Inter-America: Organizers set to welcome thousands of young people set to participate in Pathfinder Camporee

April 17, 2011 – Mexico City, Mexico…Libna Stevens/IAD

Seventh-day Adventist youth leaders met late into the night to coordinate final arrangements as they prepare to welcome more than 6,000 Pathfinders today for the third and largest division-wide camporee which starts Tuesday evening in Mexico City.

Among the leaders’ concerns are the thundering rains this weekend and the two-inch hail which hit the city last night, flooding and shutting down many streets and threatening to affect the 227-acre space at Ciudad Deportiva, the camporee site. In addition to the Pathfinders, nearly 14,000 more guides, leaders, and chaperones will also be descending on the area.

“Last week, we prayed for rain,” said Pastor Benjamin Carballo, youth ministries director for the church and organizer of the camporee, as he addressed the youth leaders from the 21 church regions gathered to review the event’s strategies. According to Carballo, the heat wave which hit Mexico City during the past few weeks prompted the relocation of many campsites to greener pastures. “Now let’s pray that the weather does not put a damper on this event,” he added.

The camporee, coined as “Conquering Giants” after the biblical story of David and Goliath, has presented many challenges for organizers to overcome.

“We are struggling with many giants,” said Carballo. “But we must continue to pray so that these ‘giants’ can be knocked down. God has something wonderful in store for the thousands of pathfinders coming this week.”

Already bus loads of young people and leaders are traveling from Central America and Mexico, a journey that will take more than 48 hours for some.

Pastor Zamir Sarmiento, youth ministries director for the church in Honduras, has faced many challenges for his pathfinder group making the long journey. His group of 86 will cross two borders to arrive at the venue late tomorrow.

“We had to get special permits with the ministry of transportation and the office of the transit police in Honduras to allow for our two busses to cross the border into Guatemala,” said Sarmiento. Several trips to the Honduras-Guatemala border during the past few months took place before the group could travel at night to get to Mexico on time, he added. Although he was concerned that only 86 out of the 191 campers registered for the event, Sarmiento is thankful that his group of young people is on its way.

Many parents are not sending their children because of safety concerns.

Pastor Emilio Perche, youth ministries director for the church in the Venezuela Antilles Union, also faced many challenges for some 500 Pathfinders from his area. A group of only 185 will be arriving during the next few days, due to visa challenges and limited flight availability, said Perche.

For Earnal Scott, youth ministries director for the church in South Central American Union stationed in Costa Rica, a group of only 95 Pathfinders are scheduled to arrive. “I am saddened that some 25 young people from Nicaragua were denied visas to Mexico and will not be able to participate in this great event,” said Scott, who said that only young people from Panama and Costa Rica will be arriving at the airport in the next two days.

Large delegations of young people from three of the four church regions in Mexico are already on their way to the event, some taking nearly 24 hours to arrive at Ciudad Deportiva.

Pastor Jeremias Morales, youth ministries director for the church in South Mexico, tops off the list of delegations with over 6,500 Pathfinders scheduled to arrive by busloads today and tomorrow.

“It’s been a real challenge to coordinate the hundreds of Pathfinder clubs coming,” said Morales, but added that after coordinating for months with a team of good youth leaders and master guides, he expects his group to settle in smoothly.

Youth leaders and organizers took time yesterday to tour their delegation’s designated campsites and locations where campers will participate in sports activities, marches, activities and events later this week.

As leaders went over financial, transportation, parking, and security logistics, they paused to pray for the safety of the thousands traveling to the city, the weather, the program and the guiding of the Holy Spirit as they lead and coordinate young people.

“God will see us through as He has guided us thus far,” said Carballo. “We are all under the power of the One, in a spirit of unity and fellowship for this event.”

The morning and evening programs will be webcast every day throughout the camporee.

Inter-America’s Pathfinder Camporee is scheduled to begin on April 19, 2011, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Central Time or Mexico City Time.

To view the opening ceremony and following evening programs live, click here

For news updates on IAD’s Pathfinder Camporee, visit us at www.interamerica.org and camporee.interamerica.org

For radio updates of the Camporee event in Spanish with English interviews, click here

Photo gallery at www.flickr.com/photos/interamerica

IAD on Facebook:
In English click here
In Spanish click here

IAD Camporee Facebook in Spanish click here

Follow us Twitter at http://twitter.com/camporeedia2011