"I like to go camping, sleeping in a tent, participating in activities with my friends," said Brenda Raíssa, a 13-year-old member of the Órion Pathfinders Club describing a typical Pathfinder camporee experience. Recently though instead of packing up the
“I like to go camping, sleeping in a tent, participating in activities with my friends,” said Brenda Raíssa, a 13-year-old member of the Órion Pathfinders Club describing a typical Pathfinder camporee experience. Pathfinders are an Adventist youth group. Recently though instead of packing up their sleeping bags, Raíssa and her friends participated in an “Online Camporee” with 2,000 other young people.
“In the Online Camporee the feeling is also neat, because I do the things that I like to do via the computer,” said Raíssa. “I am used to exchanging ideas with my friends through the Internet, and the Camporee had a chat room and interactive competition. It was fun. Everyone enjoyed it.”
One of the most important programs for Pathfinders—in Brazil as elsewhere—is the camporee. This is an event where Pathfinders demonstrate their skills in various areas, participate in specific tests, strengthen their faith through topical Bible study, and increase their circle of friendships, meeting young people from other clubs.
Along with this large and traditional camping experience, each year the Pathfinders of São Paulo participate in an “On-line Camporee,” an innovative project that connects the clubs through tests developed on computers and which took place recently for the fifth time. More than 2,000 youth participated from 75 different clubs.
The test marathon took one and a half hours. Participants divided in units from their respective clubs and connected via the Internet, answered questions about the Bible, Pathfinder history, general activities and the annual Reading Club books, which are distributed by the Brazil Publishing House. Approximately 270 units participated in the activities, which included a chat and “lightning round” questions, with a limited time to be answered.
“The pathfinders received the pre-requisites for participation, which among other items, included posting information through the Club’s Internet page in the following areas: history of Pathfinders and units, photos of events held, such as the visit to a needy institution and honors activities. Additionally, each unit was required to send e-mails to other Pathfinder clubs telling them about their club and about the ‘Fifth Online Camporee’, and they needed to have received 10 responses to their e-mails from within the São Paulo Conference and 10 responses from other areas. These activities counted for points and also were calculated for classification,” explained Michele Bruno, secretary of the São Paulo Youth Ministries Department.
“Young people currently spend a large amount of time navigating on the Internet and our idea is to utilize this tool for the preaching of the gospel. The Online Camporee has this objective. It was wonderful to see thousands of computers interconnected for two or three hours involving young people in wholesome competition and activities that contribute to mental and spiritual development of children and teens,” affirmed Pastor J.R. Venefrides, Youth Ministries leader of the São Paulo area.
Ricardo Santos, director of the Raposo Tavares Club, from Osasco in the Metropolitan São Paulo area, gathered 30 boys and girls in a Cyber Cafe to participate in the event. “The result was positive, because they identify with the system. This generation spends hours in front of the computer and everything revolves around computer information; this is their reality,” said the Club leader.