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Special Day Out at the Zoo

We had a very special day out at the Dehiwala Zoological Gardens

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Our “Day Out at the Zoo” wasn’t just a fun outing — it was a meaningful chance to show teens and youths that there are healthy, inspiring alternatives to stress and risky behaviours. * Many young people in Sri Lanka face real challenges: studies show that about 40% of adolescents experience significant mental health problems like anxiety and loneliness, which are linked to stress and lack of supportive environments

Unhealthy habits among youth are also a concern — ** surveys indicate that around 11.6% of young people aged 15–21 smoke and 18% drink alcohol, behaviours often associated with peer pressure and stress. In addition, substance use including tobacco, alcohol and other drugs has been reported among adolescents, further affecting their wellbeing and future opportunities.  

Against this backdrop, our day at the zoo offered teens a break from screens, stress, and negative influences — replacing them with fresh air, curiosity, fitness, and friendship. Moments spent exploring animal habitats, learning about nature, and moving their bodies remind young people that life-enriching activities are not only available but enjoyable and empowering.

By engaging in positive group activities like this, we help youth build confidence, reduce stress, choose healthier habits, and connect meaningfully with others. Every smile, laugh, and shared discovery at the zoo was a step toward a happier, healthier journey ahead.

* Source: 

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9576112/

** Source: 

https://www.lankanewspapers.com/index.php/2025/06/19/lnp-11-6-percent-youngsters-addicted-to-smoking-18-percent-to-drinking-survey

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The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God is a non-profit organisation that works to help people live a happy and fulfilled life irrespective of their background.

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Young Girl Found Under a Tree

Dear Bishop Macedo

I would like to share the story of Zanele, a 22-year-old girl in South Africa. She left the city of Durban and came to Johannesburg in the hope of having a better life. Zanele came with her friends to find a job and to study. She went to live with one of her friends but was soon evicted and started living on the streets, where she lost everything, including her documents.

Whilst living on the streets, Zanele began to hear voices that told her to “tie yourself up.” Therefore, she started tying herself up with sack cloths, clothing, wires, plastic, etc. Zanele had been living under a tree for a little over a year, and developed psychological problems. She also no longer took care of her personal hygiene.

Zanele was found through the evangelisation work of the Universal Church and she received spiritual help and all the necessary support. We removed everything that was tied to her body. After some time, she took a bath, got a haircut, received new clothes, food and, above all, (after going through the deliverance process) she was free of evil spirits.

Through faith, Zanele was given the opportunity to start a new life. Now, she has begun a chain of prayer and is very happy.

WORDS FORM THOUGHTS, THOUGHTS AFFECT YOUR LIFE – WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH IT?

This question can change the course of your life and your relationship. Take a few minutes and understand!

We are in a time when people have wishes, and plans for the coming year, but everything is very superficial.

Understand, if you want to change your life, you need to start at the deepest level, which is in the words you say – to others and yourself – because they become thoughts, beliefs, habits and behaviours.

You are responsible for your life and the change starts when you ask yourself: what am I doing with my life? What will happen if I continue at this rate?

Have the courage to ask yourself, take stock, look inside yourself and see what is not working or what is causing you harm. I know it’s hard to face reality, that you’ve been wrong for so long, but eliminating what’s bad for you can create space for good to flourish.

Bishop Renato Cardoso

How Many Souls Are on Board?

When someone wants to officially refer to the number of people on an airplane or ship, usually they are described as souls. Newspapers reporting on the number of people on an airplane that has crashed will usually say that there was “X” number of souls aboard.

The reason for this is if you refer to the number of passengers, you are immediately discarding the pilots and the crew. You cannot say that there was an “X” number of bodies onboard because airplanes sometimes carry bodies in the cargo hold, that are being taken to another country to be buried.

Regardless of whether CEOs of airlines believe in life after death or not, they still refer to anyone alive on their airplanes as a soul.

There is no life in a body unless a soul is in it. The moment a soul departs from a body, what is left behind is a mere shell.

How important is our soul? Well, the Bible says: “Everyone included among those who are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering to the Lord. The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give an offering to the Lord, to make atonement for yourselves.” Exodus 30:14-15

This offering of atonement represented a person’s soul and was given every time a census of the people of Israel was done. Notice how the amount required from the rich or the poor was exactly the same. Surely the rich could give a lot more than the poor, but in this instance, God was trying to show us that the value of the soul (https://www.uckg.org/a-letter-from-a-man/) of the rich and of the poor are the same in His eyes.

We know the world differentiates between the rich and the poor. In few places is this more evident than on an airplane where the rich can be treated very differently from everyone else by upgrading to First Class. But in order to enter the kingdom of God, the sacrifices required are the same, no matter who the person is: “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.’” Luke 9:23

Take a moment to reflect and see if you are indeed sure of the salvation of your soul, or if you have been trying to avoid carrying your cross by doing things the easy way.

There is no cost-cutting when it comes to entering the Kingdom of God (https://www.uckg.org/discipline-in-the-kingdom-of-god/). The same is required from everyone; whether they are rich or poor.

Bishop James Marques

New year new habits

It can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit and with the new year ahead of us what better time to do just that?

What habits are you willing to form in this new year, and what changes do you want to take place in your finances, health, spiritual life, and love life?

Our chain of prayers will challenge you to change old habits into new ones…

What is it?

A Chain of Prayer is when you attend a prayer meeting for a certain number of weeks without interruption in order to see a breakthrough in your life. Whether it is in your health, a financial breakthrough or spiritual deliverance that you need, a Chain of Prayer helps you develop the faith and determination to overcome.

Before starting a chain of prayer, you will need to decide what you want to fight for, and then decide the day, or days, that you will make your chain. A requirement to making a Chain of Prayer is that you attend a Sunday service every week.

The success of a Chain of Prayer depends on your perseverance. If you’re not determined, it won’t work.

Take a look at our weekly schedule of service and read the brief description for each so you to decide which service is best for you to participate in depending on the goals you have set for yourself.