Côte d’Ivoire World Camp News (August 11, 2011)

An Old Heart into A New One

The Opening Ceremony for 2011 Côte d’Ivoire World Camp was held in Palais de la culture, located in Abidjan, with about 1,400 students.

Côte d’Ivoire is a country with frequent civil wars due to some political conflicts. If you are a soccer fan, you would know Drogba who plays for Chelsea. Drogba is a soccer player from Côte d’Ivoire. When the team qualified for the 2006 Germany World Cup, he made a great contribution to cease the civil war as he pleaded to Ivoirians “to lay down their arms at least for a week.” However in November, 2010, as the political party contested their loss of the presidential election, the civil war resumed. Right now, the country is recovering quickly with the help from UN since April, 2011.

The youths in Côte d’Ivoire were living in the center of gunfights due to frequent civil wars. Instead of hope in the future, they are repeating a life of confusion with depressing and extreme social issues.

IYF Good News Corps oversea volunteers have been teaching the youths in Côte d’Ivoire the world of heart and planting hope in their mind that the despair they see now is not everything but they can fight to improve.

So the second World Camp in Côte d’Ivoire became the great event for youth, sponsored by the government.

The Minister of the youth department, Alain Lobognon, who attended the Korea World Camp/ Ministers’ Forum, came 30 minutes early to the venue and greeted the pastor.

The students sent a big round of applause to various performances by Masan Lincoln School students. Especially they were amazed at the beauty of Korean presented through the Fan Dance.

During the welcoming message, the Minister of Youth Department, Alain Lobognon said, “IYF will bring so much changes in the youth of Côte d’Ivoire, and the government will sponsor in any possible way.”

For the Gracias Choir’s performances, everyone shared the joy of the opening ceremony, standing on their foot. Especially when they sang the native songs, everyone sang together and became united.

As he gave a congratulatory message, Pastor Ock Soo Park said, “I hope that everyone can throw away the old heart and receive a new heart during the world camp.”

The opening ceremony of the World Camp made all of us look forward to see how the youth of Côte d’Ivoire, who have been scarred by civil wars and despair, will grow in the workers with a new heart.