Tomorrow's World: 'We should live in harmony'

The children of today are the adults of tomorrow. They shape the future and reflect our progress. What are the hopes and aspirations of our kids? How do they see themselves contributing to a better world? What do they feel, think, believe and desire? Every week, we zoom in on the youth living in the Emirates, and hear what they have to say

Youth of the Week: John Kyalo

When pastor Charles A. Kyalo sent a keyboard from Dubai to his home in Uganda, little did he realise how much it would influence his son John. Thirteen years old then, John learned the basics from a teacher there.

Soon after, he was discovering the joy of playing musical chords on the keyboard by himself.

Now at the age of 19 years, he has been actively involved in accompanying the church choir and providing musical tunes during the service at the Holy Trinity Church in Dubai. The third child among a family of seven kids, John is never lonely. He is currently attending the Cosmos Educational Institute, and hopes to become an aviation engineer in the future.

HE SAYS:

Having moved from Uganda three years ago, I am amazed at the international atmosphere of Dubai. Making friends with people from various countries and learning about different cultures is a unique experience for me. Playing soccer is my hobby, and in the summer time, we gather a group of kids from the neighbourhood to make teams and compete. Although I miss my friends and the climate of my home country, Dubai has a lot to offer.

Keyboard playing is an adventure for me. Because I have had little formal training, most of whatever I know has been learned gradually and naturally.

Unlike playing the piano which requires reading notes from a score, with the keyboard you can experiment with chords. I take a song and try to reproduce it by listening. So, the more time I spent on the keyboard, the easier it became to play. Now, I have been given the privilege to play at church.

Music can affect people positively and negatively, so I feel the lyrics of any song you sing or listen to are important. The message being conveyed should be encouraging. Gospel or worship music is what I enjoy, especially ones by contemporary Christian musician Michael W. Smith. When I sing, it is mainly in English but also in my mother tongue of Luganda.

I think the world is a good place but there is a lot of confusion. The fight for power is one of the main reasons for this. People want to be above one another and nobody wants to submit because they feel their way is only right. This has something to do with developing the value of humility, where people should not only think of themselves but see what it good for everybody. Extending a hand of help, especially to the needy is essential.

If you can't help personally, being part of a larger organisation dedicated to charity is also rewarding.

Another concern is the misuse of resources, but not only of our natural environment but of society, too. For example, the mishandling of money is a worry. Money is essential in life but it should not become the centre of focus. When selfish desires become the driving force, money can lead to bad things.

The teenage years are truly a significant phase of one's life, because the choices you make can affect the direction of your future. What we learn and grow up with depends on what we have invested our time on as teenagers.

Having the right sort of friends is vital, because who you spend time with will affect your habits and behaviour. It is a difficult time because we are faced with peer pressure and tempted to try things, so communication with your parents plays an important role. Adults who listen can give good guidance and the right attitude. Fulfilling every whim and fancy is not advisable.

My parents have shown me my path of faith and I am grateful for the strength I receive from that. My father spends a lot of time on receiving people in need and helps them the best he can. He embodies the power of love and caring for people is important. Prayers give answers, and trust in God can overcome any crisis. The value of not giving up easily and working hard to get what you want is something I have learned from my mother. When things are difficult, I know I there is hope and things do get better.