Youth Soul Summer Camp 2023
By Ifeoluwa Alonge
On the 29th of July, I left TBC’s Youth Soul Summer Camp to return to my home. Knowing that I had been uplifted, I felt refreshed and happy. I also felt a bit of sadness though as we left the camp, for over the past six days, my campmates and I had had a wonderful time.
The camp location was in Eltham, Ocho Rios, St. Ann. It was located on a slope and surrounded by trees and vegetation. From the balcony of the second floor of the boy’s dormitory, there was an excellent view of the sea. The camp rooms were spacious with two persons sharing, in most cases.
From the first day, our counsellors encouraged us to worship God without worrying about superficial things. I believe this was the primary reason, most of us had an encounter with God by the time the camp ended.
Where some of us had previously experienced difficulty communicating with God, this obstacle was removed to the extent that we could feel His actual presence.
I also encountered God during the first night when we had a “before-bed” worship session.
A MIX OF FAITH AND FUN
The camp was a mix of fun and faith-filled activities. There were times of laughter and joyfulness, and times of reflection and prayer.
On the third day of camp, Pastor Shuttleworth (from TBC – Tarrant Baptist Church), came and shared with us based on our theme, “Deny Self to Submit, Surrender, and Serve God Selflessly.” The leading scripture was Luke 9:23. I personally think that there was no better speaker to start the camp.
Wednesday was our day of fasting and Evangelist C. Williams came with her team to minister. The ministry took the form of a deliverance session, which, although it was a first-time experience for some persons, everyone present in the conference room that day received deliverance.
Due to the need to disconnect to get closer to God and to encourage us to make new friends, those who had phones gave them up voluntarily. This helped to keep at bay unnecessary distractions and ensure we were focused on God.
Every morning and evening, we had a general session and at nights, there was “before-bed” devotion.
The camp was divided into three clusters, namely, Obed, Barnabas, and Yashrael. I was placed in Obed.
Each cluster had its own colour: Obed was orange; Barnabas – blue; and Yashrael – yellow, and we had to create a chant that represented our cluster. This really brought out the creative spirit in the campers.
Each cluster also had counsellors assigned and I can say that Obed’s counsellors were amazing.
Campers, who were struggling with rejection and abuse, found themselves surrounded by an outpouring of love as our speakers and counsellors poured into us. We could tell that our speakers truly cared about the youth, truly loved young people.
That’s the one thing that I cannot shake about the camp: the immense love that flowed throughout the camp. Nobody said they felt left out or lonely; there was always someone to talk to in the form of counsellors or campers.
RUN IN YOUR OWN LANE
On Sports day, TBC’s very own DJ Marshy Redz surprised us and brought whole heap of vibes! The day was quite the affair with lots of friendly competition. Each cluster designed beautiful banners and displayed them on the multi-purpose court. The competition was real amongst the clusters, and I am just grateful to God that we were still able to maintain our righteous spirit and run in our own lanes – including me. For, knowing where my giftings aren’t, I agreed to help keep track of the points and at the much-anticipated banquet, it was revealed that Obed had won! My house had managed to secure a well-deserved victory over the other clusters!
Speaking of banquet — that was a wonderful and formal celebration. The ladies wore beautiful dresses and elegant heels, and the gentlemen donned formal shirts and many carried flowers for their dates. The banquet, dubbed “Koinonia,” (meaning, fellowship) was fun-filled and the food was scrumptious.
CAN YOU HEAR ME SIGHING?
We know that only heaven will last forever, and so, at the end of the camp, we were addressed by Minister Shuttleworth, who encouraged us and invited us to share our testimonies. It was a time of reflection as we were preparing to return to life outside of Eltham, St. Ann.
Throughout the camp, our wonderful meals were prepared by the mother of our camp principal, Auntie Peta. The counsellors were aware of their mission and delivered an inspiring programme.
I encourage any young person reading this to ensure they are at camp next year. If you are wondering what is the one thing you definitely shouldn’t take to camp, let me help you — self. Come empty so that God can fill you up.
It was a joyous experience and I am grateful to all the people who made it happen.
Ifeoluwa Alonge is 14 years old and has been writing for FC Rain since he was age 11.