[Togo] Togo World Camp at its Climax

On the fourth day of the world camp, the participants woke up to exciting music and dances. The students danced with passion and enjoyed themselves as if they were waiting for this moment.

Afterwards there was a guest lecture from Yanek Schiavone who is the Head of the NGO ‘Laughter for Togo’ and from Regis L.Batchassi who is the chairman of a youth organization called ‘CNJ-TOGO.’

“Education is the key to success. The most important thing is to educate the youth who are the future of this country. In that sense the efforts of the IYF are marvellous.” (Yanek Schiavone / Head of the NGO ‘Laughter for Togo’)

During the morning Mind Lecture time pastor Youngjoo Park testified about the parents of an autistic child who received the word which said ‘Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you’ and treated their child like a normal child and how the child amazingly changed. So through this testimony he told the participants of the camp to let go of their thoughts throughout the camp and receive the word.

“I am attending the world camp for the ninth time this year. Every time I come to the world camp I experience change inside of my heart, and this year also I am feeling the change inside of my heart. When you acknowledge that what you see is wrong and accept the word of God, tomorrow, one year later, ten years later I will be a changed man. (Israrel / Staff / 28)

At the same time the medical volunteers who have just arrived from Korea this morning were treating the sick patients outside. There were endless number of patients who wished to be treated so the medical volunteers restlessly continued to treat each and every one of them. There were 11 medical volunteers from Korea, employees of the New World Medical Centre in Benin, Medical Students from Benin and volunteers from Togo who united their hearts and treated over 1000 sick people.

“From long time ago I was suffering from pain in my hip but I want to thank the volunteers and medics who came from Korea to provide free treatment for us.” (Pierre / 68)

In the afternoon, the participants were divided into different groups and the students in the Change and Challenge team partook in the Mind Recreational activities and students in Cohesion and Union team partook in the CLEAN campaign called ‘Togo Propre.’

The students who were doing the mind recreation became one team with the students in their groups and as they engaged in different activities which were based on topics such as conversation, cohesion, change, wisdom and happiness they were able to learn the world of the mind.

At the same time, participants spread all over the event venue and picked up rubbish and participated in the CLEAN campaign. ‘Togo Propre’ campaign began in 2010 with the motto of ‘Cleaner Togo, Cleaner Hearts’ and currently is hosted by both IYF and the Ministry of Culture and Communication.

“As I was cleaning rather than feeling tired I was able to learn the mind of thinking of others so I really enjoyed it.” (Hognaglo Leon / 18)

As the participants of the camp participated in the afternoon programs the regional leaders forum, education leaders forum and the Christian leaders forums happened simultaneously.

In the event hall of the national theatre over 1500 regional leaders and  state governors throughout the country partook in the Leader’s Forum. Special performance by the Gracias Choir left the audience in awe. Pastor Jeongho Kim who is the main speaker for this event metioned the Saemaul Movement which was the foundation to the economic success of Korea and emphasised the importance of the change of the mind and mentality of the youth who will be the main components for a country’s future.

At the same time in the University of Lome there was education leaders forum with 50 different primary, secondary, and university teachers and professors. Pastor Daesung Kang who was the main speaker for the event preached that happiness does not lie with economic development but through the mind which can control the desires which in turn makes the ‘Mind Education’ of the youth so important. Those who were listening took great interest in this ‘Mind Education’ and asked what needs to be done to have it in their schools.

In the Christian Leaders Forum Pastor Youngjoo Park spoke about how the earth did not do anything to bring forth good fruits and that the trees bore fruits when the word of God fell upon them. Likewise, he explained that spiritual life is not about trying to do things well but about receiving the word of God and having it work inside of your heart.

For the evening session with the Gracias Choir and Pastor Ocksoo Park the participants lined up outside the event hall. The evening program began with the performance by the winners of the Dance Festival, followed by the greeting message from Governor of Golf Awate Hodabalo, congratulatory meesage by Vitoire Tomegah Dogbe the minister of Youth, then there were traditional Taekwon Do dance and fan dance performances by the Lincoln School Students. The final stage was the performance by the world best choir, the Gracias Choir. Students who filled up the venue all stood up and sang along with the song ‘Je sus dans la joie’ and it was a scene which could not be seen anywhere else.

As Pastor Ocksoo Park stood on stage for the evening’s ‘Mind Lecture’ the participants welcomed the servant of God with cheers and applause. Pastor Park testified about John Choi who went to Liberia as a volunteer but was stung by a scorpion and had to die. But through the phone call he had with him as he was dying John was able to accept the word of God and was able to live. Likewise Pastor Park spoke about just like how electricity flows through electrical wires if our hearts connect with God’s heart then we can overcome all things through the strength which comes from God.

The eyes of the audience who were listening to the music of the Gracias Choir and listening to the word of Pastor Park in Togo’s most beautiful national theatre were shining brighter then the stars in the night sky. When we thought about how many Togolese Youth will receive salvation and become light to the gentiles and become workers of the Gospel the outlook of Togo was very hopeful.