“Out of the Dragging Power” News from Philippines World Camp (April 19, 2012)

On April 11th, the IYF World Camp started with 1100 students at the San Andres Sports Complex in Manila, Philippines.

This 3rd World Camp in Philippines is organized by the city for the youth. As the city officials attended the Korea World Camp last year, they perceived that IYF could provide guidance for the youth – they requested the IYF Mind Lecture for the event.

This time, with the 700 youth from Manila, who met the IYF for the first time, and 400 senior participants, the World Camp started.

Mr.Dunhil, the Minister of Youth welcomed the Camp, “IYF suggests the right ways for the youth who will lead the next generation and teaches them how to control their hearts and how to overcome problems.”

From 9am in the morning, the Opening Ceremony began with the bright smile of Righteous Stars Dance group and the cultural performances – Lecho and ChunHyang.

The students could not look away from the performances they saw for the first time. As they continue watching the performances by Gracias Choir, they were amazed by the Choir’s voice and their beautiful smiles.

“As I watched all the performances, I was so happy. I would like to continue to attend this event.”

At the Opening Ceremony, Pastor Ock Soo Park said, with Judas Iscariot as a comparison, the problem with the students addicted to gambling, drugs, and games isn’t that they lack commitment and will power, but there is the power greater than their power of self-control. Then he finished the speech, pointing on the topic of his lecture – where that power comes from and how to overcome it.

For the Academy in the afternoon, we had the Kimchi Festival. As the students made and tried kimchi themselves, they had a good time learning the Korean culture.

In the Real Story, the love of father, who could sacrifice everything only to save his daughter, was shown as comparison to the love of Christ who died on the cross, so that many students can feel the love of Christ even more.

At the afternoon Mind Lecture, Pastor Ock Soo Park said that students should perceive that the self-righteousness is the beginning of the misfortune and start seeing themselves correctly. With the parable of Peter who used to be a fisherman, he said that we have to put down our own ways and have the ways of Jesus. He also hoped that the students would learn the world of heart to become a leader of virtue.