The event took place in Melendugno (Lecce) from August 17 to 24. Even during this scorching Salento summer, an indelible mark was, once again, left in the annals of Adventist Youth meetings. The participants stayed at a spacious and charming holiday house, “Oasi di Roca,” located right in front of the renowned “Grotta della poesia” in Roca di Melendugno. The entrance opens to the lush greenery of a beautiful natural park, extending over approximately ten hectares of pine forest, and further ahead, the cobalt blue of the Adriatic Sea. More than 90 individuals, including campers and staff, attended the event, hailing not only from various Italian regions, including Puglia, but also from different countries around the world.
The Theme: Jesus is the Center
The unifying theme was "Jesus is the Center," a slogan imbued with meaning regarding the priorities applied to our value scale. This scale often features work commitments, passions, relationships with others, and, regrettably, dependencies. This prompts serious reflection on who the true director of our lives is, beyond the loving parents who have cared for us since we first crawled. These guiding figures inevitably fade as part of our natural maturation process. With Jesus, however, it is different. Borrowing a term from the cinematic world, He is not merely an extra who casually steps onto the stage of our existence. He is not only the recipient of praise when we find ourselves in the pews of a church on Saturday mornings. God accompanies us everywhere, even in the social spheres and the hidden corners of our minds—physical or mental spaces where His hand can easily reach us.
Leading the way on this journey was the spiritual guest of the event, Eugen Havresciuc, director of the Northern Field (supervising Adventist churches in the northern regions) and pastor of the Adventist communities in Sesto San Giovanni and the Romanian ethnic church in Milan. Through his impactful speech, "Jesus is the Center" gradually became a concept that resonated in the hearts of all, prominently featured not only in the beachy tones of the camp's official logo. The program, the collective meetings in the gathering space—where the voices of these young people sang “Who am I,” “Non ci lasceremo mai (We will never be apart),” “Ti amo ineffabile (I love you beyond words),” and the enchanting theme hymn, “Come luna” (composed by Federico Alma and Amos Lo Iacono)—were all functional elements aimed at a single target: to belong to Him completely. Pastor Havresciuc introduced the evocative image of the cracked cisterns mentioned in the biblical book of Jeremiah 2:13. He drew parallels to our private stories filled with containers that often hold “everything and nothing,” social profiles that do not accurately describe us, dreams and professional goals for which the Lord is neither involved nor consulted, and empty relationships that gain truth and find their rightful place only when we place Jesus at the center. He teaches us to love without idolatries or emotional dependencies. Without the risk of negotiating our firm beliefs just to be accepted. Only with Him can we experience friendships that may not be perfect but are clear; not toxic, but free. If one depends on a partner, genuine love cannot truly exist. However, when the correct idea of Love is grasped, false myths like “everyone does it” and “if they love me, they will change for me” inevitably collapse.
The Activities
On Sunday, August 17, the initiative “Let’s Hang Up Identities” was inaugurated, where each young person drafted their own “spiritual identity card” on a colorful post-it, noting strengths, weaknesses, and aspirations, ultimately creating a large mosaic. Thoughts of every hue were affixed to four panels displayed on the walls of the hall. The morning spiritual reflections, held at 8:00 AM, were brief “snippets” managed by the participants, where it was delightful to gather around the speaker of the moment before breakfast and discover interesting angles of the Word. Discussions ranged from a Jesus who whispers amid the loud decibels of our distractions—just as in the Gospels when He calmed His fearful disciples on the wind-tossed boat—to a Father who asks us to welcome and not judge, for He is also the pivot of others’ lives.
In this edition, the traditional “family groups” were ten, each marked by a different colored wristband and supported by a staff member, both in ordinary tasks and in processing the reflections proposed by Eugen. Open registration for the three workshops allowed every participant to broaden their horizons through targeted discussions (brainstorming).
Nicole Salazar, a pedagogist and doctor in psychological techniques, focused on analyzing the inner wounds that influence our character, how to recognize them, and transform them into awareness and growt. George Caputi, pastor of the Adventist churches in the Bergamo district, invited his audience to cultivate balanced relationships. Gabriele Nardoni, a musician and saxophone graduate, skillfully prepared his “students” for the choral performance of “Goodness of God.” Among the external initiatives, a notable activity was the spirituality questionnaire conducted by our volunteers with passersby in the baroque center of Lecce on Wednesday afternoon. They approached people with politeness and empathy. The report results revealed a strong need for spirituality and a diminished necessity to be integrated into a church context, perceived as ineffective regarding the pressing issues of today’s society.
The Spiritual Evening
Friday evening featured the communion service, meticulously planned down to the smallest detail, under the welcoming branches of the expansive pine forest adjacent to the facility. Amid the trees, a prayer corner was set up—a cozy gazebo designed to provide spiritual shelter for anyone wishing to pray alone or in company throughout the week. The national director of Adventist Youth Ministries, Pastor Josè Nunez, provided us with the tools to understand the five-step journey undertaken by the participants during the celebration. The objective of the journey was: to return home with Jesus and not alone; to partake of the bread and wine, letting go of the burdens that weigh us down; to seek refuge in the only dwelling that confirms we are children of God—the Bible. The illuminated sign, at the beginning of the path, bore the words “It’s a love story” and seemed to guide our youth along a multi-stop excursion, beginning with a negative step called “confusion” that gradually gives way to subsequent oases of reconciliation and trust. The soundtrack to this intimate moment included songs such as “Turn to the light,” “Parlar con Dio (Talking to God),” and “Vita tu mi dai (You give me life)”. Finally, several young people—Sara, Sarah, Silvia, Alessandro, Nicola, Noemi, Paolo, and Pier Paolo—concluded the evening by rising from their mats to respond to Jos’s invitation: to publicly testify their “yes” to baptism.
Leisure Activities
The ideal farewell was extended to the locations visited during these intense seven days: Torre dell’Orso beach with its “schiaccia5” tournaments; Lecce and its delicious street food; and the Alimini coastline (Otranto) with its attractions—parafly, banana boat, jet boat, and “crazy UFO”. Among the sports and recreational activities were padel, volleyball, and soccer tournaments; challenges at Hitster; the “GA Got Talent” night; the Hawaiian-themed party; and the videoclip “We are the kids of today, 40 years later.”
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