Ambassador Youth Camp is a time like no other. Teenagers in God’s Church who have been privileged to attend AYC for two weeks well understand this. It is jam-packed full of wholesome fun, friendships and challenges—while being absent of negative peer pressure and the pulls of this world.

AYC 2011 was no exception! It equaled—no, surpassed—the previous four. And it was the largest one to date!

The only downside was that the days went by all too quickly.

Campers and staff came from across the United States, and from Canada, Australia, Belgium, Ireland, India, South Africa, Nigeria, the Netherlands and France.

Nestled in the western Pennsylvania woods of Raccoon Creek State Park, AYC gave campers and adult staff alike the opportunity to experience the wonders of God’s Creation—trees, plants and animals (some welcome and others not so welcome)—sleeping in rustic cabins, daily activities, as well as greeting old friends, and making new ones.

Other than perhaps the Feast, AYC is the only time teens can be around others in God’s Church who are the same age and trying to live God’s Way. Otherwise, they are surrounded by peers in the world and faced with the daily struggle of not giving in to pressures put upon them.

AYC is markedly different from any other summer camp. Its purposes and goals go beyond just having fun, being away from home, or being among nature. Developing and rounding out young people, helping them to advance on their paths of maturity, and preparing them to be future leaders, are some of the primary goals. The world that surrounds teens in God’s Church sorely lacks, in every sense, the ability to do this.

In this regard, AYC is invaluable—it supplies what this world cannot. This special issue of Ambassador Youth magazine will make this plain.

Educating and Preparing Future Leaders

Training future leaders continues to be the main purpose of AYC. Through many activities, campers are encouraged and gently pushed to step outside their comfort zones—to tackle and overcome their fears. For the more outgoing and adventurous, this is not so difficult. But for the reserved and shy, it can be almost impossible.

With this in mind, each day brings different activities meant to stimulate and challenge campers at physical, mental and spiritual levels. This is done through learning and playing a variety of sports, hearing lectures on both practical and spiritual subjects, and having the opportunity to speak publicly in front of other campers.

In 2011, the morning lectures included “Be a Social All-Star!” “Wisely Choosing Your Entertainment Diet,” “Benefits of God’s Way vs. the World’s Way,” and “Push Yourself to Succeed.” At every AYC, all of the lectures (and Bible Studies given on Friday nights) cover a variety of topics and are meant to strengthen, encourage and provide information that teenagers in God’s Church need to stay the course. The pressures they face as they battle against this world are real and difficult. Our goal is to help them succeed.

Complementing these lectures are the speaking opportunities campers and staff are given. Patterned after Ambassador Club, campers participate in a Tabletopics session. Breaking into two groups (girls and boys), campers are presented with different subjects (some very thought-provoking) on which they can comment. This exercise teaches them to think quickly on their feet, formulate responses, and communicate effectively with others in larger gatherings. This is key to leadership.

In addition, each camper is given two speaking assignments, an “Icebreaker” (about two minutes long) and an “Interesting Experience” speech (about five minutes long), which they give in front of their counterparts. Prior to this, they hear a lecture on the purpose of Ambassador Club and how to prepare and give a speech.

Speaking in front of others is nerve-wracking, and doing so with confidence and composure takes determination. Yet at AYC 2011, as each camper’s name was called, he or she walked to the lectern, stepped behind it, faced the assembled campers and staff, and delivered a speech. In doing so, each learned to overcome the anxiety of speaking before a crowd, and also, that they indeed could do it.

During the AYC banquet, held during the last Saturday evening of camp, the youth enjoyed another round of Tabletopics, with questions geared to their ages. In front of approximately 180 banquet attendees, they were able to demonstrate what they had learned. It was a very lively session, which included some rather humorous questions—and answers.

Such is the opportunity for growth that AYC provides!

Camp Life

Isolated from the negative influences of the world and modern technology, AYC campers are able to enjoy the great outdoors absent from the usual distractions of everyday life. They quickly settle into the daily camp routine: rising early and assembling for a breakfast that is most often followed by a 45-minute lecture.

After the lecture, youth engage in whatever is that day’s scheduled activity: volleyball, softball, soccer, canoeing, rafting, speeches, hiking or participating in the Amazing Race. All this physical exercise generates hearty appetites. Campers look forward to lunches and dinners prepared by a kitchen staff who always seems to be on-duty.

By the end of each long day, happy but tired teens look forward to “lights out” at the same time each evening. This daily routine brings structure to the camp and to campers. It also allows them to see God’s government in action.

Priceless Memories

Two weeks of AYC 2011 allowed for the building of many memories. Each camper or staff naturally has his or her own favorite. For me, there are many.

Most mornings, we were greeted by the sounds of campers singing, their voices echoing through the woods as the boys and girls marched up the paths leading away from their respective cabin colonies. The boys had their songs and the girls theirs. Some were songs from previous camps; others were brand new and involved much creativity. There were sing-offs often between the girls and boys for the privilege of going first in the breakfast line. The majority of the time the girls won as they sang much louder than the boys.

From the beginning of camp, everyone dove into the activities. Early on, they learned how to play volleyball, and were instructed in basic skills. Teams were formed and tournaments held. Campers learned how to work together as a team, and play games with right attitudes.

Teenagers also played softball and soccer—several for the first time—and in record-high temperatures under the summer sun. Much water was consumed!

Watching campers learn to hit a softball, run bases, field a ball, and grow in confidence, coming to understand they could in fact do it, was a pleasure to behold.

Similarly, it was a joy to see campers face the high ropes course with determination and perseverance, and overcome the fear of heights!

Probably the most anticipated event was whitewater rafting through Class III and IV rapids. Some approached the event with trepidation, but also welcomed the cool waters that invariably got everyone wet.

The 13-mile canoe trip on the Youghiogheny River was a nice change of pace through peaceful surroundings, but it still tested the physical endurance of campers and staff.

What stands out the most to me is the unity and friendships built between campers and staff from around the world, the growth in character, the conquering of fears, the overcoming of shyness and awkwardness, and the development of wholesome personalities.

Special Issue

No single article about AYC 2011 can do the experience justice. It would come only from the one perspective of its author. Therein is the reason for this special issue of Ambassador Youth magazine. We want to bring AYC to you through the eyes and experiences of the campers—from their perspectives. We want you to know—to be immersed in—the experience that is AYC and help motivate every teen to attend next year.

Through camper articles, you will see AYC as they experienced it; you will read about their impressions and memories. You will understand the benefits of camp and the growth it inspires in those who attend.

Before camp started, the topics of the articles you will read were planned, and each article matched to the writing strengths of particular campers.

During an introductory editorial lecture, basic instructions were given to prepare writers. Throughout the course of camp, several workshops were held during which Headquarters Editorial Department employees and camp staff helped young authors hone their skills and complete their assignments.

You will greatly benefit from reading what their efforts produced.

Looking Toward AYC 2012

Leaving the friends and wonderful environment of AYC and returning to the world and its negative influences is hard. The two weeks of AYC is truly a time like no other—and unlike any two weeks spent elsewhere.

Once back home and faced with the pressures of society, campers can feel isolated in their struggles to fight the pulls of the world and the peer pressure to just “go along and fit in.” The memories of camp and the lessons learned there will begin to fade, and the temptation to stray from God’s Way will be real.

AYC 2011 campers, take note here. Determine to fight this! Take time throughout the coming weeks and months to reflect on all that you experienced, learned and enjoyed; the friends with whom you became reacquainted, and new ones you met.

Understand that for those two weeks of AYC you were able to experience what your peers in the world cannot—a way of life—God’s Way—that brings true happiness. Begin taking steps right now to ensure that I, and all of the camp staff, will see you again next year!

Enjoy this very special issue of Ambassador Youth, which highlights the joys, experiences and friendships of AYC 2011.