Pathfinders To Storm Jamaica Like Gideon
Fireworks lit the skies of Jamaica’s Trelawny Stadium as part of the opening ceremony for 11,700 registered Pathfinders attending the 2023 Inter-American Division (IAD) Pathfinder Camporee - the first in a non-Spanish-speaking island of the IAD.
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Pathfinders from the South Caribbean Conference quite engaged during the opening ceremony of the IAD Pathfinder camporee Inter-America’s 5th Pathfinder Camporee in Jamaica. Image by CARU Media
Fireworks lit the skies of Jamaica’s Trelawny Stadium as part of the opening ceremony for 11,700 registered Pathfinders attending the 2023 Inter-American Division (IAD) Pathfinder Camporee - the first in a non-Spanish-speaking island of the IAD.
The sea of Pathfinders overflowing the cricket stadium, built in legendary sprinter Usain Bolt’s hometown, on Tuesday accepted the mission to overrun Jamaica’s parishes with community service projects and other evangelistic outreach activities as part of the one-week program built on the Gideon model. In a nation of 2.8 million people, Pathfinders were challenged to make an impact in Jamaica in the same way that the Bible character Gideon and his 300 men won a decisive victory over a large army, despite considerable numerical disadvantage.
“Fantastic!” was the word President of the Caribbean Union Conference (CARU) Dr. Kern Tobias used to describe the launch of the camporee. Tobias, along with Pastor Bertie Henry, leads the over-1000 strong delegation of Pathfinders from the Caribbean Union. President of the IAD Dr. Eli Henry who heads a cadre of leaders supporting Adventist youth in their quest of becoming confident men and women of purpose, promised, “You will succeed.” Henry’s words were similar to that of the Jamaican Union President Pastor Everett Brown who reminded them that “Everything is going to be alright.”
Pathfinders from the East Caribbean Conference were quite engaged during the opening ceremony of the Inter-America’s 5th Pathfinder Camporee in Jamaica. Image by CARU Media
Convened every five years, the camporee was declared open by Youth Director of the IAD and main organizer Pastor All Powell who, just before the start of the program, noted, “I’ve never been so physically exhausted, but I’ve never been happier to be this tired. We really care about and value our young people,” Powell said. CARU Youth Director Pastor Marvin Smith expressed his delight with the turnout, saying “It’s the largest delegation [ever] and we are happy to be here.”
From April 4 to 9, tens of thousands of Seventh-day Adventist youth and their friends will participate in community service projects, attend nightly spiritual programs, and earn honor pins and patches for their service and learning activities.
“I came because I heard it was fun,” said Amethyst Richardson, a 14-year-old pathfinder. “Everyone said it was a good experience, good memories, and you draw closer to God. But the food is a challenge,” she concluded.
“It has been kind of challenging,” said Salie Charles- Palme, a youth leader from the Grenada Conference who brought her daughter to her first Pathfinder camporee. She observed that since most club members have arrived, walking long distances between venues has been trying for some. For others the challenge is settling down to a meal that isn’t homemade.
The contingent of the pathfinders from the Haitian Union attending the Inter-America’s 5th Pathfinder Camporee in Jamaica. Image by CARU Media
Several club leaders agreed that the key to enjoying the camporee is simply for Pathfinders to interact with each other so club directors are restricting electronic use to cameras only while organizers consider disabling internet connections. At the international camp city Monday night, Pathfinders played games on their phones while they waited for the evening meal, some taking advantage of internet packages offered by local companies.
“I want them to be a team,” Pastor Smith said. “When they’re playing games, they’re not talking to each other, experiencing things, exercising, teasing each other—things kids do.”
Still, Kenneth Serrant, director of the Pioneer Pathfinder Club in St. Maarten, is optimistic that Pathfinders are fulfilling the objective of the camporee, which it to listen each other and learn to persevere like Gideon. “The Lord always comes through,” he said.
The camporee is scheduled to run through Saturday April 8, 2023. Photos of the event may be seen in the CARU’s Facebook page, and the live event can be viewed on the IAD’s YouTube channel.