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This meaningful phrase was the theme of the 2008 “Good Shepherd” Girls’ Camp organized at the Monastery of Saint John Vladimir in Elbasan.
The girls’ summer activities were again highly successful and exuberant this year. Nearly 260 girls came from different regions of Albania to attend three separate, 10 day camps and live together, like one big family, on the grounds of the Monastery of Saint John Vladimir. The camp sessions were organized into three age groups with a full program of creative, educational and recreational activities prepared exclusively for them.
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Each day was special. It began with prayers, and included time for meditation, learning and singing Christian songs, the planned activities of the day, and ended again with prayer. Every day the program was filled with new and different activities: a poetry contest; or each girl sharing the story of why she came to camp, her expectations and knowledge and experience of life in Christ.
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The time from July 1st to August 4th was important to the girls because they had an opportunity to come to know the beauty of our Orthodox Faith.
All the participants used the books: “The Church Grows,” and “The Liturgical Year” for their Bible studies. Special importance was given to the Feasts of the Lord, such as Christmas, Epiphany, and Pascha. Many different speakers came to the camps: Metropolitans, Bishops, clergymen and theologians of our church and spoke on the theme of the camp.
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The Church services were a special part of the program and the girls became acquainted with most of the services celebrated in the Orthodox Church.
During the three camp sessions, 40 young girls became members of the Church of Christ through the sacrament of Baptism. The Divine Liturgy was celebrated each week and many girls were able to receive the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion. Father Jani Trebicka and Archimandrite Justin offered the sacrament of Repentance Confession each week for the spiritual benefit of the girls.
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There were many special occasions during the camps. They visited Berat and Korca for the celebration of the 10th Anniversary of the Enthronements of our beloved Metropolitans Ignati and John which gave a different texture and importance to life in camps.
Archdeacon Asti delivered an educational and inspiring power point presentation on the life and resurrection of the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania during the second camp session and His Grace Andoni, the Bishop of Kruja and Assistant to His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios, offered the presentation in the third session.
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A third presentation on the academic life and activities of the students studying in the Resurrection of Christ Theological Academy, in Saint Vlash acted as an appeal to all the participants to acquire a deeper knowledge of Christ through studying at the Academy. These presentations offered unique impressions.
Part of the program of the camp was dedicated to learning practical aspects of our faith: learning the hymns of the Church, traditional dances; performing sketches, and making crafts like crosses from beads. There was also a free Dental Clinic where each girl had an opportunity to visit and speak with the dentist.
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The life at the Girls’ camp becomes more beautiful each year. All the offerings and efforts are done for one purpose – in order to become members of the Church wherever we might be, proclaiming Christ with words and deeds. For it is only in this way that will we are able to understand that, “No life is more beautiful than the life with Christ.”
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This year was also the 10th Anniversary of the spiritual journey of the Saint John Vladimir Monastery as a camp, which began in 1998. All the efforts are a blessing from God through the spiritual and financial care of His Beatitude Archbishop Anastasios who refers to this camp as “the summer university,” emphasizing its importance.
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The “university” is over for this summer. With joy and tears the girls parted from the social circles they established during their time together. Wishing, hoping and praying that each of them understood the theme and the purpose of this camp, let us not forget that each day is a gift of God to us personally. We should spend each day given to us with exuberance and effort, because days pass and never return and God speaks to us in many ways throughout the day.
Let us continually pray that we always be ready to hear His voice!
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