A Summer to Remember: The 2nd Asia Pacific Youth Camp for Persons with Disabilities
The Order of Malta Philippines will be welcoming very important guests this summer — a total of 150 differently-abled young men and women from various countries will participate in the 2nd Asia-Pacific Summer Youth Camp for PWDs at the picturesque Villa Escudero in Tiaong, Quezon from June 6-8, 2018.
The summer youth camp is a unique opportunity for members, friends, and volunteers of the Order of Malta to interact and serve young people who are afflicted with different physical and mental disabilities. Participants of the summer camp will come from Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia and the Philippines
As host country, the Order of Malta Philippines has prepared different activities that will challenge the body, stimulate the mind, and inspire the soul of volunteers and guests alike. These include fun games such as pool volleyball and swimming, races, obstacle relays, and a cheering competition. There will also be educational games like chess, scrabble, monopoly and even the popular Philippine game called sungka. The special guests will also participate in arts and craft sessions. Most importantly, the event will feature inspirational talks, fellowship and spiritual activities including a procession of the Blessed Sacrament and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist.
Taking inspiration from St. Teresa of Calcutta’s quote, “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love,” Don Eric Nicolas, Hospitaller of the Order of Malta Philippines, says the planned activities aim to teach the physically and mentally challenged youths that they can excel in their abilities despite their present conditions. They will learn this not on their own, but through interactive participation and camaraderie.
“The prepared activities will build-up self-esteem and self-confidence and provide avenues for spiritual upliftment,” said Don Eric Nicolas. “I believe this would indeed be a great occassion for all delegates, encouraging everyone to enjoy sporting and other recreational activities. Every day would be a day of fun and fellowship,” he added.
The Order of Malta Philippines is deeply grateful to Villa Escudero for hosting the Summer Camp as well as the many contributions it has received from the members of the Order of Malta Asia, the Global Fund for Forgotten People and various private donors.
Providing a stigma-free environment for the participants, the 2nd Asia Pacific Youth Camp for PWDs is indeed an ideal setting for volunteers and guests alike to feel God’s love through their various encounters with different people coming from diverse cultures and backgrounds. The event promises to be a joyful and fruitful gathering — proving that no disability can handicap people from experiencing God’s bountiful grace.
The regional summer youth camp is a tradition that was started in Austria in 1984 and was first brought to Asia last year in Singapore. The Philippines also began holding a national day camp for the disabled in 2015.
