WIN Ireland 4th Family Camp -A Time of Refreshing, Renewal and Rejoicing
By Sis. Ching Lansang [WIN-Netherlands]
WE want to thank you, Pastor Vic & Sis. Melissa, for inviting us to the 4th WIN-Ireland Family Camp and for taking good care of us before and after the camp! The time at the camp refreshed us spiritually, renewed us emotionally and we enjoyed so much the company of our brothers and sisters during the family games (“Familympics”). We will always treasure in our hearts the warm welcome, generosity, and hospitality of our WIN-Ireland brethren.
From the moment we were met at the Dublin airport by Bro. Ramil & Sis. Joy , we experienced the warm welcome of our WIN-Ireland brethren as were taken to the Clarion Hotel where Bro. Tom was night manager, and to the bus ride with Bro. Julius which took us to the BallyKisteen Hotel & Golf Resort the following day. What we heard about the WIN-Ireland Family Camp met our expectations and even more. As part of the EU delegation, we were booked together with our host family, Rey-ann & Ren-Ren de la Cruz with their baby boy, Brendan, and with Nanay Antonio in one of the comfortable and beautiful lodges at the resort. We were well-fed with the delicious dishes of Nanay and we can only say “compliments to the chef”, and of course, we will miss Brendan Boy, who melted our hearts with his cute smiles & cooing vocal exercises. That was our bonus, we felt like having our own apo for the time being. As for the other EU pastors, their bonus was playing golf– a welcome and delightful break from their busy schedule.
The Family Camp was blessed with the refreshing presence of the Lord as we spent time in worship and sessions with Dr. Harold & Darlene Sala and Dr. Will & Jacqueline Chevalier, the camp teachers and counselors for Couples, the Young Adults taught by Pastor Manny de Leon, and the Youth led by Pastor Stefan Tiran, and the children with their very own varied program prepared by the Children’s Ministry and the hotel staff. A total of 225 delegates came– adults, youth and children, who were all given good care by the Family Camp Committee. The well organized Family Camp led by Bro. Hugh & Sis. Deann Carlton with Bro. Ian & Sis. Bing Ramirez and the Committee made sure that we were all aware and updated with all that was happening in the Camp. I took time out to attend one of the scheduled water baptisms, and there were tears in my eyes when I saw the young and the old professing their desire to follow Jesus as they went into the pool to be baptized. To the Family Camp Committee, we give our congratulations for a job well done!
The teachings given by Dr. Sala & Darlene and by Dr. Will and Jacquie covered areas that are much needed by couples in coping with what is going on in our broken world. What stood out for me is the area of how we as a couple can make our marriage work through the proper use of the right building materials such as the setting up of FOUR STRONG WALLS to surround our home- the wall of LOVE, the wall of RESPECT, the wall of COMMUNICATION and the wall of FORGIVENESS as shared by Dr. Will Chevalier. He reminded us about our right relationship with JESUS as the strong FOUNDATION upon which our marriage should stand and to look to the GRACE of GOD as the ROOF that will cover our marriage and family in every kind of situation we will ever face in life.
I noted down with much interest the topic “Embracing our Differences,” taught by Jacquie Chevalier, and knew in my heart that this will be of big help to me and Bro. Bani as we improve and adjust to each other’s differences. This will renew the way we look at each other and how we relate to other people.
The Family Games were fun, fun, fun all the way. We learned a very good lesson when someone wisely said “ Manalo, Matalo, Kristiano,” and I say amen to that. The cheering, the banners, the games, the general and Bible knowledge question and answer portion brought out the creativity, the competitiveness and the desire to win for our own teams; and at the end, we can rejoice with the Yellow team which won.
Our visit to Ireland was a time of refreshing, renewing, rejoicing and reconnecting, too. Together with the campers, we visited the Killarney National Park, the Cahir Castle, and the University of Limerick while Sis. Pat and Sis. Jojo brought us around and reconnected us to the historic past and present of the city of Dublin. Pastor Vic, Bro. Bani and I also discovered the treasure that Trinity College has kept inside their Library, the Book of Kells, the lavishly decorated copy in Latin of the Four Gospels written in the 9th century which has been preserved for people to see. To all WIN brethren, we say — come and join the next Family Camp in Ireland. It is an event your family should not miss!
To God be the glory, great things He has done in our midst.
