camp journaling
activity: savio parish youth camp 2008
date: may 20-23, 2008
venue: ilocos sur (tagudin and vigan)
"to be with the young is a joy to the heart."
this would perhaps encapsulate my experience of the recently held camp.
it wasn't easy to assist a hundred youngsters, so energetic and vibrant, wanting to fully express themselves, trying out possibilities, venturing the unknown, probing their curiosity, venturing beyond the limits.
i never thought i could exceed their energies.
one thing i admire in this is that the young themselves organized everything.
we were simply tasked to guide, assist and give the formation slated for the camp.
there were loopholes, of course, but it would be for their benefit, for their growth experience.
8 salesians accompanied these campers.
it's pleasing to see salesians being with the young, eating the same food the young themselves prepared.
in truth, we were all so hungry. food supply is not enough. meals are never on time.
yet despite of these, the zeal and the joy of the young cover all these discomforts. we were all suffering together parched while waiting for the bought water to arrive. we distracted ourselves laughing our hearts out. this has got to be the joy and optimism don bosco was talking about, that despite the discomforts, we have every reason to be happy and thankful for, like the company of each one.
my experience in this camp validates my vocation as a salesian.
while materialism and consumerism take us far away from this salasian spirituality of joy and optimism, i am happy to realize the greater importance and weight of relationships than any other physical comforts the world could offer.
it's worth all the fatigue.
date: may 20-23, 2008
venue: ilocos sur (tagudin and vigan)
"to be with the young is a joy to the heart."
this would perhaps encapsulate my experience of the recently held camp.
it wasn't easy to assist a hundred youngsters, so energetic and vibrant, wanting to fully express themselves, trying out possibilities, venturing the unknown, probing their curiosity, venturing beyond the limits.
i never thought i could exceed their energies.
one thing i admire in this is that the young themselves organized everything.
we were simply tasked to guide, assist and give the formation slated for the camp.
there were loopholes, of course, but it would be for their benefit, for their growth experience.
8 salesians accompanied these campers.
it's pleasing to see salesians being with the young, eating the same food the young themselves prepared.
in truth, we were all so hungry. food supply is not enough. meals are never on time.
yet despite of these, the zeal and the joy of the young cover all these discomforts. we were all suffering together parched while waiting for the bought water to arrive. we distracted ourselves laughing our hearts out. this has got to be the joy and optimism don bosco was talking about, that despite the discomforts, we have every reason to be happy and thankful for, like the company of each one.
my experience in this camp validates my vocation as a salesian.
while materialism and consumerism take us far away from this salasian spirituality of joy and optimism, i am happy to realize the greater importance and weight of relationships than any other physical comforts the world could offer.
it's worth all the fatigue.
