[USA] 2013 IYF New York World Camp, Gospel and Salvation

With its start on August 18th, the Journey of 2013 IYF New York World Camp came to close on the 22nd. World Camp left the students with leadership, friends from different cultures, and memories from various academy classes but, above all, the students receive the most precious gift in their hearts – the gospel. Each and every sentence from the students who received salvation was more beautiful than any other jewels in the world. With happiness in our hearts, we will share the beautiful stories Jesus gave us through the Camp.

“My mother’s friend was attending this World Camp as a teacher. She introduced me to the camp, and that’s how I came. One time, a pastor called out two people to play a role during the sermon. That’s when the pastor talked about how my sins are washed. One person was a sheep, and the other was the high priest. The priest laid his hands on the sheep and killed the sheep. Then the sin that was moved to the sheep was washed. The pastor said that the sheep was Jesus and the sin moved to the sheep was the sin of the world. Because my sin is part of the sin of the world, he said that my sin is over and now I am righteous. I could believe that word, and I became righteous.” – Jady Alcocer / New Jersey

“I’d listened to many words during the World Camp, but I remember a story about a good tree and a bad tree. From the good tree, only good things can come out, and from the bad tree, only the bad things. He said that the good tree is only Jesus. I was a sin tree, but through faith, I became the good tree because Jesus washed my sin. And now Jesus lives inside of my heart. Just like there was no one to condemn the woman caught in the act of adultery, there is no one do condemn my sin which Jesus already had washed. I am thankful to confirm my faith on the forgiveness of the sin through the World Camp.” – Yandel Castillo / Manhattan

“As I spent time with IYF for the last one year, I’d listened to many sermons. But I couldn’t surely believe about the gospel. But the message from the Easter Cantata was so clear. The pastor talked precisely about how to become righteous through faith, and I believed it. Also I came to have hope to go to heaven in my heart as I heard a scripture, Hebrews chapter 10 verse 17, “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” I am so thankful to receive inspiration and salvation through the Easter Cantata during the camp.” –Antjuan Whitehead/ Dallas

“Yesterday, one pastor told me about how to receive salvation and how my sins were washed. I used to go to Catholic Church, so I couldn’t understand the sermons from the camp. After listening to how Jesus sacrificed for my sins and how He washed my sins already, I was able to understand. I could believe that sins of past, present and future, all of them were included in the sin of the world that Jesus took away, and that Jesus, just like the sheep, shed his blood and died on the cross. Then I became righteous.” – Juliana Bedoya / Huntington

“About 2 months ago, I was going to a hospital with my grandmother. Good News Corps students were passing out flyers in front of a station then. I volunteered for Culture event. I was with IYF for a month, helping some computer work. I saw how the students exchanged their hearts one another, shared their hearts with their parents, and change; I couldn’t help but to work with them. When I am home, I always play games, and my mother tells me “Stop playing game.” My days were always like that. As I worked with IYF, I could see how my future will change. That’s how I came to the World Camp. World Camp is really amazing. My family is Muslim. Muslims read the Koran instead of the Bible and believe that they need to fast every month on a specific day to receive salvation. But coming here, I came to believe the Word in the bible is God, through John chapter 1 verse 1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” Also I believe in the word that I do not have sin – I was supposed to die for my sins but Jesus, the sheep, died for me and my sin came to an end. Although it was different from what I’d believed until now, I came to hear and believe the true reason why Jesus came to the World here. I also invited my parents to the Easter Cantata; after Jesus died on the cross, all my family cried. Just like me, I could tell that they opened their hearts to this Camp and also to Jesus. I hope that my family will also receive salvation and come to heaven with me.” – Antonio Peter

Scavenger Hunt with the new friends, wisdom shared through the Guest Lectures, various academy classes by 21 professionals, Easter Cantata to feel the death of Jesus in our hearts, Christmas Cantata, applauded by 2200 audiences….. As we look back at each moment of the New York World Camp, we grow so thankful for the fact that all those moments came together to bear the fruits of the gospel. We are very hopeful to see how the power of gospel that God gave to the students will lead IYF USA forward.