From 13–19 July 2026, the Youth Alive Camp brought together 150 teenagers and 60 mentors, instructors, TLTs, physicians, medical students, and volunteers at the Stupini Educational Center in Brașov, Romania. Organized jointly by the Youth Ministries, Health Ministries, Education, and Family Ministries departments of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the event offered a unique interdisciplinary program integrating spiritual formation, health education, leadership development, and community building.
Youth Alive was conceived around a simple yet ambitious vision: to help young people discover that authentic Christian discipleship embraces every dimension of life—spiritual, physical, emotional, relational, and intellectual. Rather than treating faith and health as separate domains, the program highlighted the biblical understanding of the human being as an integrated whole, created by God and called to reflect His character through both spiritual commitment and responsible stewardship of health.
The camp was honored by the presence of several distinguished international and national guests whose experiences enriched both the spiritual and educational dimensions of the program.
Among the keynote speakers were Pastor Saw Samuel, one of the vice presidents of the General Conference (GC) of Seventh-day Adventists; Pastor Busi B. Khumalo, director of Youth Ministries at the GC; Dr. Katia Reinert, associate director of Health Ministries at the GC; Sara Salazar, Health Ministries director for the Inter-European Division (EUD); Dr. Roberto Iannò, Family Ministries director for the EUD; Pastor Florian Ristea, Mission director of the EUD; and Pastor Aurel Neațu, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Romania. Their presentations encouraged participants to develop a mature Christian faith expressed through service, healthy living, and active mission.
The educational philosophy of the camp reflected contemporary evidence demonstrating that adolescence represents a critical developmental period during which lifelong health behaviors, values, and patterns of decision-making are established. Consequently, the program combined biblical teaching with scientifically grounded health education, enabling participants to acquire practical knowledge applicable to everyday life.
Throughout the week, teenagers attended plenary sessions, interactive workshops, small-group discussions, and mentoring activities. Topics included Christian identity, mental and emotional health, addiction prevention, lifestyle medicine, healthy relationships, decision making, resilience, and spiritual growth. Rather than relying solely on lectures, the organizers emphasized active learning, dialogue, critical thinking, and personal reflection.
One of the defining characteristics of Youth Alive was its small-group mentoring model. Every participant belonged to a mentor-led group that met daily for discussion, prayer, Bible study, and personal interaction. These groups created an environment of trust in which young people could openly address questions of faith, identity, relationships, and personal challenges while building meaningful friendships with peers from across Romania.
Beyond its educational objectives, the camp promoted the development of healthy lifestyle habits. Daily physical activities, outdoor games, sports, and recreational programs encouraged movement and teamwork while reinforcing the importance of regular physical exercise as an essential component of long-term health.
Equally important was the multidisciplinary character of the organizing team. Physicians, medical students, youth leaders, pastors, teachers, and experienced mentors worked together throughout the week. This collaboration demonstrated that the promotion of adolescent wellbeing requires cooperation across multiple disciplines, integrating medical knowledge with education, family support, spiritual care, and community engagement.
The camp also created numerous opportunities for service and leadership development. Participants were encouraged not only to receive knowledge but also to become future mentors, volunteers, and leaders capable of positively influencing their schools, churches, and communities. This emphasis on leadership reflects growing recognition that peer influence is one of the strongest determinants of adolescent behavior and can become a powerful force for positive change when intentionally cultivated.
A particularly meaningful moment came during the Sabbath morning worship, which included a baptism and an invitation for participants to sign the Youth Alive Pledge. In response to the appeal, 18 young people came forward, expressing their decision to prepare for baptism and publicly commit their lives to Christ. Their response was a powerful testimony that God had been working in their hearts throughout the week, as Bible studies, worship services, seminars, small-group discussions, and personal conversations gradually led them to this life-changing decision.
For many participants, this was more than an emotional moment—it marked the beginning of a personal journey of faith and discipleship. The atmosphere was filled with gratitude, joy, and a renewed sense of purpose as the entire congregation witnessed these young people take a decisive step toward following Jesus.
This became one of the spiritual highlights of the entire program, beautifully reflecting the heart of Youth Alive: not only promoting healthy choices, meaningful relationships, and emotional wellbeing, but ultimately leading young people into a personal, transforming, and lifelong relationship with Jesus Christ. It served as a powerful reminder that while health and lifestyle education are valuable, the greatest goal of Youth Alive is to help young people experience the hope, freedom, and new life found in Christ.
All 150 participants enthusiastically took part in community service and charitable projects in the city of Brașov and four surrounding villages.
Thirty teenagers visited 20 disadvantaged families, each with between five and eleven children. They delivered clothes, toys, and food, but their ministry went far beyond providing material assistance: they sang with the families, played with the children, and spent meaningful time getting to know them.
Another 70 participants visited two Adventist churches in the region, where they met approximately 140 children from non-Adventist families. Both churches are actively involved in serving local children through Vacation Bible School and programs organized by the Youth and Health Ministries departments. As a result, the volunteers were welcomed by a large and enthusiastic group of children. They sang together, shared stories, played games, and made sure that every child felt seen and loved. At the end of the program, each child received a gift containing food and toys.
The remaining 50 Youth Alive participants went into Brașov’s parks and other public areas, offering flowers to women and bottles of water to passersby—a gesture that was especially appreciated on such a hot day. These simple acts of kindness often sparked curiosity and opened the door to meaningful conversations.
One particularly moving encounter took place when a woman who received a flower began to cry. Deeply touched by the gesture, she told the two volunteers that she had recently been diagnosed with cancer and was anxious about the future. She said that their unexpected kindness had given her hope. The two young women listened to her, offered words of encouragement, and showed her the QR code printed on the ribbon around the flower. The code provided access to Christian resources, devotionals, and Bible studies. The same QR code was also included on the water bottles.
Through these service projects, the Youth Alive participants discovered that even the simplest expression of kindness can bring comfort, inspire hope, and create opportunities to share God’s love. The day left a lasting impression not only on the people they served, but also on the young volunteers themselves.
Perhaps the greatest achievement of Youth Alive 2026 cannot be measured simply by attendance figures or the number of presentations delivered. Its true success lay in creating an environment where young people encountered Christ, developed meaningful friendships, gained practical health knowledge, strengthened their faith, and discovered that authentic Christianity embraces every aspect of human life.
The Youth Alive Camp demonstrated that when biblical principles are combined with evidence-based health education, compassionate mentoring, and intentional community, adolescence becomes not merely a period of vulnerability but a remarkable opportunity for growth, character formation, and lifelong commitment to serving both God and humanity.
Dr. Ana-Maria Zanfir is Health Ministries Director at the Romanian Union.
