4 Days of Life and Love

They said we were crazy. They said we couldn’t have a four day camp during the summer. They were wrong. 

I always look forward to Summer. It’s the moment when school ends. When there are no more homework, no obligations with lessons, nothing to think of for school, just relaxation, friends, family, and fun in the Sun.

I really was friends with the Sun that it loved me so much that my skin color maintained dark for the past years even up to now.

At Light of Jesus Youth Missions, we have this Summer Camp we call, CAMP CALYE which stands for CAMP Choose. A. Life. You’ll. Embrace. It’s always the best event of Summer for me.

Four complete days out of home, away from chores and stuff, and best of all, spending time with nature.

I remember my first Camp Calye moment, I brought 17 T-shirts thinking that I needed plenty because we needed 3 t-shirts a day. So, that’s 3 for Thursday, 3 for Friday, 3 for Saturday, and 3 for Sunday. That makes it 12, plus more for extras because I know I sweat a lot.

Also, scared that my phone will be drained of it’s juice during the camp, I brought a portable solar charger. But, thinking about it now, it’s funny as hell. It’s like I went abroad or something. But it was quite an experience.

Every year is different. But the fun, the amazement, the things you could learn, and the joy it brings is still the same.

I joined my first camp last 2011, Live Glorious of the South (Alabang). It’s 2016 now, and I’m about to join camp again, not as a camper though, but now a servant. Not because I’m not young enough to be a camper anymore, but because I want other people to experience the same joys I experienced when I first attended Camp Calye.

If you could put out one word to describe the whole camp experience, well… one word just isn’t enough. It’ll make you laugh, it’ll make you cry (of laughter, and sometimes of drama), or you’ll cry because you cooked your rice too long that it got burned and you got nothing to eat. But to simply put, it was an amazing weekend.

So what can you expect at Camp Calye?

You’ll be far away from the city that’s for sure. You’ll take a lot of selfies and photo ops because there’s a lot of picturesque spots. You’ll experience cooking food in the wild. As in, if you forget your portable stove or cooking pot, then you and your group will have be fasting for four days.

You’ll experience taking a bath faster than you could finish singing “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber. You’ll have a great time doing all the activities and the team building gimmicks. Maybe riding the zipline or wallclimbing, for starters?

You’ll experience God’s love through the facilitators, the activities, and the people around you. You’ll learn more about Jesus in those four days through the activities and talks. Trust me, the speakers are funny and interesting, and you won’t fall asleep.

Here even if you smell bad from doing a lot of activities, or if you get dirty from top to bottom. You’ll totally feel accepted and loved no matter who you are.

I promise, the fee you’ll pay is worth it for 4 days of camp!

Dito kahit anong dumi, baho, at kung anu-ano pa man ang meron ka, tanggap na tanggap at mahal na mahal ka. Sulit ang bayad mo sa apat na araw! Pramis!

Camp Calye is an event that you shouldn’t miss, and I recommend you bring someone with you if you’re joining the camp. At least before getting back to school, have the greatest experience that you could ever have by attending Camp Calye, an experience you won’t have when you drop by a mall or eat at a good restaurant.

Camp Calye: Unafraid is an awesome event and I hope you’ll come join us! 

If you plan to join, check out our facebook page and stay updated!

Camp Calye is a worldwide phenomenon. We even have camps at Perth, USA, Singapore, and UAE (I’m serious!).

What are you waiting for? Join Camp Calye now! Don’t miss this ride of a lifetime.

See yah!

PS. My officemate Jon is single and he proofread this article. Thanks Jon. Papa Jon.