Dear Friends of the Youth Section, Tonight, just before I sat down to write, I was discussing the last chapter of “The Second Man in Us” by Maria Röschl-Lehrs, the first leader of the Youth Section. This year the section has existed for a century, and we have taken the opportunity to look back to the founding intentions and aspirations, and to develop a judgment of how our current efforts align. As one would expect, this has been both inspiring and humbling. In a variety of the voices in this newsletter, you can catch a glimpse of where this has led so far, and more will follow in our next newsletter. This digital package is an offering woven of many young voices. They speak of the recent event in Brazil, the Youth Education Days, which also took place in the Netherlands in May immediately before the Co-Workers Gathering, and the International Students' Conference of April this year. The impression of fullness is rightfully heartening, and it has indeed been an engaging season. On the other hand, we find the plight of countless young people struggling in unspeakable ways, whose struggle calls out: I have irreplaceable gifts, but I cannot relinquish them until I find the world in myself and myself in the world! Conversations between co-workers have tried to strike this balance of appreciation for what has been achieved and awareness of the need. Between these, the natural question arises: What is the right next step in our work? Again and again the need for a practical attitude that is capable of growth and collaboration returns, an attitude captured by Pete Seeger: "Step by step the longest march can be won, can be won. Many stones can form an arc, singly none, singly none…" Nathaniel Williams
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