[PERÚ] WORLD CAMP PERÚ 2011: DAY 3

GRACIAS CHOIR CONCERT AT THE CONGRESS PALACE OF THE REPUBLIC OF PERU

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2010

With three days left to complete the camp, the attendees were able to enjoy experiences that many of them never imagined. During the camp, the youth attended the IYF academies and workshops that helped them learn a lot. Through them they were able to meet many new people and go beyond the limits of both language and culture. In other academies such as music, dance, and taekwondo, the students, which were between the ages of 12 and 50, participated with the hope of coming out with a new song in their hearts.

After enjoying a pleasant lunch, the participants had time for the Mini-Olympics, in which they could participate in some friendly competition as a group and truly become one in so little time. The experience for each of them in the World Camp was not only a new one but also motivated them to continue participating in other IYF programs.

This is just a small sample of the IYF programs that gradually encourage young people to change their hearts, to deny their being and thus change the world. During this World Camp a meeting was held for pastors from various churches with Pastor Ock Soo Park. About 20 pastors carefully listened to the word of God and happily were able to receive salvation.

On Wednesday afternoon, Pastor Ock Soo Park and a few delegations of participating countries had the opportunity to attend a Gracias Choir concert at the Peru Congress building. Various special guests, such as Aníbal Huerta and Daniel Robles as well as Pastor Ock Soo Park, attended and were able to enjoy the majestic voices of our beloved Gracias Choir. For the opening of the ceremony, we listened to the words of Dr. Cesar Zumaeta (the Congress President), who focused on greeting the members of IYF and on honoring the work of the organization around the world. He explained that the Congress was once used by the Senate and that on this day every member of IYF should be honored to be there. Also Congressman Aníbal Huerta excitedly expressed to us, “It´s an excellent experience to meet people from other countries thanks to the Good News Mission”.

Following this, we heard the words of Pastor Ock Soo Park which told us about a man and his son wandering in the desert. Although both were in the same situation, the child’s heart was entirely different from the father´s. While the father had much hope, the child kept saying that they would die. However, this child could find tranquility when he accepted the father’s heart. Pastor also shared how the choir members had to throw away their hearts and accept their director´s heart in order to sing together as one voice. It is amazing how God is doing the impossible in order for IYF to be recognized, first throughout Peru and then the rest of Latin America.

In the evening, the Lincoln School students delighted us with one of their dances called “Yeo Han”, which dazzled the audience because of the complexity and energy demonstrated in this dance. This was just one of many presentations that we were able to enjoy. Both the dances and the music of the Gracias Choir brightened every moment of such a beautiful night; a night in which the pastor talked about how we are spiritually disabled but if we trust God and deny ourselves, we can see God’s help as he had experienced it. He talked about the time when he was in the military and had so much desire to eat and so he prayed. God gave him something to eat because as his father, he would always listen to his prayer. The pastor also said that if we have a broad heart, no matter what kind of people we interact with, we can always have fellowship with them.

At this time, we wait in expectation the Christmas Cantata that will be held tomorrow. We are all eagerly awaiting this event as it is the most important one that the Gracias Choir performs each year.

——————————————————— Reported by Berenice Camargo Diaz