With the motto: Be yourself, know yourself, love yourselfthe Pontifical Mission Educational and Cultural Centre (PMECC) Summer Youth Camp takes off in Bethlehem.
After a hiatus of some four years, the PMECC Staff take up once again the well-sought-for, much-in-demand educational-cultural activities by parents eager to have their children nourished along these lines, making wise use of their summer time especially in the midst of an onslaught of social media outputs that need to be filtered.
With some 45 young people registered enthusiastically during the first week of the youth summer camp, this year's educational activities are woven around self knowledge with the theme Be yourself, know yourself, love yourself.
The team of facilitators –who are Staff of the Pontifical Mission Educational and Cultural Centre (PMECC)– are composed of two Teresian Association Members: Monnitte Monana, the Director (PA member) with Agnes Sleibi (ACIT) and Sahhar Zreineh (a local staff). They also have invited guest speakers who will be in charge of some modules and activities with the young people (whose ages range from 11 to 17).
Along with theoretical inputs of self-knowledge in a wholesome package of human formation sessions, the youth will also have hands-on experiences using computer applications in the computer lab of Bethlehem University facilitated by professionally prepared personnel of the university. Many other learning modules have been prepared balanced by games such as chess as well as outdoor sports and native embroiderysessions.
Zestful spirit
It's almost the end of the first week and the young participants have kept up the same zestful spirit ready to face each new day complete with its surprises. On the 3rd day of the summer camp, the mother of one young lad whose family live in Jerusalem but has always kept in touch with the TA, came to register her son with apologies for being late and begging that he be considered for this most valued summer activity.
When asked how the summer camp is going, Ashraf Qudemat (who has a twin brother also in the summer camp), studying at Talitha Kumi, said unabashedly: “It's excellent, I'm very happy, all of us are delighted with how the days have unfolded. I’ve been here in this learning center since I was 7 years old.”
Another young participant, Andriana Manoly, from St. Afram School, has this to say: “The summer camp is going very well and I’m enjoying it; it’s also time for bonding with friends.”
Integral formation
Indeed, word by mouth –all the more convincing than publication of activities in social media– has brought parents, themselves former members of the PMECC, asking that their children be registered.
Actions speak louder than words, and actions captured in pictures speak a thousand words. Hence, we present the following photos as we end this first installment, and will continue for another update in the near future of this educational endeavor, which takes in consideration Poveda’s approach to education, addressing the integral formation of every young person.
These activities have undoubtedly sowed the seeds of making the Teresian Association known through this unique feature of an education that transforms and nurtures values in young people encountering one another in an informal setting outside the confines of a classroom.
TA Team – Jerusalem-Bethlehem.
Published in News