A highly successful Ambassador Youth Camp sits in the rear-view mirror. This year’s attendees, who hailed from 11 nations, enjoyed the beauty of God’s Creation at a new, larger facility secluded in the woods of Raccoon Creek State Park in Beaver County, Pennsylvania.

Each year, campers leave behind the hustle and bustle of their native environments and are free from the distractions of mobile devices, email, MP3 players, and video games. They are then given the opportunity to experience nature and participate in activities foreign to many of their peers.

Most living in the digital age are familiar with the concept of upgrades. Hardware and software for various digital devices must be constantly improved to keep up with the rapidly changing technological environment. Yet many focused on obtaining the latest digital gizmo or wireless gadget never consider that unplugging from them offers a unique and unprecedented opportunity for improvement—essentially, it allows one to upgrade his or her thinking.

This principle can be applied to AYC. The two-week period is unlike any other because the overall objective of it is to teach young people to be ambassadors to their peers now and train future leaders for roles in the world tomorrow later. It helps campers become better-rounded by providing them opportunities to hone their public-speaking skills, overcome fears, draw close to God, and conquer challenges.

AYC could be considered a yearly physical, mental and spiritual upgrade for God’s youth.

Growth Without Measure

Good food and plenty of exercise build strong, healthy bodies. This biblical principle is also understood in the world of physical training.

As simple as it sounds, however, observing any public place with large numbers of people demonstrates otherwise. In the USA and other Western nations, most youth face the reality of becoming overweight and out of shape. Overly processed, fried, sugar-laden, salt-soaked foods are a normal part of their lives. Many eat without any form of moderation or balance whatsoever, nor do they understand how healthful foods and correct exercise sustain the body. As a result, more than two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese, as are 33 percent of teenagers in the U.S.

AYC strives to teach youth to live the opposite of their peers. They are instructed on how to eat healthy, balanced meals in proportion to their level of physical activity. Large emphasis is placed on staying fit through the camp’s curriculum of sports-oriented activities such as volleyball, softball, soccer, canoeing, whitewater rafting, and football, among others.

In addition to physical challenges, teenagers build their mental muscles by writing articles about their AYC experiences. These are then published in the special camp edition of Ambassador Youth (which you are now reading).

Young people also learn to overcome their fear of public speaking through Ambassador Club. This features question-and-answer Tabletopics sessions that are always filled with spontaneous humor. After Tabletopics, each camper delivers an “Icebreaker” speech to introduce himself or herself to the audience. This is followed by an “Interesting Experience” speech, in which campers elaborate on important or unique events in their lives in front of their peers.

No camp carrying God’s name would be complete without instruction on how to live the way He designed. Just as with physical meals, teenagers and staff alike receive a well-balanced spiritual diet throughout the two weeks.

Vital knowledge of living God’s Way is emphasized through daily lectures. Delivered by ministers, these are designed to arm God’s youth to fight against the pulls of the world when they return to their respective homes.

This year, lecture topic titles included: “Giving It Your All,” “Healthy Competition and Personal Growth,” “True Manhood/True Womanhood,” “Pushing to Step Out of Comfort Zones,” “Proverbs—A Practical Guide to Life,” “Learning from Others’ Mistakes,” “What Is Your View of Christianity?—Dos and Don’ts God’s Way” and “Abundant Life and Success Equals Hard Work.”

In addition, those attending AYC have the opportunity to draw close to God by being alone with their thoughts while surrounded by the beauty of His creation. Youth are encouraged every day to meditate on daily lectures and do personal Bible studies during free time.

Prepare Now

If you are considering attending camp next year, this special magazine issue is for you. In it you will hear from campers in their own words. The topic of every article was carefully planned to highlight particular writing strengths.

If you value the opinions of others your age, take the opportunity to hear them (and see them in some cases) firsthand! Allow direct accounts about all the fun at AYC sink in as you begin contemplating just how important attending in 2013 is to you. Learn from the experiences of friends and peers contained within these articles. Realize that they have crafted these with you in mind.

Allow the memories of others help you dream about your first encounter at Dimple Rock, or face and conquer the mighty Cyclops. Picture the intense warmth of the bonfire while imagining the sounds of other young voices blasting out future camp songs that you may invent.

For those that attended AYC 2012, do not allow yourselves to fall into the same trap as the vast majority in the world who seem to forget life-changing events that happened only days ago. Reread this issue and remember all of the good times that you had. Recall your own experiences at AYC and determine to make the principles you learned there more a part of who you are and who you can become.

Review it from time to time and think about all of the lessons you learned. Keep it close so that your AYC upgrade does not go to waste.

Make the effort to maintain the friendships you built. Stay in contact with one another. Do not allow yourself to feel isolated or alone. You are not! By periodically reviewing this issue, you can remind yourself of this very fact.

Consider all of what Ambassador Youth Camp represents and what it has to offer. With the ease of global connectivity and the invention of social media such as Facebook, you have an unprecedented opportunity to communicate and stay in communication with the friends you made at camp. Set your mind to come, or return, to AYC 2013.

Start planning now to receive future upgrades!