Youth camps are valuable institutions as they are designed for educational or cultural development.
Usually open to young participants and held during long school breaks, camps are held for general or specific purposes – developing skills in diverse fields, like science, arts, writing and sports, scouting or peace-building, environmental advocacies and other special-interest fields.
Often, they allow participants to engage in outdoor activities amid a nurturing away-from-home atmosphere.
Another popular type is the church-based youth camp.
Camp Sawtooth, an Idaho-based mountain facility, summed up best the objectives of a church-based camp which include, among others, the development and nurturance of personal commitment to Jesus Christ, to the Christian community, and to the human family and the provision of give-and-take experiences that bring about responsible involvement in the larger community.
Activities “contribute to the camper’s physical, mental, and spiritual wellbeing while helping to develop such qualities as initiative, resourcefulness, and self-reliance”.
They also stimulate appreciation of God’s creation through outdoor experiences and “develop an understanding of the interdependence of all forms of life and the human responsibility to the whole of God’s creation,” Camp Sawtooth further said.
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Youth camp is a vital part toward one’s coming of age in the Christian faith.
I had my share of unforgettable camp experiences – above and beyond those scouting activities – when my late brother, Marley, then organized the New Life Camp (now defunct). It was located just off a winding road between the southern barangays of Linaon and Inayauan in Cauayan, sitting on the lower slope of a hill overlooking the fabled Sulu Sea.
There, we had a glimpse for a week of the majestic summer sunset, which served as backdrop of our sundown meditation.
I still have vivid memories of those reflective moments – glistening with the orange sky and reminding us of God’s glory and majesty.
The morning devotionals set the tone for the day, which included coastal exploration and hiking, swimming, sports, recreation and sharing sessions.
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My camping memories have been rekindled when I learned that Pastor Bert Javellana, a Kabankalan native and the brother-in law of my brother-in-law, opened Camp Eden on Oct. 12.
The camp is located within an 8-ha. farm in Barangay Yaoyao in Cauayan, which is about 7 kms. from the Barangay Tuyom-Camalanda-an juncture. The upland area is served by Ceres buses, which provide four daily trips to and from Camalanda-an.
“Camp Eden is a non-luxury gift from the Almighty God,” said Pastor Bert, camp founder and director.
“It’s a perfect place to camp by tent, retreat to quietness and listen to the unique unending rush of cascading waters in the river accentuated by the tantalizing symphony of bird songs.”
It offers a variety of surprises, he added, with its simplicity and beauty of nature – from lush forest, cascading river, birds, rolling hills, green meadows, growing assorted high value fruit trees, coconuts and many more.
His description entices nature lovers. “It’s a perfect place to camp by tent, retreat to quietness and listen to the unique unending rush of cascading waters in the river accentuated by the tantalizing symphony of birds,” he said, adding that the experience is a good back-to-nature break from the hectic urban life and offers “a sense of God’s awesomeness by immersing yourself in the wonders of nature.”
Overnight campers fall asleep to the hypnotizing sounds of wild birds and are awakened in the morning by the high-pitched rooster crows – which are a rarity In city living.
Camp Eden is non-profit and is owned and operated privately. It is non-denominational. “We hope to serve members of Christian churches of all ages for the purpose of evangelism and discipleship and we may also host family and group retreats,” Pastor Bert further said.
The camp can accommodate 100 visitors on a first book-first serve basis.
Already held in the facility is a pastors and church workers’ gathering and an alumni group fellowship.
Because the camp is non-profit, no entrance fee is charged. Donation, however, is highly appreciated for maintenance purposes, he added.
Pastor Bert said that camping in Eden is by “build your tent” style with bamboo supply available to help campers set up their shelter.
Guests can enjoy a variety of activities – from hiking, trailing and playing, to horse and carabao back riding, as well as bathing at the river that runs along most of the farm, although it is restricted during heavy rain days.
Families and visitors can stay in a nipa hut and cook their own food as the camp provides guests with basic kitchenwares and also space for firewood cooking and bonfires.
And there’s a wide, open space for recreation and open-sit meetings, Pastor Bert added.
Also available are four toilets/shower rooms. The camp has a clean spring water system for cooking, bathing and drinking. Electrical power supply is limited at the moment.
Camp Eden is a work in progress. At the moment, the director said, we have no pavilion but we have a cottage, which also serves as our administrative office, with balcony that can host 20 guests for a meeting. The cottage is undergoing expansion, he added.
Pastor Bert welcomes “prayer support and sponsorships of any kind.”
For more information, interested church and other groups may contact Pastor Bert Javellana or Letty Encila, camp manager, through their Facebook accounts.
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How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. (Psalm 119:9) | NWI
