BAUCHI – The Bauchi State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board said it was considering plans to train young indigenes of the state on holy pilgrimage to Israel on capacity building during the 2014 exercise.
The Chairman of the board, Rev. Shuaibu Byel, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi on Saturday.
Byel explained that the training would be conducted in partnership with a Ghanaian university, adding that the programme was intended to equip the youths to be self reliant.
He said that the university would conduct the training and award certificates to participants.
“The holy pilgrimage would be observed for four days and the remaining three days will be used for the capacity building,“ he explained. [eap_ad_1] The chairman also said that the board had carried out awareness campaign to intending pilgrims in the three senatorial districts in the state.
“The campaign was mainly to create more awareness for self sponsorship for churches, groups, politicians, wealthy individuals as well as business men and women.
“We have also drawn the attention of the intending pilgrims that only those going for the first time will be considered.
“In view of that, the National Christian Pilgrims Commission has directed that those who participated in the exercise from 2010 to 2013 will not participate this year, “Byel said.
He called on intending pilgrims not to see the exercise as a tourist trip, but a spiritual exercise and advised them to prepare their hearts for “a wonderful spiritual experience that will change their lives for good”.
“To visit the Holy Land is not just for tourism. There are a whole lot of benefits that will accrue to pilgrims.
“A pilgrimage to the Holy Land means to come with the desire to meet and reconcile with God, “ he added. (NAN)
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