The Inter-American Division (IAD) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church has commended the government for making it possible for the church’s 5th Pathfinder camporee to be held on the island.
The five-day camporee, which started on Tuesday (April 4), was held at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium, with over 11,000 delegates and youth leaders from 50 countries in attendance.
Over 5000 Jamaican youths participated in the event, which was held under the theme “Pathfinders in Mission.”
It is the first time the camporee has been staged in an English-speaking country. It was previously held in Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico.
Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment, and Sport, Olivia Grange, who spoke at the opening ceremony, said Jamaica was pleased to be hosting the historic event that seeks to benefit a wide cross-section of young people.
“We are glad that you made the choice to come to Jamaica, and we all have been working hard to ensure that you leave this place filled with happy memories of your time in a wonderful country,” she stated.
Pointing out that both Governor General Sir Patrick Allen and Prime Minister Andrew Holness also benefited from the Adventist teaching, she acknowledged that many had travelled a long distance to attend the event and was glad they made the choice to come to Jamaica.
“There’s much to do in Jamaica, and I hope you will get a chance to see and experience some of the great things we have done while you enjoy the programme that has been put together for you right here in the Trelawny stadium,” she said.
She believes the world has gained a better understanding of Jamaica’s history as a result of the event and hopes for “an increase of God’s presence, greater peace, and the return of greater love for ourselves and our fellow men.”
“Above all, I hope that this will be a fulfilling and spiritually enriching experience for you all,” she said.
In an interview with JIS News, Pastor Al Powell, who is in charge of IAD Youth Ministries, praised the leaders of the government for making things so much easier by letting the campers stay there.
“They never told us no; they didn’t bend rules; they carried us through the protocols, but they aided and assisted us as best as possible,” he revealed.
Pastor Powell said that the government’s constant help shows how much it cares about youth development.
He noted that among other things, the objective of the camporee was to help young people strengthen their social and communication skills, reaffirm their identity, and commit to sharing the gospel in their communities.
“We want to develop them in different aspects of life: their social ability, their communication skills, some cultural exposure… That’s the social and physical aspect of it, where they get involved in exercise and doing [sporting] activities. The third and most important aspect of it is that they could have a spiritual connection as well,” he shared.
A group of campers went to the Trelawny infirmary to help the people who live there. as part of the IAD’s community impact outreach programme.
Day two of the camporee saw a pop-up visit from sporting legend Usain Bolt, who brought an extra air of excitement to the event.
The minute he entered the Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium, there was a different kind of energy as all eyes were focused on him.
The eight-time Olympic champion, whose mother and father are Seventh-day Adventist members of the Sherwood Content Church in Trelawny, was brought up in the church and is well aware of the Pathfinders Club but gave up Sabbath church attendance because of his love for sports, especially track and field. His mother, Jennifer Bolt, was also present at the Camporee during his visit.
Bolt was presented with the IAD presidential medal during his visit. In making the announcement, Pastor Powell said, “The Honourable Usain Bolt is a significant figure in Jamaica and across the world, and we want to share with him the Inter-American Division presidential golden award. Now Usain Bolt is used to getting gold medals, and we just want to show our appreciation to him for his commitment to youth, not just in Jamaica but around the world.”
In his response, the six-foot-five-inch runner encouraged thousands of young people at the camporee to work hard and never give up on their dreams.
“It’s a pleasure to be here today,” said Bolt, to loud applause. “I am excited to be here before all you youngsters. You are here for a good cause that the church is doing.” He encouraged them to “always work hard and never give up. Believe in yourself and believe in your dreams because I am from the country, and I never dreamed to be this great, but I continued working and pushing hard, and God gave me a talent and I used it to the best of my ability.”
Amid the large crowd of Pathfinders and church leaders, Bolt took time to run 100 metres with two Pathfinders who challenged him, saying they could run faster than him. Several young people followed behind as they enjoyed the historic moment.
Fourteen-year-old St. Vincentian Annique Carrington said it was a dream come true to meet her track star, who inspires her to be great on the track and field in the 100 and 200 metres at her high school back home.
Fifteen-year-old Emmanuel Deher, from Guadeloupe, was in shock from seeing Bolt in person. He just felt compelled to run behind him. “I actually got to run behind the fastest man on earth, whom I admire because of his determination to win every time he runs,” he said.
Bolt also took time to take group photos with every union delegation before he left the stadium.
Additional Sources: JIS, https://interamerica.org/