2nd gulf field camporee 2017

The Gulf Field of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Union of the Seventh-day Adventist Church held its 2nd Pathfinder Camporee from Thursday night, February 23 until Saturday, February 25, 2017 at the Sharjah Scout Mission camp grounds in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Following on the success of the first camporee which was held November 27-29, 2014, Pathfinder Club Leaders from across the Gulf Field decided unanimously to continue to hold Gulf Field-wide camporees every three years. With this decision, the second camporee was planned for 2017 and preparations got underway.

Almost three years after the first camporee, over 250 Pathfinders and their leaders came together to attend the 2nd Gulf Field International Pathfinder Camporee which was held under the theme “Pathfinder’s Today, Leaders Tomorrow.” Attendees included Pathfinders from eight clubs in the UAE; attendees from three other countries from the Gulf Field region namely Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar; as well as a few attendees from the United Kingdom. Having visitors from outside the Gulf Field area officially made it an international camporee.

Being different from the first camporee which was activity based, this second camporee was skill based camporee. Attendees spent the whole of Friday February 24 participating in nine different honors namely: Archery, Kites, Candle Making, Tie-Dye, Paper Quilling, Nutrition, Gift Wrapping, Christian Drama and Card Making. A total of 408 of the mentioned honors were awarded to participants who completed the different honors. Attendees also enjoyed other camporee activities which included drill and marching, prayer walks, pin trading and many other activities they needed to do in order to get stamps on their camporee passports.

Pr. Alan Hush, the secretary of the North England Conference (NEC) of the Seventh-day Adventist Church was the Camporee guest speaker and he BLESSED the campers with inspiring messages using powerful illustration which made the messages alive and memorable. Together with him were Pr. Ikwisa Mwasumbi (Pathfinder Director of NEC) and two area Coordinators: Master Guides Joseph Epawi and Prem Wilson, who assisted in the archery honor and run an inspiring campfire programs on both evenings of the camporee.
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Pr. Hush and Pr. Mwasumbi delivered inspiring messages every morning and night which led to about 20 souls giving their lives to the Lord for baptism during the altar call made by Pr. Hush during the Sabbath message. Pr. Hush gave a special message and offered a special prayer for the Gulf Field teens who are faced with immense challenges and encouraged them to remain faithful to their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

On Sabbath, February 25, 2017, the Camporee saw three individuals receiving their certificates and class pins for the Pathfinder Leadership Award (PLA) Course, during the investiture ceremony held on the Camporee Sabbath afternoon.

The three-day Bedouin-Style desert camporee also welcomed eight visitors, six pathfinders and two parents, who are not Adventists but wanted to be part of the camporee experience and the pathfinder family.

May the Lord's name be glorified for this very successful 2nd Gulf Field International Pathfinder Camporee.