We just wrapped up the youth camp for Luzon yesterday. 106 campers and 40 staff gathered in Villa Julia from May 12 – 16 for the Summer Enrichment Program of Grace Communion International.
“Deeper in Grace” was the theme. During our dinner and staff-debriefing in Tagaytay last night, we had the chance (despite the noise in the restaurant where we ate) to ask some of our younger staff to share their lessons learned and insights gained during the camp. What they shared were really amazing. Deeper in Grace was not just a theme, but a journey all of us went through in varying degrees and form while at camp.
I cannot recall a more inspiring post-SEP sharing in recent years and SEP 2010 seems to be on its way to be one of the best camps we ever had in terms of campers, variety of staff, schedule and other things.
This is my 13th year as Camp Director for the youth camps here in Luzon. I have stopped counting the camps I had helped organized once the number hit 40 a couple of years back. What a rich blessing it is for me to be able to see a generation of counselors get trained and released to mentor the younger brothers and sisters.
And let me tell you a little ritual I do before the campers arrive.
1. I say a little prayer and surrender all the personal prep I had done and others that were left un-finished.
2. I say a little prayer for the staff for them to be able to step up to the challenges they will face. The work is laborious and very tiresome and it is not for the faint-hearted.
3. And lastly, I say a little prayer of gratitude to the one who mentored me while I was in college. Dr. Kermit Nelson, your legacy is very safe with me. I find myself assessing camp situations and would sometimes catch my thought asking “What-would-Dr.Nelson-do-in-this-situation?”
But being involved in youth camps for 23 years ( whooaa… more than half of my life. Wooot! Thank you God!) does not mean I know it like the palms of my hands.
I need to learn more. I need to understand more because the changes in the youth culture and subtext are going through at a rapid pace. The society is changing along with the values and perceptions. The things my generation took for granted are now the same things being challenged by the young people.
But one thing remains constant throughout all these 23 years of youth ministry. And that is the love of God for the young people. When I look at the campers especially on the last day of camp, and I feel a sense of overwhelming love and pride for them, I tell myself that it is nothing but a glimpse…. nothing but a glimpse of God’s awesome love for each and everyone of them.
Thank you for all the staff who labored so hard to give the best camp for the young people.
Thank you to all our devotional speakers: Ptr Len, Ptr Audie, Ptr Aron and our dear friend Jeremy.
Thank you for the F&B staff for raising the standard when it comes to food and beverage offered at camp. Camp food need not be bland and tasteless! You guys rocked!
Thank you for the work done before camp and people like Orly Osillos and Edrei Fajardo. Thank you for the spiritual gift of service that God has given you both. Quiet, un-demanding but you guys are awesome and dependable team members.
Thank you counselors! For stepping up the plate despite the feelings of inadequacies we all go through. Thank you for loving and caring and nurturing our younger brothers and sisters in the faith. You guys will always be their counselor forever. Years from now, when they recall their camp experiences, they will always remember you. Hahaha I still remember my counselor back in 1984 (yes, the dinosaur age!) and I have quoted him verbatim during the staff meeting. To show you that all of us when we work with the youth ministry, we do not just create activities, cheers and nice slogans and funny presentations.
WE ARE MEMORY MAKERS….
Dig that? That’s what we are. So what memories are you creating now?
The words spoken, kind acts done, Gospel shared, cheers chanted…. they all form the memories our campers would put in their brain folder called SEP2010. The little things we do, really can echo throughout their lifetime.
Thank you Lord for the 23rd year in youth ministry.
Thank you for the 13th year as camp director.
I once asked you how long will I do this? It can get tiring and discouraging sometimes when resources are lacking… but again and again, you allow me to experience your grace differently each year and your grace is different for all the other camps this year in our denomination.
Thank you Lord for the privilege of mentoring some of the youth leaders. Now there is a pressing need to strap our boots and get ready to mentor a new generation of counselors and youth workers so that many more young people will experience the reality of your love and grace.
Just like how you have counted the decades for my mentor Dr. Nelson, then do that as well in my life. He mentored me when he was in his 60s and I was in my early twenties….thank you for the person you sent to mentor Dr Nelson when he was young person… I feel so blessed being part of the invisible chain of men and women mentored for Your use in youth ministry.
My life belongs to YOU. Use me, fill me, send me, stretch me, bend me until every ounce of life and blood is exhausted for YOUR name and glory.
