CEBU CITY, Philippines — More than four units of young campers gathered at the Paril Seventh-day Adventist Church in Cambinocot, Cebu City, for a weeklong youth camp aimed at spiritual formation, mental health education, and survival training.
The Youth Ministries Department (YMC) Camp 2026, which ran from May 31 to June 7, concluded with Unit 3 (Fireflies) taking the overall championship, ahead of Unit 1 (Lamok), Unit 4 (Worm), and Unit 2 (Butterflies).
The weeklong program combined rigorous outdoor exercises with spiritual instruction and practical life skills. Early in the week, participants underwent an initiation crawl under a “yoke of obedience,” signaling their commitment to camp rules, followed by a blindfolded trust walk through nine distinct stations.
Spiritual enrichment anchored the daily routine. Randy Hijapon, a church lay pastor at Canduman Seventh-day Adventist Church, delivered nightly devotions from Sunday through Thursday under the theme of building an “unshaken” foundation in faith.
In addition to spiritual gatherings, campers participated in specialized breakout sessions throughout the week. Marisa Lazo led instructional classes on the fundamentals of song leading, while Master Guide Jeffrey Obsioma III conducted seminars focusing on prayer and the core doctrinal discussions of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
For the mental health awareness program, the camp addressed modern challenges faced by youth. Marilyn Lucero, a news writer for the East Central Philippine Union Conference, conducted seminars on mental health, focusing on preventing academic burnout and on the mind’s influence on physical well-being.
Practical training filled the daylight hours, featuring first-aid workshops and a “Rescuelympics” competition in which campers constructed emergency stretchers to transport simulated patients. Instructors Elizabeth Arceo and Dave Hijapon also led hands-on CPR demonstrations.
Outdoor and survival training included land navigation using traditional compasses, knots and lashings courses, and a rope obstacle circuit featuring a monkey bridge, zipline, and tarpaulin slide. Campers also tested their outdoor skills in a “Camp Cookery” competition, which required them to bake camp bread and cook meals using a single match under simulated distractions.
The spiritual activities culminated on the Sabbath, with a baptismal service for two new members in a nearby stream.
During the divine worship service, Pastor Von John Sanchez, youth and health ministries director for the ECPUC, delivered a message on the biblical narrative of Gideon, emphasizing humility and divine strength. Sanchez also urged the youth to take an active role in church leadership, noting that “leadership is not meant to be carried alone.”
Before the closing ceremonies, organizers held an awards presentation to recognize individual student leadership. David Nathaniel Arioja of Unit 3 was named Best Captain, while Roi Ean Hijapon of Unit 4 received the Best Guidon Bearer award. Sheouin Fudotan of Unit 3 won Best Scribe, and Job Michael Yunzal of Unit 1 and Angel Villarin of Unit 2 were named Best Campers.
Camp officials said the annual event successfully met its goals of deepening the spiritual lives of local youth while equipping them with teamwork and survival skills.
This article’s original version was published on the official page of the Young Missionaries for Christ – CCDAC.
Rosebelle Lazo Sullivan | Umapad SDA Church