Cultural Exchange Programme

18 youth from Andhra Pradesh came back after their one month long cultural exchange programme, on 7th January, 2007. The Youth Delegation was involved in avaried and memorable program which included youth retreat with people from 20 States of India, National Charismatic convention, leadership training program and visits to a number of families, pilgrim centres and historical places of South India.


This CEP 2006 is divided in to 4 Phases.

Phase 1 : Retreat at Divine retreat centre,
Muringnoor.From 8th Dec '06 to 15 Dec '06
On 8th Dec all most 220 particpants arrived to Kerala for this CEP 2006.
On 9th Dec Registration, Introduction and all the formalities were done.
From 10th Dec to 15th Dec , Retreat in different languages according to their languages. AP People got previlize to attend retreat in Telugu.

All most everyone experienced God and many participants felt the God's Touch & presence during Adoration.

Phase 2 (including 2 sundays) :Cultural xchange at Zones.
AP Participants were sent to Thrichur Zone.
From 16th Dec to 26th Dec they lived with Jesus youth families of the zone.

Thrissur Zone was sub divided in to 5 zones and AP participants we send to different parishes in those sub zone they are.
1 Paruvil - Mannaluru Parish -Chakry,Sasi,Sony,Hepsiba,bhaskar,babu
2 Kuttemgudem - Mundoor Parish-Rani,Sushma,Praveen,Dileep
3 Vadakancherry- Atathara Parish-Sridevi,Lakshmi,Venu,Lakshman,Sudhir,Mahesh
4 Ollure - Ollur Parish - Jyosthna, Sr. Lilly
5 Lourrdu Nagar - Mukkatukura Parish - Lourdhu rani, jyosthma, Pratap, Yesu raju

Phase 3 : National Convention .
The national convention is the biggest event for Charismatic renewal in India. It is organised by NST...in Divine Retreat Center more than 20,000 participated in this program and this helped them a lot.
Our Bp. Prakash Mallavarapu, Epsicopal Advisor of AP Catholic Charismatic Renewal, were present for the last two days and even he celebrate Mass in Telugu in telugu section and meet all the CEP 2006 AP Particpants personally and spend some time with us.

Phase 4: Final gathering
Final gathering for cultural exchange program was held in St.Thomas Church at Paravoor. Paravoor is a place close to Kodungaloor,

This church is the First Church in India , founded by St.Thomas the Apostle of Jesus Christ and this church has the History from 52 AD Onwards.

We are very previlized to have the CEP 2006 in that parish.
Three Bishops of Kerala attended this event.

Bp. Sabastien, Aux Bishop of Ernakulam Angamaly.
Bp. Francis , Bishop of Kottapuram.
Bp. Thomas, Aux Bishop of Ernakulam Angamaly

Partipants got opportunity to listen eminet speakers and and all top JY leaders like.

Fr. Cherian, JY National Pastor.
Fr. Dhirab Saboo, JY Animator, Sathvana Community, Delhi.
Fr. Thomas, JY Animator, KYCT.
Fr. Tomy, JY Animator, KYCT.

Manoj Sunny, JY International Coordinator.
Raiju Varghese, JY National Coordinator.
Edward Chetten, JY International Animator
Babychain, JY National Animator.
CC Alicekutty, JY National Animator.
Shelton , Rex Band Coordinator.

All the partcipants got opportunities to present there culture through some cultural programmes in this event .

We performed AP Folk Song in telugu it is called as " Janapatha Nrithym "


*Key learnings from the sharing of the participants.*

Jesus became a living personal Lord and God for al of them

Faith became alive and active and are moved to do and live wonderful thingsfor the Church.
Prayer as a power was experienced by all of them

The value of family life in Kerala was inspiring to all. Especially the ruleof love in the family, respect to parents, obedience of children and youthetc.

The value of confession, Eucharist and rosary was experienced by all ofthem.

The manner in which Jesus Youth in Kerala pray and live their life wasedifying and exemplary.

The hospitality and generosity of the people in Kerala. "They loved us morethan our family members" The talks, adoration, praise and worship shook them to the core of theirbeing.

Many of them experienced physical healing and all of them could experience the power of the Holy Spirit.

Money and possessions do not give us happiness, it is the Joy of being withthe Lord that gives everything in life.

*Action Plan by the team*
To begin family prayer with rosary and to initiate such practice among theirown relatives and friends, villages and parishes.

To make personal prayer a habit with rosary till the end of their life.

To mobilize support for youth to youth evangelization and to speak about therich experience of Jesus to their own friends, peers and family.