Ambassador Youth Camp is a unique experience for teenagers in The Restored Church of God.
Camper Voices:
Camp is just a very fun, and very overwhelmingly fun place to be.
It's an amazing experience for kids of our age.
It's a great learning opportunity and growing opportunity for us staff and for the campers
themselves.
It's a good opportunity for kids to meet other people around the world and get to know each
other.
Kids should attend Camp because they can draw closer to God.
And we are like a family.
AYC 2017 brought together 13-to-18-year-olds from all over the world to a campsite near
Mansfield, Ohio, for two meaningful, action-packed weeks. Everyone enjoyed abundant fun, fellowship,
sports, activities, and character development. Many friendships were built and strengthened.
Greg Kaidannek: Ambassador Youth Camp is a camp that builds lives, it builds friendships,
and it builds leaders—leaders for the World to Come, who know what God's way of life is
like. Who can show other young people by their example how to behave in the world, how to
present themselves in the world. It's a camp for all of the youth in God's Church.
To operate such a large Camp requires a diverse team of individuals helping the campers and
one another, following God’s governmental structure. Each year, adult members of the
Church donate their time, traveling long distances to serve as volunteer counselors, culinary
staff and in other specialized roles. A delegation of employees from the Headquarters Youth Services
department oversees the smooth running of the overall camp.
Greg Kaidannek: I've been coming to Camp and had the privilege to be involved in Ambassador
Youth Camp for seven years. One of my favorite times of year is when the applications start
to roll in. I start to see all the applications. Children who have been to Camp before, and
I like to see their pictures and how they've grown, how they've changed, read their essays.
And also to see all the new ones—all those new potential campers. And then to finally
see them all there, happy and smiling, wearing their blue. That's one of the, that's one
of my favorite times of year.
In the weeks and months prior to AYC, much effort went into planning events and preparing
materials.
Just before campers arrived, a “staff briefing” was held with all who would serve in leadership
positions.
Activities kicked off after all campers had appeared!
The first sport played was volleyball. A series
of drills helped everyone learn or reacquaint with proper gameplay. Boys and girls teams
were announced, and tournament play began. Creative cheers added enthusiasm to the activity.
Next was a day of indoor soccer. Following a few minutes of stretches and warmups, teens
practiced dribbling—passing—and scoring goals—before commencing full games. Everyone
strove to exhibit good sportsmanship.
Rock climbing was an unusual physical challenge for all. After applying harnesses, campers
attempted climbing paths of varying difficulty. They encouraged one another to excel.
A hike over several miles of varied terrain took place the same day. It was the perfect
chance to experience beautiful summer weather and scenery.
Visiting an outdoor water park was a new activity
for 2017. Everyone was refreshed by the cool water, and felt the rush of going down slides
at high speeds.
To keep everyone healthy and strong, the Camp kitchen staff prepared healthful, delicious
food. The meals were awaited eagerly every day. They provided necessary energy for the
physically demanding sports and activities.
Though the activity schedule was highly structured, campers were also given free time each day.
This was often used to play various sports in small groups, have conversation, and relax.
Nivedita: This camp is a once-in-a-year opportunity, and being out there in the world, if you go
anywhere else, except for AYC, you’ll never get to experience all that AYC has to offer,
and AYC is the best place in the whole world.
Pwaru: To move out of their comfort zone, first of all. Second, to build friendships.
I have a couple of friends currently. I've met more friends over here. The most lovable
reason they should come to Camp, is to learn God’s way, because you have all of
it. People smiling across you, nice food, and everything. So, you have to come to Camp
to experience that.
Mila: Most people like most teenagers are all alone, and all they have is their family,
and sometimes they’re just all alone. So Camp is the one time they can spend two weeks
with people their own age.
Beyond sports, AYC also imparts valuable life skills. Each year, public speaking instruction
is given, and a specific speech type assigned. This year, all teens presented a "how to"
speech. Though preparing and delivering a message for a group of peers is challenging,
successfully doing so brought great satisfaction to all.
Writing assignments are another way campers
are taught proper communication. This year, they were given “camp journals” and instructed
to record impressions of the two weeks, dedicating time each day to write. Selected content was
included in a special issue of Ambassador Youth magazine. It is a delight for adult
Church members to receive this issue and read content written by Camp teens, accompanied
by a smorgasbord of pictures.
Another worthwhile skill offered at AYC is basic dance instruction. Several line dances
were taught and practiced, as well as a slow dance.
The first Sabbath during Camp was greatly anticipated, giving everyone a chance to rest
and be refreshed after a rigorous first week. At Sabbath Services, the room was filled with
energy by many young voices singing hymns, and two edifying split sermon messages were
delivered.
After sunset, a formal dinner dance took place. All enjoyed putting into action the dancing
skills they had just learned.
Abhishek: People should attend AYC because there is no other place like this on earth
right now where you can meet with likeminded teenagers and actually talk to them and enjoy
their company for a full two weeks where you can't even get that at the Feast. So to enjoy
that, and all the government of God and activities which are all exhibited here perfectly, that's
why you should attend AYC, to have an amazing two weeks.
Timoer: Well Camp has benefited me personally
in being more like a leader. Like before Camp and all that, I wasn't really a leader type
at all, I was more like a follower I guess, or like a shy person. But Camp has been one
of the key ingredients to me to make myself more like a leader.
A foundational element central to camp is daily Bible lectures from ministers. The content
is specifically prepared to help teens live the right way in a world growing continually
darker.
Softball was played on the next day of activities. Station drills taught fundamentals like how
to effectively swing a bat, throw a ball, catch grounders and fly balls, and run bases.
Then, games ensued.
Campers and staff went to an outdoor pool afterwards. It was a real treat to be able
to jump off the diving board and splash around with friends.
A trip was taken to Headquarters for a photography class. After being taught the basics of how
to compose a shot, teens were let loose on the Campus to take pictures. A selection of
these were also featured in Ambassador Youth magazine.
The game of basketball provided many hours of exhilarating play. Drills covered dribbling,
passing, and shooting. The games that followed were full of enthusiasm.
A bonfire, in which everyone gathers around
a roaring fire to engage in wholesome songs and lively chants, is another highlight of
Camp that many look forward to.
A dynamic scavenger hunt, called the Amazing Race, was next. Campers formed teams and received
tasks from a “command post,” with the goal being to see who could accomplish the
most before time ran out. Some missions were physically strenuous, while others were creative
and mentally challenging.
Sarah: There’s plenty of reasons people should attend AYC. Personally I went when
I was younger and I was immediately inculcated into a friend group, and was accepted right
away. And when people did that I learned a lot more about God’s way and everything
that it does. And you get the chance to hang out with there’s just so many people here
and there's not anything to be worried about. There's just, you’re not even allowed to
be shy basically. Just so many things.
Campers and staff traveled to Pennsylvania for special activities, beginning with a full
day of ropes courses. Low ropes challenges were team-oriented, conveying valuable lessons.
Then, after putting on helmets and harnesses, teens tried a variety of high ropes courses.
Being suspended in the air was a fantastic opportunity to overcome fear of heights.
A whitewater rafting trip was the most-anticipated
activity among campers, and it did not disappoint! The Class 3 and 4 rapids churned powerfully
as each raft of excited campers and staff passed through, making for an exhilarating
experience.
During archery, campers learned the basics of handling recurve and compound bows, and
practiced firing arrows at targets.
Greg Kaidannek: So if you're considering coming to Camp, if you've been to Camp before,
if you've never been to Camp, don't miss out. Don't let this time, this special time of
your life, pass you by. Grab the opportunity. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. Take
it, and come to Camp. It's that shot in the arm you need to survive the next year ahead.
To build friendships, to reestablish bonds, to strengthen them with your friends, and
to get to know new people. To have an example for those very first time campers, the ability
to serve and help them. And create even more friends. So don't let Camp pass you by.
The grand finale of AYC was the Final Banquet, held after Sabbath Services at Headquarters.
A delicious dinner was served, after which
a table-topics session kicked off. It featured questions about memorable experiences during
AYC and challenged campers to think on their feet to deliver answers. Brethren in the local
congregation and visiting parents appreciated hearing their comments. Then, two speeches
were delivered by exceptional male and female speakers.
Next, a slideshow showcased many memories
from camp, followed by the premiere of a highlights video—AYC 2017: A Taste of the Kingdom.
The Ecclesiastes 9:10 trophy was presented
to the “best all-around” boy and girl campers, to thunderous applause. Awards were
also given to outstanding photographers. Campers then sang farewell songs. As the bittersweet
night drew to a close, campers began to say goodbye to those they would not see for another
year.
The wholesome fun, learning opportunities and stimulating challenges found at Ambassador
Youth Camp are truly special. The Camp experience is designed to help teenagers become stronger
and more effective—physically, mentally, and spiritually. It is a prized occasion for
young people to be taught God's Way, and to spend time together away from the world.
Greg Kaidannek: Every Church member has the
opportunity, in a way, to participate and come to Camp. You may be thinking, well I've
got some difficulty physically, or I can't take off the two weeks, but I want to be involved
in Camp. The way to involve yourself in Camp is to help one of those young people who would
otherwise not be able to afford to go, or is not fully convicted or convinced that they
should go, to encourage them, to support them, to pray for them, to lift them up, and if
you can and would like to participate, to fund them to go to this Camp.
Greg Kaidannek: Every year we're able to
bring more and more and more from far flung places who would never in a lifetime get such
an opportunity to come to such a wonderful place and enjoy and experience such wonderful
things. So if you're looking for a way to participate, you can volunteer, if you can’t
volunteer, you can help others get to Camp and you can help them have the time of their
life.
Determine to continue preparing and saving funds to be a part of this magnificent two
weeks. You do not want to miss it!