WhatsApp weekly update 24–30 May 2026

Hi everyone

Firstly: welcome to all who are receiving this weekly update for the first time. Thank you for registering to attend the 10th anniversary of Volmoed Youth.

Preparing for our 10th Anniversary

Our young people are excited and are busy preparing to host all those of you who are coming from afar. They are the first VYLTP cohort to have made 100 drums, so get ready to drum with us! Come:

• drum for peace,
• drum for justice,
• drum for healing and reconciliation.

Today we can declare that the registrations for the 10th anniversary conference (excluding June 16) is officially closed. Those who have registered will soon receive an email from me.

The people of St Peter’s Hermanus are also very excited at the possibility of hosting you and are really planning well. This wonderful co-operation between a local congregation and an ecumenical programme is something we must reflect on afterwards, as it could become a model for other congregations. Watch this space. In the meantime…

Bafana Bafana

What a full week this has been! From the sublime (Papal encyclical on AI) to the mundane (announcement of the Bafana Bafana – our national soccer/football team who will play the opening game of the World Cup on June 11). Without even being aware of the looming announcement, I wrote a “tongue-in-cheek” prayer for Bafana Bafana. It reads as follows:

“Lord; when it comes to Bafana Bafana, our faith and hope is severely tested. For them, we need nothing less than “resurrection faith”. At some point, do even YOU give up on them, O Lord? We hope not. How long must football loving fans suffer in this country? We do not pray for much, Lord. Help them to win at least some of their group games. Give them the discipline to do at least that. But if they disappoint us again, O Lord, help us to forgive them. Maybe you have given them to us to practice the virtues of forgiveness and grace. If this is so, thank you Lord. On a more serious note, please help them to get into the top 16, O Lord. Asseblief. Kanalla. And shukran if you grant us this request. 
Amen”

Most South Africans are sports-crazy, and we will get behind our team for as long as they are in the FIFA world cup tournament, starting on June 11. Football should not be a “black/coloured sport”…. It should be for all. Let’s unite around our team. Each one can teach one….

Local Life

On a different note: The “Local Life” newspaper in Hermanus carried a significant article about us this week. If you are in Hermanus, please get a copy. Also read a beautiful reflection about VYLTP by Rev Seth Naicker at https://indiafrique.wordpress.com/2026/05/28/jesus-justice-and-jazz-a-decade-of-shaping-beloved-community/#respond

Faith, resistance and the politics of solidarity

On 3 June at 5pm SAST (11h00’ET), I will – together with Rev Munther Isaac, Rev Rudi Swanepoel and Rev Mae Cannon – contribute to a discussion on “Faith, resistance and the politics of solidarity” organised by CMEP (the Center for Middle East Peace), based in Washington DC. If you wish to listen in, please register here https://cmep.org/cmep-events/faith-resistance-and-the-politics-of-solidarity/

For our US and Canada friends

• Every year, we host several USA groups. These groups normally meet with the young people and for many, this is the highlight of their time here. Many of them support us with their prayers, financially, etc. The first group to know about is a “Tutu seminar” from 3 – 19 August (or shorter if you can only be away for a week) led by Dr Michael Battle and myself. Plse email Michael on michael@michaelbattle.com if you are interested, or you know of someone who may want to join us.
• The second group comes to walk “In the footsteps of Mandela and Tutu” from 27 September to 8 October 2026. If any of our USA friends might be interested in this tour, plse email Dr Michael Spath at lmichaelspath@gmail.com if you would like to join.

Thank you once again for all your wonderful support. Please continue to keep the 10th anniversary preparations in your prayers. We trust that it will make a significant contribution to organising young adults towards their empowerment. We owe them our very best efforts, and nothing less. God bless.

Rev Edwin Arrison
edwin@volmoedyouth.org.za