By Hilario Seo
15 February 2015, Daejeon: 250 young people gathered at the Salesian Youth Center in Daejeon with “Take off your Sandals” as the theme of their gathering for the 4th edition of SYDK (Salesian Youth Days in Korea.
The principal theme of this year is the Israel people’s deep experience of God. The youngsters joined the SYDK within the two nights and three days’ program, trying to realize that experience of God through leaving from the routine and sharing their own life story as led by God.
The majority of these youngsters belong to the Salesian movement, run by the local communities with the name of “Bosconian” since 2008 Korea Salesian Youth Day which is a fruit of the cooperation between the Salesian family group, SDB, FMA, SCG (Suore della Carità di Gesù) and SYM leaders, especially those who are involved in the field of youth ministry
Young people from all over the country, staying together with Salesians, reflecting the Israel people’s story and experiencing to leave for the desert, had the time to explore God’s plan for each of them. In particular, from the reflection on the life in the desert, they learned what is the meaning of following God’s calling, that is nothing when related to the special person but each of us has to leave our own safety and comfort zone to reach the promised land and in the words of Pope Francis, the “periphery”.
“Being
young, in other words, means that we have dreams. Like Don Bosco,
each one of you, young people, make your dream and effort to realize
it. We, Salesians are always going to accompany your journey in its
actualization.” Fr. Valentin
Shin, Provincial Youth
Ministry Delegator and main director of SYDK 2015
expressed his best wishes during the closing mass homily, encouraging
young people to enforce the SYM more actively in the society of the
uncertainty era to help many young people who live hardly with no
dream to leave. “Even though the demand of leaving from the
accustomed life style is always painful and provokes a strong
reaction like seen in the Exodus, we should have the courage to ask
to young people who have a strong tendency, who don’t have a fixed
desire to find more value in life but also don’t move even in front
of a fatal accident.” said Fr. John Jeon, the executive
director of the SYDK
2015 when he explained the motive of selecting the theme. “I would
like to give this fantastic experience to my friends around me. In
3 days and 2 nights of SYDK, I certainly was able to know how much
big is God’s love, and that love continues to be passed to us
through Don Bosco and even today by the Salesians. I decided to
propose to my friends, taking off their sandals in order to find new
dimension of the faith.”
Like the testimony of a youth who participated in the SYDK we hope to spread to the entire country, and to the whole world God’s love for the young.
