Sports Day 2006

Theme: Strengthening our Minds, Strengthening our Muscles

Event Type: Sporting

Audience: Programme arranged by BK Youth for BKs and their intermediate families

Age Group: 3 yrs - 80 yrs.

Number of Attendees: 200

Venue: Monroe Road, Recreational Ground, Charlieville Trinidad

Date: Good Friday 2006

Brief Overview:

The Annual Sports Day was organised by the Youth Arm of the Raja Yoga Centre of Trinidad and Tobago. The event was specially designed to encourage all persons attending to participate and feel comfortable even if they did not win an event. This year's sports day was quite different. It was very creative. There were events for all age categories, for both parents and children.

Sports Day 2006 was graced by the presence of the Minister of Parliament for that area, the Honorable Mr. Manohar Ramsaran.

Simultaneously to the games was a picnic – food, snacks, ice cream you name it.

Lots of fun, laughter and divine love!!

Children's Retreat 2007

Theme: Sailing Across the 7 Seas

Event Type: One day Children's Retreat (Programme organised and executed by the Youth Wing)

Audience: non BK children

Age Group: Children between the ages of 6-12

Number of Attendees: 40

Venue: Raja Yoga Centre, San Fernando

Date: Saturday 21st July 2007

Brief Overview:

Captain Zinco Parico his witty accomplice, Winco are on board "The Golden Ghost". They are on a secret mission - to find the lost treasure of Caribe.

They both have no clue as to what is the treasure, where to look and can you believe, they don’t even know how to sail a ship properly. What they do know is that if they visit the 7 C's, they would find clues that will lead them to the treasure. The 7 C's are our virtues beginning with the letter C.

Through a lot of creativity including a classroom set up as a ship and the 7 C's which are actually 7 islands, the children's understanding of values is reinforced. Each island teaches them something virtuous. At the end of the day they arrive at the last island which is CALM. Here they are taught that the hidden treasures are actually within one's self and these treasures can be accessed through turning our attention within.

A light and interactive way of teaching and sharing something very profound.

General Youth Retreat 2006

Theme: Canoeing through Life's Cascades

Audience - 65 non BK youth (aged 14-25 years)

Venue: The Cascadia Hotel and Conference Centre, Trinidad

Date - Friday 4th August - Sunday 6th August 2006

Activities included: Inner Reflections, Creative Workshops, Interactive Forums, Recreational Activities and Dialogues

Brief Overview:

This residential retreat looked at life through the eyes of a canoist. "Canoeing in whitewaters is full of newness, excitement, challenges and risks. It's an unforseen journey. The twists and bends cannot be predicted; the bumps and curves unavoidable. A very interesting masterpiece but also one that can be enjoyed.

The beauty of life lies not just in going through the movements but embracing each scene as it comes and extracting the essence."

So through the activities mentioned above and two invited guest speakers, the youth present were exposed to practical methods to enjoying the journey of life and seeing it from a different side and not always something that is always complicated and confusing.

General Youth Retreat 2008

Event Type - One Day Youth Retreat

Theme: The Missing Link

Audience - 30 BK and non BK youth (aged 15-25 years)

Venue: Raja Yoga Centre, San Fernando

Date: 15th August 2008

Brief Overview:

If I were to improve my life what would I really want to change? What is the missing link between me and my destination? These were the two main areas that were being explored in this one day retreat.

The participating group was divided into 5 smaller groups. Using appreciative enquiry questions, we delved into 5 sub topics - environment, peers, technology, parents and self. Each group focused on one of the sub topics and explored it from all different dimensions - what was the benefit, how has it impacted on our lives as youth, what is the missing link and what can I do as an individual to bridge that gap?

At the end of the workshop, it was realised that no matter where our energies were focussed, once we started looking within and fulfilling our spritual needs then all our physical and emotional needs automatically become satisfied.

Together with workshops, we did have a blend of discussion and creative reflection.

A Christmas Story

On Saturday 13th December 2008, the youth arm of the Brahma Kumaris Raja Yoga Centre of Trinidad and Tobago hosted their biggest christmas production ever. It was a light evening of educational entertainment extended to the public and neighbouring communities of San Fernando.

Theme: HOPE - Heal Our Planet Earth

Audience: Mixed (BKs and non BKs)

Age group: Families, ranging from 5 months old - 80 yrs old

Number of Attendees: 400, of which 150 were children under 12 years and 100 were youth from 13-30 years of age.

Venue: Raja Yoga Centre, San Fernando, Trinidad

Brief Overview:

The evening began to take shape with a drama entitled "HOPE - Heal Our Planet Earth"

The curtains opened with a heavenly Golden Age where everything was in pristine perfection. Happiness alone could have prevailed because all negativities were trapped in an ancient golden vessel. This vessel was guarded by the Fairy Queen who herself used to proudly enjoy basking in the goodness of the earth. One day to her horror, a little boy named Chuck, accidentally knocked that vessel down thus freeing all evils into the world. The happiness that used to exist was now tarnished and the world began to be plagued with sorrow.

The Fairy Queen being most upset with this accident thought it befitting for Chuck to understand the magnitude of his mistake and decides to send him into the future for 4 days. It is there that he himself experiences his heart being broken by cheating, greed, attachment and ego of mankind. He realised that human beings had become very selfish and was only thinking about themselves until he met a little boy, Adam who showed him that there is still a bit of kindness trapped in the hearts of people. It just needs to be released. This gave Chuck HOPE.

Through the voice of God, Chuck and the Fairy Queen are inspired to bring out that goodness by sharing the secret of developing a deeper bond with oneself and God. When we connect with God, His light and magic fills our lives with light thereby adding a warm radiance of divine love into the world.

HOPE continued to ring in the air with Christmas carols, instrumental and a puppet show. The evening was crowned with Santa Claus distributing gifts to all children present who were under the age of 12.

It was a fantastic evening of spirituality, fun and education.