YMCA celebrated their international prayer week on Saturday in Mameldi East. The main purpose was to empower young people about life, leadership and service. 70 kids from the community attended the service that day. “It was a great day to spend in the presence of God and the youth. Every year YMCA has international prayer week, so on the sixth day of prayer, all the YMCA’s come together and pray. Mamelodi YMCA was the host this year”, said Pastor Lesiba Raphokoane. The Soweto and Ga-rankuwa YMCA were also part of the prayer as well as other stakeholders.  YMCA has three locals in Gauteng which assisted in organising the event.

During the event, they had variety of activities on stage. They had dancers, poets, karate kids and drama kids performing. “Mamelodi YMCA is alive and active, we urge young people around Mamelodi to come to Mamelodi YMCA to enjoy themselves as they are preparing for life”, Added Pastor Raphokoane. YMCA have other activities such as Y-Zone, it’s a program aiming at providing after care programs, Y-Justice, an advocacy program that provides awareness and prevention through the communities and giving back positive results in the YMCA, Y-Arts, which is a development of arts and culture through activities in local YMCA’s that include drama and music.

PortianTshepe, Matsepo from Soweto YMCA and Phuthegi banda from Ga-Rankuwa YMCA came to Mamelodi as representatives of their branches. Pastor Raphokoane and Monica Tshabalala were representing Mamelodi YMCA. Pastor Raphokoane asked the parents to release their children to come to YMCA in Mamelodi East and for the parents who would like their children to participate in their programs, they are urged to contact the Chairperson of the board, Mr Thapelo Rantho on 0721923218 or Secretary Pastor Lesiba Raphokoane on 0732734421 or Youth Facilitator, Monica Tshabalala 0733361938.

By: Fortunate Machaba