Contributed by Tan Wen Hui, Joyce
The first offshore youth camp for Edmund Tay’s zone gathered 130 sporting teenagers to participate in a survivor style boot camp at St John’s Island. Held over two days from 26 to 27 June 2009, ‘Cast Away — The Camp Edition’ marked a new epoch for Tay’s zone since the first annual youth camp was organized in 2003.
Attended by mostly secondary school students, the two-day leadership camp comprised of numerous activities including team-building games, a midnight pep talk, and testimonial sharing sessions — all in the aim of inspiring youths to rise up to new challenges, forge better friendships, be inculcated with positive values, and most of all, experience a first-hand encounter with God.
Decked out in appropriate camp gear, doused with insect repellant and adequately hydrated, the campers participated in a water bomb fight and a chilling night kidnapping game which successfully aided them to form strong bonds with one another and work well as a team.
The kidnap game on the first day lasted two hours beginning at midnight. Three people were kidnapped from each team and ‘tormented’ in a torture chamber while their teammates had to hunt around the compound for items requested by the kidnappers. This game posed a significant challenge because each team had to go from the starting point to their first station blindfolded!
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| PHOTOS: Aaron Low and Jeremy Tan |
David Ang, 23, a veteran youth leader and co-organizer of the camp said, “These station games were important for the teams to forge stronger bonds. Not only were the participants’ memory tested, they were also challenged physically and learnt to trust their teammates in the process.”
The main organizer for ‘Cast Away’, Lucas Chia, said that this camp allowed every zone leader and helper to brainstorm together and formulate new programs that had never been done previously. This culminated in a breakthrough concept that resounded well with the camp participants.
Zone leader, Edmund Tay, also spearheaded a midnight gathering session in the woods and shared with the campers how they could each become a line crosser by overcoming their fears and stepping out of their comfort zones in order to make a difference in society.
As each youth immersed themselves for 48 hours in a shared habitat on St John’s Island, they shared their hearts and life stories with one another, in the process learning the true significance of friendship and understanding the larger meaning of life.
These will be our creative, decisive leaders of tomorrow.
