This year, there were 88 participants, including 9 participants from the Wesley Foundation (7 students and 2 staff members). Most of the participants were from 8 churches on the West Coast.

During this one week camp, each day was filled with activities – everything from play time to study time to praise time. Spending this time with other young people living in a multicultural environment gave the students from Japan an opportunity to think about their own identity and faith. For many of the Japanese students, it was the first time for them to think about topics like racial prejudice. Through discussions and daily interactions, they all seemed to gain a mutual understanding and built relationships that will surely last past this short time. Their expressions upon returning to Japan showed that they had matured and grown through this valuable experience.

I learned a valuable life lesson at this camp. That is that we each have a role in life. There is always someone who can help me out in areas where I am weak, and at the same time, I can be the one who helps someone in an area that is my strength. In the beginning, I didn’t think there was anything I could do better than others and I was embarrassed to reveal my role in front of everyone. However, I learned that I have nothing to be embarrassed about, that everyone’s role is important and necessary. (High school junior)