New Zealand Fo Guang Youth Representatives Attends “International BLIA Youth Group Committee Conference” in South Africa’s Nan Hua Temple

On 10th July, North Island YAD Chairperson Karzin, Vice-chair En Ruo Zhang and Yan Ling Zhao arrived at South Africa’s Nan Hua Temple to represent New Zealand for the “International BLIA Youth Group Committee Conference”. Upon arrival they were warmly welcomed by local Venerables and other Fo Guang Youths, accompanied by South African music. En Ruo Zhang touchingly expressed that: “Right now I am thankful toward everyone and all causes and conditions that allowed me this opportunity to come to South Africa to meet with everyone. Hopefully I will how to organise such an international event in the future.”

All leadership and team work exercises for this conference were organised by BLIA Youth Member Wasabi. Guiding Venerable Juekai encouraged everyone to cherish these causes and conditions to get to know fellow BLIA Buddhist youths around the world and learn from each other.

After lunch, Counsellor Wei Xiao from BLIA Youth Head Quarters led everyone into fun games to teach everyone to improve team work by self-reflection. Counsellor Xiao Wei used a hula hoop to represent a challenge for the team to solve, so everyone had to work together to pass the hula hoop to the destination of their objective. The young ones quickly completed their mission by giving all they had with spirit.

After the game Counsellor Xiao advice the youths to ponder two questions:
1. When facing challenges, is it more important to rely on own efforts or rely on other’s assisting conditions?
2. Is the person holding the hula hoop a “person” or a “pole”?

For the sake for more in-depth contemplation, Counsellor Xiao upped the ante for the next challenge by decreasing the diameter of the hoop while still asking the teams to pass the hula hoop. After completing this mission everyone deeply realised that good communication is the key component for completing a mission. Only good communication can promote and strengthen team harmony. Not only will we seek success for ourselves, we also need other’s help as well as helping others to achieve. This way we can all become the assistance to each other’s success.