News > North America

JBF/HBF (Canada, North America)

August 21, 2012

We recently held the first ever Canadian JBF/HBF summer camp July 23-26, 2012! The theme was Vine & Branch, focusing on what it means to remain in Jesus and on our identity as a people belonging to God.

David Jumeau of Montreal gave a message on Daniel 1:1-21 about how young Daniel in exile in Babylon kept his identity in God despite the pressures to conform to an ungodly culture. Students were asked to reflect on one thing they could do to strengthen their identity as a child of God. Joshua Brinkerhoff of Ottawa gave a message on John 15:1-17 about the relationship Jesus calls us to, using an interactive style that helped students become active listeners and participants.

One thing that students really valued at the camp was an opportunity to have an honest discussion with their peers about some of their struggles as 2^ndgens, and then to have a dialogue with missionaries about those struggles. One of the struggles that came up was their lack of trust in missionaries when their struggles become the subject of gossip. Some feel pressured to keep up a facade that everything is alright even when they aren’t. Like everyone else, 2^ndgens need to be respected, and they want to be able to confess their sins, trusting that they will not be defined by their sins in the eyes of their faith community. They also had an opportunity to submit questions about controversial topics and have them addressed by missionaries in an open discussion forum. There were questions like, “How do you know if you’ve ‘met’ God?” “How do we know God’s calling for us?” “What if we don’t want to marry by faith?” “Can gays and lesbians be Christians?” “Is it bad for us to be rich when we grow up?” Even if we could not resolve every issue or topic in a completely satisfactory way, we could establish trust and open communication between the generations by making it OK to talk honestly and by having deep conversations about topics that are important to our youth.

The camp program went smoothly thanks to the leadership and service of older 2^ndgens, who are in university or about to enter university. They presided over ice breaker activities, gave a book report, led praise and worship, led group Bible studies and discussions, conducted orchestra practice, taught a worship dance, organized recreational activities, and made friends with all the students. Many formed new and stronger bonds of friendship through their time at the camp. Praise God who brings people together and uses their gifts to encourage and edify one another in Christ.

At the end of the camp, students filled out a brief survey, in which they overwhelmingly expressed their desire to have the camp every year. Many wondered why we hadn’t done it before. Thank God for answering our prayers that our youth might be blessed to grow in relationship with Jesus, in identity as God’s people, and in friendship with one another.

Esther Kim (St. George UBF)