Christmas Safari To GBKP, Bobby Nasution: Houses Of Worship Must Be More Friendly To Young People, Facilitate Their Activities

Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution (left) handed over social assistance of Rp. 10 million to the management of the Simpang Selayang GBKP, Medan, North Sumatra, Sunday (5/11/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Diskominfo Medan City)

Medan Mayor, North Sumatra, Bobby Nasution asked houses of worship to be more friendly to young people in the Medan City Government Christmas Safari at the Karo Protestant Batak Church (GBKP) Simpang Selayang, Medan Tuntungan. "I advise that houses of worship must be more friendly to young people and facilitate their activities in places of worship, such as learning and playing," said Bobby at GBKP Simpang Selayang, Medan, as reported by Antara, Sunday, November 5. Because, he continued, young people who have been well trained by churches in the city of Medan can have faith and continue to grow as expected in the future. The mayor said that the Medan City Government has a Independent House of Worship program that Christians in Medan City can use, including young people. Data from the Medan City Central Statistics Agency in 2021 states that the number of Christian places of worship in Medan City has a total of 932 churches, including 837 Protestant churches and 95 Catholic churches. "This program is launched because the Medan City Government wants all activities of people's lives to start from houses of worship," he said. The mayor also explained that North Sumatra Province was ranked first in Indonesia in drug abuse, while Medan City was the first level of drug abuse in North Sumatra. In this Christmas Safari, the Medan City Government handed over a number of assistance to the Simpang Selayang GBKP management, including a grant of Rp. 50 million, social assistance of Rp. 10 million, and a business cart. To assist the construction of the GBKP Simpang Selayang Multipurpose Building, the regional apparatus leadership collected Rp53 million in aid, and the Mayor of Medan was Rp100 million. "This is our homework together, and this issue must be conveyed in all houses of worship. Houses of worship have a role to eliminate drug abuse. This is our challenge in realizing Indonesia Gold 2045," said Bobby. Pastor Roxy Marciano appreciated the presence of Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution and his entourage to help build the Simpang Selayang GBKP Multipurpose Building. He said the construction was carried out to support one of Medan Mayor Bobby Nasution's programs, namely the Mandiri House of Worship.

"This is a form of our support for Mr. Bobby by making this church an independent house of worship. Later there will be cafes, libraries and MSMEs," he said.