COLOMBIA | MARIAN VINCENTIAN PREJUVENILE CAMP
Lately it has become customary to mention the joy of meeting after the ravages generated by the Covid-19 pandemic, but to tell the truth, the fact of being able to bring together so many children from Western Colombia after all that has happened is encouraging.
Under the motto “Baptized in the Spirit, to be missionaries with Mary”, the Vincentian Marian Pre-Youth Camp was held in the city of Armenia, Quindío, on August 25, 26 and 27, 2023.
The activities during the three days were led by the children, who lived each moment with joy, commitment, and motivation. After a welcome by the provincial committee and a couple of ice-breaker dynamics, the first moment of prayer was held as an opening to the meeting, with the enthronement of the Word as the center of our life, we prayed, reflected and placed in God’s hands the activities of the following days. Then we went to rest.
On Saturday, the participants of the meeting had the “Awakening with Mary” to then live a reflective moment on Laudato Si and the care of our common home. After breakfast, the first topic of the morning was the symbols of Baptism and its importance in the life of all Catholics, with a detailed explanation of the symbols such as water, chrism light, oil of catechumens, and white vestment.
On this occasion, Father Eddison CM, national advisor of VMY COLOMBIA, could not join us, but we could count on the presence of Father Diego Mauricio Ramirez CM, who celebrated the Eucharist affirming the value and importance of Baptism.
Around noon, after lunch, we were all able to share a moment of water fun, obstacles and music, strengthening bonds of friendship, leadership, and more.
Later, continuing with the formation, we had an activity around the Gospel of Luke 1:36 and the motto, “Missionaries like Mary”, getting to know and strengthening the Yes of Mary put into practice in our lives. We were able to relate the motto of the morning’s theme with that of this activity.
Then, there was a moment to reflect on how St. Louise de Marillac lived a whole journey in which she experienced situations of faith that we all have experienced, her journey to become a saint, her docility to the Holy Spirit, and the immense love she had for God and the Blessed Virgin Mary.
And as a sign of love for our Mother we continued with the praying of the holy Rosary in pilgrimage through the house, placing particular intentions of the boys and girls of Prejuvenil, as well as the youth, the Vincentian family, and the whole world.
The day ended with a movie night and a well-deserved rest.
On Sunday, the last day of our meeting, we concluded the theme of Mary’s Yes with a theme oriented to the Magnificat. The boys and girls learned through a dramatization about Mary’s love for everyone and the importance of loving her and speaking to her through prayer as our Mother who listens. In the middle of the dramatization, which was very moving for them, they could feel that Mary is by our side and ready to listen to us, they were also motivated and many committed to continue walking in the movement.
We finish the morning session with group activities divided by stations to provide feedback on everything learned in the meeting. The last station being an approach to WYD and the Yes of young people by traveling from all countries with the same purpose, inviting and motivating them to experience these ecclesial spaces as children and young people.
Thus we ended our meeting, ready to share what we had learned.
VMY Colombia
