In this turbulent time, group will gather in Miami Beach for sake of world peace | Opinion

I am a person who believes in peace. And I usually will go out of my way to achieve peace or keep it. Yet, there are times lately when it seems like the entire world is in a unquiet state. People are angry — about anything and everything, it seems. In fact, there seems to be so much unrest with people fighting and killing each other, and being just plain mean, that it is enough to make your head spin.

If ever the world needed peace, it is now.

It isn’t enough that we are still waging a battle against a pandemic that has taken nearly a million lives in this country alone: We seem to be bombarded with natural disasters on every side. Earthquakes, storms, floods and raging fires throughout the world that have killed and uprooted families and destroyed homes and businesses just add to the unsettled atmosphere that we are surrounded with.

But even in the midst of what seems to be one of the century’s most turbulent times, there is still hope. There are still some people who want to make our world a better place for everyone. One of those people is Marjorie York.

The International Day of Peace was started in 1981 by the United Nations as an effort to strengthen the image of peace among nations. Since then, York has been in the forefront of the commemoration in Miami-Dade County. York, a community activist, conceived the idea of a permanent Peace Pole where peace-related activities could be held.

On Sept. 20, individuals from throughout the county will gather at 10 a.m. at the Peace Pole located in the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Dr., to stand together for the sake of peace. The theme this year is “Recovering Better for an Equitable and Sustainable World.” The program is being presented by Ayuda, an organization founded in 1977 by Diana Susi to help improve the lives of children and families who are underserved and who are in need of education, life skills and programs that support self-sufficiency.

The free event will include a peace march, youth dialogue, musical performances by Miami Beach Senior High School students and a display of peace drawings from all eight feeder-pattern schools in the Miami Beach area. There will also be proclamations from the city of Miami and from Miami-Dade. The event will include lunch.

Greater Miami Youth for Christ is awarded $41,000

Congratulations to the Greater Miami Youth for Christ, which recently was awarded $41,000 by the Ocean Reef Community Foundation in Key Largo.

The award money will be used for its City Life KIX Indigenous Leadership Program and after-school tutoring and Bible-teaching program for children ages 5 to 12.

Ocean Reef Foundation Executive Director Yurianna Mikolay said, “We are pleased to be able to designate these funds to such a deserving and talented group of individuals like the young leadership we see at the Homestead City Life KIX program. We have seen, in the past, just how important KIX and Greater Miami Youth for Christ have become in the Homestead area, particularly over the past 29 years. It is our pleasure to continue supporting this outstanding program.”

Bonnie Rodriguez, executive director of Greater Miami Youth for Christ said, “Since the youngsters already speak the language — in the case of Homestead, Creole and Spanish — we believe indigenous leaders are the most important people to encourage and equip. It is our purpose to seek to identify and nurture young leaders who have an obvious calling from God on their lives to minister in their own urban community. We are thrilled with Ocean Reef’s response to our request in providing this grant.”

According to a press release, City Life KIX serves more than 300 children and youth in three locations in Miami-Dade County —West Homestead/Florida City, Goulds, and North Miami/Golden Glades. All City Life KIX clubs offer character and spiritual development, homework assistance, sports and arts programs, and life skills development.

The Greater Miami Youth for Christ’s City Life KIX component was founded in 1992 by former elementary school teacher Stacy Morales, said, “Our youth are one of the greatest assets of our community and they have gifts to offer, desire for growth and potential for development. With relational mentorship, students can be equipped as leaders to contribute to their community in the long-term.”

Morales started and developed the City Life KIX program by being a champion advocate for at-risk children in Homestead. The program is now one of five operating under the umbrella of the Greater Miami Youth For Christ and is located at 1088 W. Mowry Dr. in Homestead.

The other programs are, Campus Life, Catalyst Hip Hop, Juvenile Justice Outreach, Miami Youth Leadership Initiative (MYLI), and a mentoring program, which serve over 7,000 youth in programs at 22 locations throughout Miami-Dade.

Greater Miami Youth for Christ not only looks out for the physical and emotional needs of the youth it serves. The organization is also instrumental in helping them develop a relationship with Jesus and to reach their God-given potential, said Phyllis Webber, a spokeswoman for the organization.

Youth for Christ was founhded in Chicago just after World War II in Chicago, to help returning soldiers establish and re-establish their lives. Its first full time employee was a young evangelist named Billy Graham. One of his many youth rallies was held here in Miami in the 1940’s.

The Greater Miami Youth for Christ is in Kendall at 9350 SW 79th Ave. The website is www.miamiyfc.com. For more information and to make a tax-deductable donation, call 305-271-2442.

Bea Hines can be reached at Bea.hines@gmail.com.

This story was originally published September 9, 2021 at 12:00 AM.