1Timothy4:12
"Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity."
Last year, i wasn't able to join Youth Camp because God had better plans. This year, i prayed long and hard to be able to join, and amazingly, God's confirmed it to me time and time again that it is in His plans that i would join.
So i was so excited about camp, that i packed most of the stuff i knew i needed about a month before Camp was scheduled, and yes, you read it right, ABOUT A MONTH. I was so excited because i knew i would come out changed just like the Sweetly Broken Camp. Little did i know just how i was going to be changed. I also praise God that He planned for my brother to go as well.
Okay, so i heard that a bunch of the youth planned to meet up at church and go at 1pm on the day of Camp, so my brother and i were ready to go about half an hour before the time. Unfortunately, our mom and aunt were (yes, and i really DO mean what i say) a bit TOO PARTICULAR with our stuff even though we were all set. We arrived at church at around 1:17, and nobody was there. Thank God that one of the people there whom i knew offered to help us get to the vicinity because none of us knew where CCTC was. Mom gave us some money to get there. We arrived at 1:42, and we both got registered. They all gave us free time because Camp starts at 4:00pm. While there, my brother started taking pictures, and he met Kuya Michael (who is, btw, a cool photographer), and they both started talking about photography stuff that would just leave me bleeding at the nose. Anyway, me and some girls practiced the dance we prepared for Talent Night which would be on Friday.
At 4, KG welcomed us at Camp, and we proceeded with the Icebreaker games. First game was to give up one of our slippers, pile them up, grab one that's not yours, and get to know the owner. It was real fun (and thank God, not as smelly as expected). Next was rock, paper, scissors, dragon where everyone plays rock paper scissors with someone, and the loser goes to the winner's back, until we all fall in one large dragon of a line. Kuya Miggy won. He (Kuya Migs) then borrowed my guitar pick because it was the one thing he forgot to bring. The worship team the proceeded with teaching us all the Camp songs, Your Name High, and No Reason to Hide. Really cool songs, but since it was still the first day, everyone was just standing, clapping, and looking at the lyrics. We had dinner at 6, where afterwards, Kuya Migs broke the news to me that he lost my pick. It wasn't a big deal, but i still decided to test my acting skills, convincing him i was really upset, and that it would take time to get over with it. He was real depressed, until i told him i was just acting, which, i'm sure, he was very relieved with.
We then had our first session, "From the Inside Out" led by Pastor Jo in Ephesians4:29-30. The message was all about speech, and that what we chose to say really affects everyone around us, including ourselves, and that a Christian should strive to be set apart from the rest of the world, speaking things that build up and glorify our Creator, and be like Jesus, since from the beginning, though technology and styles have changed, never has the heart of man because the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. It takes a live fish to go against the flow, and it takes a dead fish to go with it. i love that line. Eye openners for our blind faiths. It was awesome.
We then had our counselor hunt, a way of knowing what team you belong to. All lights were out, and we should be able to find the leader (not exactly counselor, but yeah) we were assigned to. Problem was, CCTC was a wide place, so it was a lot like looking for your keys in the grass. i think none of us (in our team) was able to find our counselor, but time ran out, and we had to stop. So i belonged to one of the six teams called Gideon, composed of Kuya Aaron (team leader), Kuya Cole (team counselor), Yana, Alex(o), Alex(a), Anjo, Bangs, Ronna, Shay, Moymoy and Brian. Afterwards, lights out. Awesome first day.
i had a terrible night, trying every position i could think of to just fall asleep. That nightmare went on for hours, until i decided to check the time, and discovered it was 3:44, which got me tossing and turning a while after. Not until 5:30 when i woke up that i discovered i had slept just over an hour. Anyway, we then had our devotion, then breakfast (sit with your team, which, btw, was the noisiest table in the canteen), then a game called DODGEBALL!!! Teams had to partner up to form just three teams. Our team won second. Lunch was served, our table being the (proud to be) noisiest in the canteen, then we had free time. After that, the Workshop started, led by Kuya Mike, the topic being Devotions. Though much of it was covered during the Core night prior to this, i still learned a lot about devoting time to God, where it's all about Him. It was great.
That night, we had our second session, "Shine" with Pastor Jo in Matthew5:13-16. To be honest, i was drowsy during much of the session because (not to make excuses but) of the night before. The topic did not only concern being set apart from the rest of the world, but also about us influencing those who are in the world, and not being influenced. We (young as we are [and in a lot of years, were,]) are to be as Salt and Light, preserving, cleansing, adding to life, thirsty, dispelling the darkness, exposing truth, and leading to the way out of Satan's grasp. So dear flock, step up, step up, for Jesus is near!
Afterwards, we had the Life Game. A game requiring incredible teamwork where we are all one body to get the parts of the key and set our tied up leader free. Anjo played the eyes, Tiyan, the ears, me the mouth, Moymoy and the girls, the hands, and Alex and Brian the feet. We had to perform all tasks blindfolded, eyes excluded where the eyes whispered the commands to the ears, then the ears to the mouth. The mouth was the one who spoke out the instrucitons, and the only one allowed to speak up (and yes, i was very comfortable with that position, especially with the food part!). Sadly, our team didn't finish on time, and our poor leader, who was the most secure just sat there waiting. We all still had a blast, especially what happened in the horror chamber, right guys? After that, lights out.
This time, i had the sleep i needed. Didn't take a bath though (and no, i didn't stink, coz i asked a few people), becaus i knew we were eventually going to get down, dirty, sweaty and messy after the morning. We then had our devotion and individual devotions. It was awesome having alone time with the One who created all things. After that, we had breakfast, then the game VOLLEYBALL!!! No, we didn't win again, but since during our game, the opposing team only had a point more than we did, we were thankful for the really close fight. We then had lunch, then rest time (which, btw, we usually used for dance practice), then the Workshop, led by Kuya JB, concerning FRIENDSHIP. Concerning this, it was a really good and encouraging workshop. It's really cool to know that when you're building up someone, you sometimes fail to realize that you too are being built up as well. After that, i was really encouraged to encourage.
We then had dinner, then our third session, "Unashamed" led by none other than Pastor Jo taken from Daniel3. It was an awesome message because i really don't like comprimising about my faith, because, sad to say, that's where most of us tend to fall when we pud down our shields. I want to strive for the Saving Faith that puts all hope and trust on things that are for eternity, and not the Demonic Faith that only believes with the mind, nor the Temporal Faith that focuses only on things that are on this earth. It taught me that we should have faith NOT in God's answers, but in His person, that whichever way He chooses to lead us, we would accept it, be it a walk on the beach, or a boatride in the storm, we would accept it the way Job accepted his trials in Job1:21 because God is a God who know what He's doing. Afterwards, we then had a short movie. After that, God reminded me that one of the reasons He placed me at camp was because there was a problem that needed to be solved in me. i then went over to talk with Kuya Cole since he was the one i was most open to at the moment. We talked, and God just revealed to me that i was still in shackles, because for a long time, i noticed i was fearful with getting real close to people. God showed me that it was because of all the pressure i was putting on myself not to mess up, or sin, or cause anyone harm, partly because i did hate it when people get hurt because of me, and because of the fear that they would condemn me or do harmful things back, and that this has caused me to be too serious for my own good with a lot of things. But the truth of the matter is, i'm still made of flesh and bone, and as willingly as God has gifted me to forgive people, so has He gifted every sibling with the same willingness to forgive. God wanted me to be free during that period of time. Free to unload my burdens, free to express myself, free to not think too much, free not to worry, free to make friends, free to teach, free to be taught, free to breathe easily without paranoia, and free to just be in awe of Him without any distractions. An awesome night.
Next day, we woke up, did our awesome individual devotions, ate breakfast, then had our third game, popularly known as KICKBALL!!! We had fun, but this time, most of us were in un-Christ-like mode. i could clearly see some of the rules being broken, some of us not saying things encouraging, and we had the least cheers that game. That wasn't right. So to make fair, fair, we all decided to give all the teams the same number of points. After lunch, we were all encouraged to take a break since later that night, we were going to have the AFTERGLOW, so that meant no practice for our little dance group. It was fine though. We sure needed the rest.
After that, we had our third workshop concerning PURITY. It was convicting, especially for us guys (btw, KG lectured the guys, and Ate Abba lectured the girls separately). Anyway, the message was awesome, changing, and fun. We then had dinner, and then the fourth session, "Sacrifice" in Luke10:25-37, and 1Corinthians13. It was a very cool message. Pastor Jo talked about the four loves, Eros, Estorge, Phileo, and Agape (the most important). I began to see more of the unique beauty in each of the four loves, especially the wonder found in Agape, which requires no condition, no task, no reward or anything. How God loves us oh so much.
When Pasor Jo closed the session, we then had the AFTERGLOW. We all felt God's presence crash on us. It was an array of unexplainable moments where you would just feel His love pour out on you. i (and a lot of us, if i might add) found our eyes soaked up in tears. I fell on my face just praising the MIGHTY ONE who lives. It was too beautiful to be called beautiful. Barriers were broken, hearts and lives were changed, thoughts were expressed, and to think, Jesus would give us the freedom just to be in awe of Him! It was an awesome night, and afterwards, i lost a portion of my voice. We then had a bonfire where we took pictures, had fellowship, and just had fun. Eventually, we had to sleep.
Next day, we had to rise up early and have an early breakfast. After that, we crammed into the rides because we were going to the beach that day! When we arrived, we gathered next to the water, under a tree to discuss the rules, and have our devotion. KG called those who wanted to be baptized in the biblical way. He explained that baptism was an act of symbolically showing your love and devotion for Christ publicly. i decided to do so. Others also decided, and i was surprised to see my brother freely allowing himself to be baptized. i mean, i didn't even have to talk to him about it. They all prayed for us, then we began. It was awesome! Well, except for the part that i expected to be submerged in the water much longer, KG, Lolo Lloyd and Kuya Cole pulled me out and my head sort of got left behind a bit. i laughed when i saw the picture.
Anyway, after that, they prayed for us one more time, then we had our Relay Race! KG explained to us the rules, the tasks and the parts of the game. Each of us would be assigned to a different task. First, Yana and Bangs would do the three-legged race, then Anjo would do the army crawl, then Moymoy would do the back crawl, then i would swim around the far off buoy in the water, then Shay would skip rope to Brian who would walk with coconut husks under his feet, then Alexa and Alexo would do the death crawl then last, Ronna would do the pingpong ball balance to the finish line, passing the bug along the way. When we did the race, it was very exciting because we were far in the lead! We won 8000 points for our team that morning. It was really fun! Then we had free time until 3pm. We had real fun with the underwater cams, the boats, the fellowship, and (of course, never to forget) the FOOD!!! It was an awesome day. One really cool part was when schools of fish started to jump out of the water! It was SO COOL to see the little guys just doing what God made them to do! Eventually, 3pm came and we had to get back to CCTC.
When we arrived, we had free time, which we spent for practicing for what would happen that hight. After of which, we had dinner, which was a bit nerve racking since we were having TALENT NIGHT afterwards. I also met up to pray with the girls because i knew we didn't practice enough for the dance, but we reminded each other that this wasn't a competition, just an intermission number, and more importantly, we were dancing for God, just lifting back up our desire and our talents to Him.
When we all gathered there, the parents were already finding a place to sit, and we soon discovered that we were going to be the fourth group to present, so we readied all our stuff, our parts, our talents, and our hearts. The first three groups were really good and funny. Me and the girls were then called to do our dance, so we did. i cannot tell you how much we messed up. i loved every bit of it. TIJOC (Treasure In Jars Of Clay from 2Corinthians4:7) had a blast that night! After that, we were up! We gave each other last second reminders of what to do, where to go, and when to move. We then started. We all just had a blast performing what we came up with. For the most part, we were really glad to hear the laughter of everyone in the room when we presented. It was cool. Same can be said about the other teams. After the whole thing, when they announced the winners, our team really didn't expect anything, until Kuya Popong announced that we won first place, CD's of the Camp Tracks, stickers, and 10,000 points! We were so happy! We also won best props since we decided to get up in costumes, and use what we had. Awesome night.
After that, we had a second bonfire, then the TRIBALISTA presentation. You'll have to view the pictures to find out what happened. It was a really funny night. Then we roasted marshmallows and hotdogs until the night was over, though none of us wanted it to.
We rose up later than the usual 6am the next day, then we had our Community Devotion, then breakfast, and then the fifth session, "Jesus the Ultimate Example" in Psalm119:9, 1John3:16-18, Ephesians5:1-2, and 1John2:6. During the worship part of the session was different (like last night). We were just pouing our our all into worship, jumping, singing (a few of us off key, if i might add), dancing, and just being free, unlike the first time we arrived. Here's what i got: We as Christians need to have that ability to trust and surrender ourselves to the Living God, being set apart from the rest of the world, trusting in God's person, letting Him pour out His love on us, spreading it, growing, knowing, seeking, believing, reflecting, persevering, and just let Jesus in so we would be more like Him. We then had a communion.
After of which, we (sadly) had our last meal together, then we packed our things, distributed the shirts, had fellowship and picture taking, then we said our goodbyes.
Jesus continues to be awesome. He changed both me and my brother at camp. May He continue to do so for the rest of our lives. We're ready to exemplify Jesus!!!
