ADMA Youth Camp
Port Moresby, PNG, 10 Nov 2022 -- “Do everything through love, nothing through constraint” the Salesian 2022 Strenna, was adopted as the theme for the 300 Youth for Mary Camp, held in Don Bosco Technological Institute (DBTI), Boroko on 5-6 November and organized by the leaders of the ADMA Youth. The camp had around 80 dynamic youth participants from Catholic schools around Port Moresby and one parish.
The Annual event came to a halt in 2019 due to COVID but was revived this year by the devoted animators under the leadership of the coordinator Mr. Dylan Kossin and Sr. Alice Fulgencio FMA, the group’s spiritual moderator.
Participants came from Don Bosco Technical Secondary School, St. Charles Lwanga Secondary School, Marianville Secondary School, Jubilee Catholic Secondary School, De La Salle Secondary School, DBTI, Sacred Heart Teachers College and St. John the Apostle Parish, Tokarara.
The Shrine of Mary Help of Christians has been holding a Marian camp under 300 Youth for Mary since 2008 and this year the camp is organized through its newly formed ADMA Youth Group, that focuses on empowering faith in young people through Jesus in the Eucharist and devotion to the Blessed Mother.
The camp began on the 5November with registration on Saturday morning. The participants were then separated into six teams and started off with fun games and ice breakers and proceeded to the talks for the day.
The first talk, given by Fr. Gregorio Bicomong, SDB, Provincial Superior of PGS Vice-Province, highlighted the theme’s significance and explained the importance of holiness. He further emphasized that in order to attain this holiness, we have to practice virtues learnt from St. Francis De Sales who teaches us patience and love. Fr Gregorio added that it is important that we all must love ourselves and appreciate what we are blessed with in order for us to be able to love others.
The second talk for the day, given by Mr and Mrs Ramon and Branda Garay on the challenges faced by families, stressed on the importance of making God the centre of all our relationships, especially in our families. They added on telling the young people that, “the secret to a strong marriage is to have it blessed in the church” and to always pray together, as the saying goes, “a family that prays together, stays together.”
The talks were closed off by Nigel Akuani of Radio Maria who informed the youth on the importance of using multimedia, especially using smart phones to create content that can be posted on online, to create awareness, and spread information that will inspire change in and around our societies. The students were then given a breakout activity at the end of the talk where they made short films using their smart phones and/ or cameras to create awareness on challenges and problems faced by families. This activity which was carried out in each of the six teams, returned beautiful short films that highlighted issues such as poverty, negative impacts of using social media, politics, importance of parental guidance and presence, etc.
“After this camp, they should be able to have a deeper understanding of family values and through the sessions they should have an idea on how to address social issues that affect the family,” stated Dylan Kossin.
Brian Koae of De La Salle secondary school admitted that it was his first time to attend this camp and he found it inspiring and informative.
“I have learnt a lot about respecting others and I have learnt about togetherness in the family and how to be a good son of my parents. I have also learnt the importance of sharing ideas because it is said that when you share your ideas and experiences with other people, you can inspire them to become good people.” Brian said.
The program came to an end on Sunday with a morning Mass led by the youth in the Mary Help of Christians shrine.
