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Student Camp for the Second Half of 2023
Make the Most Out of the Vacation with Various Programs
Vacation is a fun time for students to get away from the everyday routines at school and explore various experiences. The Church of God holds the student camp every year, so that the students can spend their vacation more meaningfully.
The student camp for the second half of 2023 was held in Korea, the U.S., Peru, and Mongolia from July to August according to the schedule of each church. It consisted of various programs: field trips, cooking competitions, character education, volunteer services, etc. The students participated in the camp with excitement and anticipation, and spent a meaningful vacation, making good memories.
Nurturing the Heart Through Bible Study and Character Education
The words of the Bible are a guide that helps us live a righteous life (2 Ti 3:16). The students who participated in the student camp learned the words of the Bible in depth through the pastoral staff’s truth education, and they strengthened their confidence in the words of God through the preaching practices with the Bible study teachers.
The students also held Bible seminars for their friends at the 3rd Puente Piedra in Lima, Peru, Chandragiri in Nepal, Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, Gangbuk in Seoul, Korea, and Seobuk in Cheonan, Korea. The seminars were prepared at the student’s level of understanding, so they not only made the students feel proud of the truth, but also made known the words of the Bible to their friends and sparked their interest in the Bible.
The special lectures by experts in various fields, such as university professors, school principals, police officers, and local government officials, were presented to students. Through lectures on habits and manners and education on preventing school violence, the students reflected upon themselves and learned to be considerate of others. Education on the correct use of smartphones was provided to the students who access a lot of online media. Noh Su-min (from Gwangju) said, “Through the self-examination on smartphone addiction during education, I got to reflect upon myself whether or not I am addicted to smartphones. I will use my smartphone smartly since it can be either useful or wasting my time, depending on how I use it.”
Volunteer Activities to Open a Bright Future
The activities of the Church of God Student Volunteer Group [ASEZ STAR] were outstanding. The students, who nurtured their minds through character education, practiced love for the earth and for their neighbors by cleaning around their schools and their churches, which included Silmi Beach Amusement Park in Incheon, Korea, South Rotary Park in Oklahoma City, OK, U.S., and Túpac Amaru Park in Huancayo, Junín Province, Peru. The students in Vicente López, Argentina, donated lunchboxes to volunteer firefighters. The local residents praised the students for their heartfelt volunteer work for neighbors and society.
Yoo Myung-gyu, Executive Director of the Pyeongtaek Youth Foundation, who participated in ASEZ STAR’s cleanup at Gungpyeong-ri Beach in Hwaseong, Korea, said, “As a leader for youths, I’m very happy to see many students volunteer for the earth despite the hot weather. Volunteer services during their adolescent years help them grow, but it is also important for creating a sustainable society.” Lim Yeon-ji (from Incheon) said, “Despite the scorching heat, I could finish it because it was for the environment. Hearing the beach staff encouraging us, saying that they were grateful and proud of us, I was able to do it more joyfully.”
Field Trips to Make the Students United
The student camp also provided programs for the students to learn how to unite, such as New Song Festivals, sports days, and cooking contests, which also received great response. The students enjoyed harmonizing their voices, and learned how to unite one another for the New Song contests. They also made touching and unforgettable memories while working together as one team and competing with other teams during the sports days. The Cranford Church in New Jersey, U.S., held an event where school teachers were invited to be served with a meal, which was praised and supported by the community. Lim Jeong-min (from Daejeon), who participated in the student group cooking contest at the Gwanjeo Church, Daejeon, Korea, said, “Each team decided to cook what they were good at, and we did everything from grocery shopping to cooking together. Although we were clumsy, we got closer by completing the cooking task.”
Moreover, the students visited various historical places, such as the Independence Hall of Korea in Cheonan and the Historic Park of POW Camp in Geoje, Korea. They also visited the Fire Prevention Experience Center and the Solomon Law Park which is a law education theme park, so that they could learn and experience in person rather than learning through textbooks or smartphones. Lee Ga-yeong (from Gumi) said, “I thoroughly enjoyed the camp, which was packed with amazing programs, such as the Bible study, Jeopardy on the Bible, the Fire Prevention Experience Center, and treasure hunt. It went by so fast! It was a meaningful time to learn the virtues of consideration and unity from the other students who think of others before themselves.”
After the students made precious memories with their friends through the student camp, they began to prepare for the new semester, being reminded of the importance of communication and unity.