EASTER is a Christian holiday that celebrates the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a holiday of great significance in the Christian faith. The commemorations commence on Good Friday and run through to Easter Monday. The four-day holiday gives believers and non-believers a time to meet up with friends and family in celebration of the forgiveness and restoration which people receive through Christ.
As we celebrate this “holyday” many of us may be on holiday and most likely will be indulging in earthly and canal activities aucj as drinking, partying and campaigning for political offices which have nothing in common with the theological values of Easter. Of course there are those among us who will indeed be indulging in various church or religious activities in commemorating Easter such as church services that include all-night vigils.
As we commemorate Easter, we must also think about the youths in Zimbabwe and across the globe. What is there condition and aspirations? During this Easter, let us spare a thought for the youths in Zimbabwe, Africa, Asia and everywhere else who are languishing in poverty, inequality induced by climate change and an unjust world order. Youths across the world are living under very difficult conditions such as wars such as DRC, South Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Haiti no name a few while millions others cannot read and write, cannot access health, food and other basics needed for there development thus many are now taking drugs, resorting to violence forms of resolving conflicts and All these need “resurrection” and all dry bones shall live again. May the spirit of Easter surely touch all.
During the Easter holidays we urge our young people to make the most of the time off and enjoy themselves in a safe and responsible manner. Hopefully some nicer weather is on the way too so that we can all enjoy the great outdoors and the many facilities and attractions right on our doorstep.
With the long Easter weekend starting on Friday, it is imperative that commuters and motorists prioritise road safety as they travel to their various destinations. We also urge the Youth to pray for safety (on the roads) throughout the holiday, we want to encourage the young generation, to stay cool, and enjoy their youth in celebrating the death of our Lord, Jesus. As we go places to attend church or visiting friends and relatives let’s all take utmost care and caution as we travel from point A to point B packed in the minivan, busses or vehicles so that we dont lose lives or hurt others physically or spiritually.
Let us avoid drinking and driving. Lets aspire to arrive alive. Remember that we are just mortals , only Jesus “died and resurrected during this Easter period. It is a fact that most road accidents are avoidable and presence of police on our roads can further reduce carnage, drivers and road users must also take responsibility by observing road rules, and avoid using unroadworthy vehicles
While the vast majority of our young people are well-behaved and conduct themselves in an appropriate manner, holiday periods tend to see an increase in large-scale youth gatherings. These gatherings can lead to various forms of anti-social behaviour, often involving alcohol or drugs that puts our young people at risk and also puts additional pressure on emergency services. Such behaviour is also intimidating and causes distress for people in our communities, in our town and village centres, for businesses and their staff, and on public transport. Setting fires can be another concern at the best of times but particularly during dry spells of weather when fire can spread rapidly and put lives and property at risk.
During the holidays is also a time when people, including young people, visit and reservoirs but open water can also be extremely dangerous and sometimes fatal so we encourage everyone to please exercise caution and take heed of warning signs. We ask once again for the support of parents in reinforcing what it means to be a responsible citizen and to remind young people that any form of anti-social or illegal behaviour is unacceptable
Paying attention to the language you(youth) use in holiday activities, This is an important element in learning about, rather than celebrating, a holiday grounded in a specific faith or celebrating a historic event, Your language choices also support or undercut the concept of religious diversity and each family’s freedom of choice. The challenge is to choose words that focus on the history of the special day and that also make clear the diversity of beliefs.
We all have a duty to make sure our young people are safe and by working together we can ensure the Easter holidays are memorable for all the right reasons.
May we have peaceful holidays and pray for peaceful elections later in the year.