FEJA Winter Retreat Empowers Youth to be Spiritual Influencers

The Federacion de Jovenes Adventistas (FEJA) of the Chesapeake Conference held its winter retreat from Jan. 13-15 at the Mt. Aetna Retreat Center in Hagerstown, Md., bringing together more than 65 young people from Hispanic congregations throughout the conference for a weekend of fellowship and spiritual renewal.

The theme of the retreat was “How to Become an Influencer,” with the goal of helping young people understand how to use social media in a positive way to share their faith with friends and peers. “I hope our young people left knowing that social media doesn’t have to be an enemy,” said Kenia Reyes-de Leon, Chesapeake Conference Youth and Young Adult Ministries director. “With God’s help, it can be a tool that we intentionally use to reach others for Jesus.”

The retreat featured engaging messages from the weekend’s keynote speaker, Alfonso Acosta, who serves as a pastor in the Allegheny East Conference. Attendees also enjoyed dynamic worship experiences and games. Two highlights from the weekend included a trip to Sky Zone and a Bible trivia game where contestants received a pie thrown in their faces for incorrect answers. 

Reyes-de Leon emphasized the importance of retreats in spiritual growth. “I think retreats are of great value because they help people hit a restart in their spiritual life,” she said. “Our young people can get so caught up in their school life and social life, among other things, that they can miss out on hearing God’s voice. Removing distractions of their daily life through a retreat helps them focus on what really matters.”