Through God’s miraculous provision, youth from all over East Timor were enabled to attend this year’s Nazarene Youth Camp at Liquica in early July.   The group of 125 young people is the largest attendance for the past five youth camps.   In spite of the struggling economy of East Timor, the youth gave sacrificially to attend, traveling from Dili and the Districts of Los Palo, Baucao and other sub-districts.

The planning committee had no means to promote the event through posters or flyers, but youth leader Pastor Acy Lodja said that, “most of the young people learned about the camp and got connected from one friend to another… we simply passed the word along.” Others came to know through the English programs being conducted at the Nazarene Youth Centers located in the Capital (Dili) and Los Palos.

A total of 10 presenters were invited to speak around the theme “RISE and SHINE,” which was chosen to encourage the youth in East Timor to become spiritual leaders in their families and communities and to shine for JESUS.  The first challenge, however, said Acy was to first introduce them to a personal, transforming relationship with Jesus in order for them to “rise and shine.”  According to Pastor Lodja “We are constantly working with a lot of young people, most of whom are heavily influenced by a mixture of Roman Catholicism and traditional religions.   For many of them this camp was their first time to read the Bible and pray personally. So this camp is a great tool for reaching pre-believing youth in a fun, non-threatening environment where they can get to know each other and build unity among the young people in East Timor.”

Pastor Lodja concluded that, “this camp is a good annual event that we will continue to do because through youth camp many non-Christian young people come and feel that God is really working in their lives, through the sessions, prayer times and discussions in small groups. Every year when we do camp we always receive new followers of Jesus.” The Church of the Nazarene in East Timor anticipates great results from these camps as the youth respond to the challenge of rising up and shining as leaders in their nation.