Since the late 2000s, the Youth Camp has been a yearly appointment for teens from different parts of the Philippines. However, since 2020, it was not possible to hold it because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The waiting ended last August 11-13, 2023 when the highly anticipated youth gathering, now called “Teens Camp,” was finally held again in the Mariapolis Center in Tagaytay. A total of 143 participants coming from different parts of Luzon (Baguio, Pangasinan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, and Metro Manila) participated in the camp. The Teens Camp became an avenue for each teen to make a fresh start in making a real connection with oneself, with others, and with God.
We give you a glimpse of the experience of the young people through a day-to-day diary of Anaya Felice Gan, one of the Teens4Unity of Tagaytay who attended the camp.
Day 1
I’ve never attended a youth camp before, so when I was finally going to attend one, I felt nervous. Not being an extrovert, I’m not used to socializing with people I don’t know. I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to talk to anyone, or that I wouldn’t make any friends, but I was wrong. On the first day of the camp, we began the program with dancing, and then, we got to meet our groups and participate in some talks. Though it felt awkward at first (because most of us didn’t know one another yet), it was fun. You could see how everyone’s energy lit up the hall, and how everyone enjoyed themselves. After two years of pandemic, it was nice seeing other young people around.
In the afternoon, we talked about the first day’s theme: Connecting with oneself. In relation to this, we had sessions about nurturing self-expression through art, and career guidance. I learned that we should love and value ourselves to be able to love others — that we should put our needs first, without relying on others for our happiness and sense of accomplishment, so that we can build healthy relationships with people. We should strive to become the best version of ourselves not to please others but so that we can express gratitude for the life that God has given us. Throughout the day, I met a lot of people from different places and even made some unexpected friendships.
Day 2
On the second day of the camp, we had the Amazing Race — a series of games where ten groups competed. I was asked to emcee for the games so I couldn’t join. But even if I wasn’t able to play, it was fun watching the groups navigate through each task and see their strategies. Even if the groups had a different approach to the games, they all knew how to cooperate and communicate with one another. When the games finished, everybody was tired but happy. Everyone felt accomplished, and you could see how everyone’s bond grew closer. We all took a short break and then attended Holy Mass.
After lunch, we had the theme for the second day: Connecting with others. We learned about the importance of showing compassion towards others, and that even in simple ways, we can show our love for them. Even if it’s through simple communication — opening up and listening to others is a way of showing a person that we truly care.
Then, we proceeded with the workshops. I chose the dance workshop because I felt like I would have a fun time there, and I did! We were even able to learn a dance within an hour and thirty minutes! Though we were all sweaty and tired, we didn’t care much anymore, and we had fun. When the workshops were done, we all rested and had dinner.
Later, we had a bonfire which, personally, was one of my favorite moments of the camp. Everyone gathered around and watched as some started the fire. When the music played, everyone sang along, danced, and played around. You could see and feel everyone’s enthusiasm that night. Different campers showcased their talents and performed songs, dances, and even an improv (which was hilarious!). My friends and I even decided to sing for fun. All of us were so happy that we jokingly asked for an extension of the camp. Even if we wanted the bonfire to last longer, we had to go to sleep because we had to be early the next day (the last day of the camp).
Day 3
On the final day of the camp, all of us packed our bags. Most of us didn’t want the camp to end yet. After having breakfast, we received our Teens Camp shirts and wore them in the auditorium. As we had been doing for the past few days, the program started with some dancing to energize us.
We then had a stress management workshop where we were asked to list down things that stress us out and talk about them with others sitting beside us. It felt nice to talk about my feelings. I realized that we should learn how to express our emotions and the stress we experience more healthily — to not act on impulse but rather assess the situation.
After a short break, we talked about the theme for the last day: Connecting with God. We went to our groups and shared our experiences of God and about who He is in our lives. I appreciated listening to the different perspectives of my groupmates as these gave me a new way of seeing my relationship with God. In the end, we wrote a “letter to God” where we expressed our gratitude, worries, and thoughts to God, offering everything to Him during the Sunday Mass.
We all relished our “last” lunch together and then watched a video recap of the Teens Camp. Looking back at the past three days, we all had the time of our lives. We had fun and made memories and real connections with others. I’m sure that the many other teens who shared those days with me will agree that “The Teens Camp has truly been an unforgettable experience!”
Jonas Lardizabal
