120 Youth from 3 States of Mexico Met the Challenges of the Disciples Camp Experience!

By 11 am on Christmas morning the first of 120 youth had arrived to clean the seminary grounds in preparation for the 2013 Campamento Huentepec. Ten or so youth had traveled three hours that morning from Zacatecas to fulfill their assignment. As most family Christmas celebrations in Mexico take place on Christmas Eve, the group seemed pleased to be here early on Christmas day and be among the first to choose their bed in the dormitory.
The annual Campamento Huentepec has become a tradition for Disciples youth in Mexico; held in different churches each year from December 26 to 30, the fields and many rooms on the seminary grounds were an ideal setting for last year’s event. Although the house where Kate and I live stands within thirty feet of the dormitories, we were able to sleep in Christmas morning; we then enjoyed the opportunity to mingle with and get to know better some of the campers.
The name Huentepec is from one of the native languages of Mexico and means “Light of the Hill”. Eighty years ago, disciples chose the name for a farm they purchased to hold trainings and camps throughout the year. Virtually every Disciple pastor in Mexico, past and present, has a story to tell about growing in their faith thanks to a Huentepec camp experience. While the farm was sold years ago, the name was retained for the Campamento in December that continues to shape future leaders of the Church.

Mil gracias to Hemer Sierra Silva (member of Central Christian Church in San Luis Potosi) for the translation below into Spanish. Hemer has

The 2013 Camp sign noting the theme “Kingdom Values”

Muchas gracias a Hemer Sierra Silva (miembro de muchos anos de la Iglesia Central de San Luis Potosi) por su traduccion en espanol del articulo sobre el Campamento Huentepec de diciembre 2013. En el proximo articulo de “Erasing Borders” Hemer quiere compartir de su propia experiencia transformativa durante un Campamento hace muchos anos.

“Cerca de las once de la mañana del día de Navidad habían llegado al seminario (Centro de Estudios Teológicos – C.E.T.) los primeros de los 120 jóvenes para preparar el sitio por el Campamento Huentepec 2013.