Little did the five young adult United Youth Corps volunteers in Jordan realize before they applied to serve for 10 months in Amman, that they would also be observing their first Feast of Tabernacles on the beautiful and diverse island-nation of Sri Lanka!

Sri Lanka is an island just south of India in the Indian Ocean. It is a very diverse country whose earliest settlers were peoples from different ethnic groups from what is today India. Sri Lanka is a very tropical nation, yet one with highlands that produce some of the world’s finest teas. While the country (formerly known as Ceylon) was occupied by the British since the early 1800s, Sri Lanka gained its independence in 1948. Sad to say, this beautiful country has been burdened with violence and the uncertainty of civil war. While the western and southern parts of Sri Lanka are generally considered safe, the northern part of the island is still dangerous due to the fighting between the opposition Tamil Tigers and the government army.

The “Jordan Five” (Zach and Emily Smith, Tine Banda, Lewis and Lena VanAusdle) were able to observe the Feast of Tabernacles with 27 other brethren from Sri Lanka, Kuwait, the Carribbean, the UK, Australia, and the United States—a trip and experience they never thought would happen when they embarked upon their year-long journey to serve and teach in the Middle East.

My wife, Tanya, and I (along with our daughter, Rebecca) were able to spend four days with the UYCorps volunteers and enjoyed getting to know our spiritual family from Sri Lanka and other parts of the world.

In the week prior to the Feast, Mr. David Baker and I had a teleconference (via Skype) with the Jordan volunteers and were able to prepare them for the trip and stay in Sri Lanka. During the conversation, each young adult stated in so many words, “We cannot wait to reconnect with God’s people at the Feast!!” After arriving in Sri Lanka, they were not disappointed. The local Sri Lankan brethren were as warm and welcoming as one could hope for! And these local brethren as well looked forward to having contact with other members of their spiritual family while at the Feast. With less than 15 members able to regularly meet on the Sabbath in Colombo, the local UCG congregation was very anxious to have all of the brethren from abroad come and keep God’s Feast for eight days in Sri Lanka.

While at the Feast, both Zach Smith and Lewis VanAusdle were able to assist by leading hymns and giving sermonettes at services on two occasions. Another blessing for the young families was the conducting of Festival Youth Instruction classes for the small children by Lena, Emily, and Tine on two mornings during the Feast prior to services beginning.

During the eight days of the Feast—Zach, Emily, Tine, Lewis, and Lena were able to get their spiritual batteries recharged, enjoy fellowshipping with brethren from around the world, and able to refocus their unique opportunity to serve peoples of a different culture in Jordan. Probably more than anything, the “Jordan 5” were able to have a deeper understanding of both the need and challenge we will all face at the beginning of the Millennium in serving all peoples from the varied cultures mankind has developed over countless generations as stated by God’s prophet Isaiah, “Those from among you shall build the old waste places; You shall raise up the foundations of many generations; And you shall be called the Repairer of the Breach, The Restorer of Streets to Dwell In” (Isaiah 58:12).

—Doug Horchak & David Baker

© 2008 United Church of God, AIA - Pilipinas