After many months of anticipation and preparation, Ambassador Youth Camp 2008 is now behind us. All attendees and staff heard in advance how “life-changing” this two-week experience would be. However, only in retrospect can the full impact of two weeks in the deep woods of Western Pennsylvania—with God’s people!—be realized.

Without the distraction of mobile phones, email and other interruptions from the outside world, both campers and staff alike had fun participating in activities, learning new skills and overcoming fears. More importantly, everyone built new friendships and strengthened old ones with those of like mind and purpose.

For teens and young adults in God’s Church, the daily pressure to be accepted by peers in the world can be overwhelming. Staying committed to God’s Way in a society moving in a different direction is a challenge, made even more difficult by the isolation felt by many teens scattered across the globe. In the face of these circumstances, Ambassador Youth Camp 2008 proved to be a vital tool in unifying and training the youth in God’s Church.

Learning to Speak Effectively

Although all aspects of camp were enjoyable, the theme was not focused on just “having fun.” It also centered on training future leaders. Because of this, a wide variety of activities were planned to work toward this goal.

In addition to sports and physical activities, the daily schedule included lectures, attended by both campers and staff, covering a number of practical and spiritual topics. Furthermore, using Ambassador Club (organized by Mr. Herbert Armstrong at Ambassador College in the 1950s) as a guide, campers participated in Tabletopics sessions to teach them to effectively verbally communicate and to think quickly under pressure. After hearing a lecture on the basic purposes of Ambassador Club and instruction on how to prepare and give a speech, campers delivered both “Icebreaker” and “Interesting Experience” speeches in front of their peers. This training culminated in a Tabletopics session the final Saturday evening, during which campers and staff had the unique opportunity to answer camp-related questions in front of more than 100 people!

Later, following a lecture about the right kind of competition, campers were given an opportunity to put these principles into practice while learning basic skills in volleyball and soccer, and participating in organized tournaments. Camp attendees also learned determination and perseverance through an arduous 13-mile canoe trip, an intense whitewater rafting excursion (with heavy rain!), and high ropes challenge courses, where they were forced to overcome the intimidation of performing strenuous physical tasks high above the ground—over 25 feet in some cases!

Scores of Memories

As the 14 days of AYC now replay in our minds, it is hard to distinguish the most memorable moments. The staff can recount dozens of wonderful memories!

On the 13-mile canoe trip, all 27 canoes enjoyed a brief respite as the boats peacefully floated down the Bottom Youghiogheny River together—miles from civilization! Toward the end of the four-hour whitewater rafting trip on the Lower Youghiogheny River, all of the rafts emerged from thundering rapids into the calm of an eddy—only to be met by the warm drops of a driving rain storm in a magnificent isolated gorge! Both of these events were awe-inspiring reminders of our Creator’s presence and etched mental images that will not be soon forgotten.

However, not only did physical moments such as these leave lasting impressions—the fellowship and growth experienced by everyone left the deepest impact. Watching campers gain confidence and conquer fears—whether by giving their first organized speech or climbing 25 feet or more up a tree—was unforgettable. Several ministers who visited from Headquarters commented on the growth seen in the campers.

If each attendee were asked which experiences impacted them most profoundly, they would likely respond with different stories. Herein lies one of the primary motivations behind this special edition of Ambassador Youth: to see camp through the eyes of the teens who attended it.

To a degree, the goal of camp mirrors this issue of the magazine: to showcase the growth that campers experienced by chronicling their memories from AYC and spotlighting their ability to communicate their experiences.

To accomplish this goal, and long before campers were “turned loose” on assignments, much planning went into what topics to cover and which camper would be best suited for each assignment. After arriving at camp, Mr. Bruce Ritter, the Editorial Department Manager, delivered one of the first lectures, addressing how to communicate clearly through writing.

After basic instruction, assignments were handed out. Campers were then given specific assignments and one-on-one instruction during several editorial workshops throughout camp. Through these writing tasks, which were different from standard school assignments, campers had a unique opportunity to grow.

True Happiness—Only One Way!

As AYC concluded, campers were asked to reflect on the past two weeks, to consciously examine themselves and areas in which they grew. They were also asked to look past their physical experiences and search for deeper, more lasting spiritual lessons they had learned. Before reflecting, they were reminded of the importance of making the connection between how wonderful their experience was and that AYC 2008 was planned based on God’s laws and His people.

Once back at home and surrounded again by the world, it is easy for teens to once again feel isolated and alone in their daily struggle to follow God’s laws. It is our hope that all of the friendships, the lectures, the lessons, and this special Ambassador Youth issue will serve as a reminder of just how different two weeks at Ambassador Youth Camp are from two weeks in the world.

This issue serves as a reminder that true happiness—such as what was experienced at AYC 2008—can only be achieved by living God’s way of life. Never forget this paramount point!

I, along with the rest of the staff, look forward to seeing everyone—and more—again next year, at AYC 2009!