Papa P at Boot Camp with young people in Silver Spring Maryland, USA Over the years the Sober Watchman Ministries have been running her annual camp that has been a blessing to thousands of young people.
This ministry tool has been very successful wherever it is implemented.
While serving in Cameroon for four years we commenced the “youth camp” as we know it to be: an arena of youthful bliss. Young people were given the opportunity to express their faith, in an unthreatening atmosphere. It is a place where “iron sharpens iron”. Young men and women are actually “arrested” when they see their peers taking spiritual leadership in worship, prayer, and decision making.
In Douala (capital of Cameroon), we saw the camp grew from 65 persons to over 150 in just three years. (Presently, they are over 200.) The camp then spread out to several other provinces in Cameroon: Limbe and Yaounde, each hosting similar youth camps to challenge teens and expose them to the Word.
After our tenure in Cameroon we came over to the USA. Here in The US, the youth ministry was blessed by having one of the best youth ministry team I’ve ever known, the Rev. Charles K. Wesley and his wife Mrs. Maima Wesley. The lives of the young people took a good turn upon their arrival.
After Pastor Wesley’s passing we were called upon to take over and we saw the need for camp, SOWATHMI style.
70 plus persons, mainly from Silver Spring, were ministered to at the first camp in 2005. Camp 2007 registered 180 persons and young people from about 10 States. The Bethel World Outreach church in Silver Spring has over 40 nations represented in its community. Through this tool we are practically influencing the world.
How many young people have passed through the walls of SOWATCHMI camp? Many of these young people are leaders in one capacity or the other.
At the camp, I’ve come to realize that morning devotions are not an end in themselves. I believe it is a tool to teach teen a disciplline pattern to develop personal vision and articulate their goals. I remember that it was one means by which we used to launch our daily events on camp and therefore prayed through everything to be done for the day. The very act of having a quiet time or devotional period, builds into a young person the discipline of waking up early and planning his or her events of the day. This challeneges teens to use time wisely.
Developing disciplne leaders is a primary objective at camp. To be a dorm leader, a group leader and any other leadership positions at the camp takes certain interpersonal skills and strong christian convictions,inorder to present a positive 'pressure' on peers. Being a school group leader or a neighborhood group leader allowed teens developed accountability skills to their leaders and peers. Every neighborhood coordinator was responsible to find means to bring his or her group (most of the time over 20 persons) to the camp site. These cell leaders had to deal with parents, pastors and school authorities and convince them to let their kids attend camp, sometime while the civil war raged on in other parts of the country.
Let us not become wary of well doing. Our Master said, “…work while it is day for the night comes when no man can work.” It is high time to cease the moment…the opportunity afforded us to impact lives. Let us give our time, talent and treasure to see others touched with the same “fire” that touched us and transformed our lives completely.
After our tenure in Cameroon we came over to the USA. Here in The US, the youth ministry was blessed by having one of the best youth ministry team I’ve ever known, the Rev. Charles K. Wesley and his wife Mrs. Maima Wesley. The lives of the young people took a good turn upon their arrival.
After Pastor Wesley’s passing we were called upon to take over and we saw the need for camp, SOWATHMI style.
70 plus persons, mainly from Silver Spring, were ministered to at the first camp in 2005. Camp 2007 registered 180 persons and young people from about 10 States. The Bethel World Outreach church in Silver Spring has over 40 nations represented in its community. Through this tool we are practically influencing the world.
How many young people have passed through the walls of SOWATCHMI camp? Many of these young people are leaders in one capacity or the other.
At the camp, I’ve come to realize that morning devotions are not an end in themselves. I believe it is a tool to teach teen a disciplline pattern to develop personal vision and articulate their goals. I remember that it was one means by which we used to launch our daily events on camp and therefore prayed through everything to be done for the day. The very act of having a quiet time or devotional period, builds into a young person the discipline of waking up early and planning his or her events of the day. This challeneges teens to use time wisely.
Developing disciplne leaders is a primary objective at camp. To be a dorm leader, a group leader and any other leadership positions at the camp takes certain interpersonal skills and strong christian convictions,inorder to present a positive 'pressure' on peers. Being a school group leader or a neighborhood group leader allowed teens developed accountability skills to their leaders and peers. Every neighborhood coordinator was responsible to find means to bring his or her group (most of the time over 20 persons) to the camp site. These cell leaders had to deal with parents, pastors and school authorities and convince them to let their kids attend camp, sometime while the civil war raged on in other parts of the country.
Let us not become wary of well doing. Our Master said, “…work while it is day for the night comes when no man can work.” It is high time to cease the moment…the opportunity afforded us to impact lives. Let us give our time, talent and treasure to see others touched with the same “fire” that touched us and transformed our lives completely.
Camp is still a moment of blessings and bliss for those in their teens. let us make those formidable years a one of Godly impressions and irresistable christian testimony for the next generation.
To share your gifts and prayers for the annual Sober watchman Ministries camp, call 202-4926549 or talk to Lucia Shafah at 262-9149836. And thanks for your mutual support.
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