INTERDENOMINATIONAL EVANGELICAL RETREAT

After a period of long gap, a lot of young people gathered at "Divya Jyoti Pastoral
Center"(DPC). It is an Interdenominational Evangelical Retreat organized under YUVA
SHAKTI banner with the sole guideline of Fr. Dushmant, who is in-charge of the broken
center after Fr. Thomas Chelan. It is a joyful time during the festival of lights "Diwali" where
Young Christians took active part from different denominations of the district. It is a good time
listen LORD and the theme is based on Holy Scripture from the Gospel of St. Mathew. The
three days Retreat begins on 16th October with the registration of participants and concluded
on 19th evening with a short cultural program.

One of the participants, Mr Santosh Pradhan, member, Catholic Church, Simonbadi says, “It
a great effort of Yuva Shakti to serve Lord by arranging such kind of retreats”. Atan Kumar &
Dharmendra Nayak of Sugadabadi Catholic Church are also agreeing with him saying, “We
got an open platform to speak in an interdenominational forum after a long period of time
after communal riots in our district”. Suneli Nayak & Rinkina Digal of Salopajodi Baptist
church highly appreciates this retreat. “It is the right time to start our mission of reaching our
people again” says Mr. Stephen Nayak who is an active member of Raikia Baptist Church.
Nathaniel Digal of Baligada Baptist Church adds, “Lord has chosen us to serve His Word
among all”. These are the some feeling of few of the members, who participate in the retreat.
Yuva Shakti - a group of energetic young people is believed to reach all the Christian
community of the district with in next few years.

“Youth has the power to recreate new things in every odds, struggle with every enemies,
have the power of New Generation, the youth only will reach to the every nook & corner of
our district” these words of Rev. Bishop B. Nayak, Baptisst Community, G. Udayagiri create
an atmosphere of ability among all the participants. In His preaching, he explained about
Jonas from Holy Scriptures and advised the youth mass to overcome every difficulty to
spread the Light of the Lord.

"Yuva Shakti" an Interdenominational Youth Association of the district organized the

Evangelical Retreat at riot torn DPC from 16th to 19th Oct 2009. The retreat took place with the
dedicated preachers like Rev. Bishop B. Nayak, Fr. Prabodh, Sr Samuel MC, Fr. Ravi
Sabhasundar, Mr. Evenger (Gajapati), Mr. Prakash Tripathy (Rayagada), Dr. N. Anand
(Gajapati) and other preachers of different denominations. The local police is being informed
and they cooperated for the same. Local volunteers of Yuva Shakti are highly praised for their
responsibilities at the retreat. All the participants also grateful to the organizers, as it is the
first one to its kind after Kandhamal Communal riot. Young people of different denomination
are happy to meet each other at the same point.

On the day of concluding, Sr. Suma MC, who is working for the riot affected people of
Kandhamal appreciate Yuva Shakti and give an opinion to the young mass to create a
society which will be based on Christian spirituality. Dr. N. Anand of Gajapati Pentecostal
Church was also present at the concluding ceremony.

“YUVA SHAKTI” started on 18th April 2009 on an aim to bring awareness among all Christians
of Kandhamal despite of different denomination and build a Spiritual Society of Christians in
the district. It has started its first Seminar on counseling for the riot affected victims on
13.05.2009 followed by a three days Youth Leadership Training Program at DPC. A Socio
Economic Drama will be placed soon in its calendar. It also planned to have another retreat in
coming days. The expense to conduct such types of programs is met from different donations
and personal contributions. Even the riot affected families of the district contributed for the
said retreat program.

But all the credit goes to Fr. Dushmant, who is so dare to reside at DPC soon after the
communal riot and organizing such kinds of get together. At the same time the President Saul
Kumar & Secretary
Rajanikant of YUVA SHAKTI should be praised for their dedicated services.