For our second year in a row, the Colombia summer youth camp was held just outside of Santa Marta, Colombia, with 32 in attendance. We got off to an energetic and fantastic start June 26, when 18 campers from Colombia, four campers from Guatemala and three campers from Chile joined four staff members from the United States and three from Colombia. This was truly an international camp!

Starting each day with a compass check and ending each day with a Christian living class, we used the camp theme of “Leaders: People of Character” to keep us focused on what we desired to learn while at camp. The bonds of friendship and spiritual family were also a huge part of camp. Plenty of time for fellowship and relaxing was also an integral part of camp.

Courtney Horvath, a recent ABC graduate, gave a very interactive class titled, “English Is Exciting” at the beginning of camp to teach basic English greetings. It was our hope that the campers would learn and feel comfortable using these greetings so they could welcome non-Spanish speaking Americans who come to Colombia, Chile, and Guatemala for the Feast of Tabernacles this year.

Greg Rorem gave a class on careers and employment. His interactive class helped the campers discover their interests and also to practice interviewing skills.

Our thanks again to a generous donation from ABC’s charity auction fundraiser that made it possible for Courtney and Greg to attend to help with camp. This was a huge boost helping to accept more campers as well.

The camp themes of commitment and integrity were put to use on the Sabbath, when we did our best to focus on God, while the rest of Colombia was focusing on the World Cup. Short sermonettes were given by Alex Motta and Carlos Mérida, both from Guatemala, and hymns were led by David Sierra from Colombia. Greg Rorem delivered a split sermon that followed. The cheering for Colombia echoed loudly throughout the camp from others in the area, easily overheard during our worship services; but that too gave us a lesson to remember.

After the Sabbath, everyone came together for one of Colombia’s favorite activities—a dance. Other activities during the week were two afternoon trips to nearby beaches, volleyball, fútbol (soccer), swimming and the water slide. Evening activities included two very spirited evenings of Bible Pictionary and Bible trivia, and a campfire where charades, 20 questions, and broken telephone played in three different languages had everyone laughing.

All too soon, the end of camp came on July 1. Each camper gave two to three minute speeches about what they learned at camp. Camp director Scott Hoefker gave the final Christian living class on the topic of vision. Everyone was encouraged to remember the spiritual lessons learned at camp and to use them to focus on the vision that we have before us, God’s Kingdom.