Sephra Alexander Student Leader at St Augustine Girls stated to Gospel Globe that she “learnt a lot” and “would definite attend another IS/IVCF retreat”.

Her sponsor was also in attendance and she indicated to Gospel Globe that the “information was direct and practical” and the sessions “addressed the needs of the group” she further stated that the retreat was “excellent training” for the students.

On Sunday construction ended but, the work in progress continues as the students harness this new information they learnt over the weekend. Many lives were transformed through the retreat but many more would be impacted as these young leaders were released into their schools and communities to make a difference.

You can see a full album in the gallery.

Written by :

Star India

 

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