The first San Pablo Youth Summer Camp of 2019 that was held on June 11-16th was extravagantly amazing! We started off at a slow pace, just getting to know everyone and trying to break any ice amongst us, but then we started having profound, lovely discussions! The discussions were varied yet very engaging! We talked about our communities, how youth can contribute to the community, and how society treats youth, to name a few subjects. (For the uninitiated, "Youth" are anyone 12-21, while people of ages 12-15 are known as "Junior Youth".)
We had these deep conversations every morning for the six days that we stayed at the camp. After that, we were separated into small groups to study different books - about five. Each in different "levels" as I like to call them. For example, if you are studying book one, I'd call you a level one, likewise if you are a level 2 you are studying book 2, and so on. There are seven books each, all regarding separate topics. Book one, for example is all about introducing and easing people into the Baha'i faith. Book 5 is all about teaching you how to facilitate Junior Youth groups, and so on. Most, if not all of our groups have finished their books and will be leveling up to the next book! Its so impressive when you think about us getting things done in only SIX DAYS! Not only that, but in the end, we all learned many different spiritual traits. Spiritual detachment for example, is when you make sure you don't find yourself being attached to material desires, like your phone, your video games, etc. Another topic discussed in the books is how to behave around others.
If you are thinking all we did was study, you are sooooo wrong. We also had blocks where we played sports, games, or simply socialized. We all had a moment to chat, chill, play, and study. All during the same period of time! We even had some bonfires where we sang, ate s'mores, and reflected on what we did! It was bomb! Speaking of singing, we always had about a half hour long session where we prayed and sang. Like there was a block just for that. If that doesn't lift your mood or make your morning, I don't know what will. Can you believe it?! A group of teenagers really committed six days of their summer to study and understand how they themselves could benefit their communities!
This goes to show that with determination and sheer willpower, the youth of any community can lead to great projects being initialized. Many people have become better versions of themselves, and many people have grown from their experiences in this camp. And if it wasn't for the abundance of youth who came, who knows what would have happened? There are many possibilities. But, one thing is certain: without all the youth volunteering to take this chance: if they decided to just pass and we ended up only having people from past camps join us, then the camp would not exactly be making much progress. For ourselves as a group, but also for the youth already involved. For example, Roxanna, a youth from Richmond has stated that the camp has helped her find an idea on what "unity" is. She learned first hand what unity means to her and what a united community is. Now, on the topic of unity, a quote comes to my heart: “The tabernacle of unity hath been raised. Regard ye not one another as strangers. Ye are the fruits of one tree and the leaves of one branch.” This quote states that even as “strangers”, we as humans all share the same blood, we all are the same under the skin, the beliefs, our style, our culture. Despite our many differences, we are all the same collectively, and that will never change.
As for myself, I have learned that many great things about myself and how I, as an individual can give to the world and assist in bettering it. A quote comes to mind as I am saying this: “Every age hath its own problem and every soul its particular aspiration. The remedy the world needeth in its present day afflictions can never be the same as that which a subsequent age may require.” With each and every new era of humanity that begins, a new set of challenges arrive to the new generation of youth. My colleagues and I, we all have a fierce, burning desire to learn and help out our communities in one way or another. We all have powers that we can all utilize to cause great good, and simply having that knowledge on its own makes us powerful. I believe that our time was definitely productive and I can't wait to see our friends on the next trip! Hopefully we'll have even more people with us and we can have even more smiles and memories being made! 💞
- Ronvel Sharper (:
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