Some of the Birmingham churches supported by ADRA-UK were able to gift 225 children in Area 5 with a unique and specially designed Rubik's Cube, including neighbours, friends and church family children. They were given the original, iconic Rubik's Cube with a Seventh-day Adventist logo, the fruit of the Spirit, the Creation story and ADRA logo printed on the six faces.
This subsequently led to running a Rubik's Cube club to provide opportunities for the children to learn how to solve the cube.
Some of the teens with excellent aptitude and dexterity took on the challenge to test their speed in solving the 3x3 Rubik's Cube. Adiele Walsh from Dudley church beat her personal best time to achieve 1.42 minutes, Daniel Edwards from Stoke church beat his personal best time to achieve 1.50 minutes, Kupakwashe Nhera from Halesowen Central beat his personal best time to achieve 1.19 minutes and Hugo Valencia from Halesowen church beat his personal best time to achieve 59 seconds.
When asked what stood out for them while enjoying the experience of solving the cube, they said:
"I learnt to never give up."
"I learnt that practice makes perfect."
"Keep practising and you will get better."
"Keep trying, do not give up."
These are expressions of transferable skills and aptitude for young teens in their spiritual and academic journey.
The older folks who attended the club meetings did not compete for speed but enjoyed the experience of learning a new skill, and they were excited and delighted that they were able to solve the 3x3 Rubik's Cube. They also created mnemonics for some of the algorithms required to solve the last layer of the cube.
One of the mnemonics reads as follows:
FURURF – Forward yoU Reign yoU Reign Forever
Pastor Obi, during the Rubik's Cube club sessions, shared and brought out several life and object lessons. He said, "regarding the Rubik's Cube, starting with the cross and having the cross at the end makes solving the cube a reality. It is the same case with our spiritual lives as well. It starts with the cross and ends with the cross."
Elder Symon said, "The Rubik's Cube challenge was an amazing initiative that encouraged young people to reengage on the Zoom platform. This was a vital programme as many young people were refusing to log on due to the monotony of Zoom meetings. The introduction of a challenge and a friendly competitive programme brought a new dimension to fellowship and the meetings."
In solving the Rubik's Cube, we start with the cross and end with a cross. Learning new skills and contemplating your spiritual life. Rubik's Cube gives personal evangelistic outreach a new lease of life.