More than 40,000 Adventist young people in Kenya were encouraged to share the love of Christ during two back-to-back pathfinder camporees in the country’s eastern and western regions.
From December 1-10, the Forever Missionaries Camporee was held in the West Kenya Union with more than 20,000 Pathfinders and leaders in attendance.
The event, held in Migori, Kenya, featured guest speakers Jiwan Moon, associate Adventist chaplaincy ministries director and public campus ministries director for the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and Mandla S. Lupondwana, youth director for the Southern Africa Union Conference.
Pathfinders had the opportunity to build skills, create crafts and participate in recreational activities, singing, community outreach and hospital visitations.
The climax of the event was a grand baptism of more than 300 individuals.
On a sad note, two pathfinders died during the event. One young person had an asthma attack and was rushed to the hospital but died in the emergency room. The second young person drowned in a river as he was swimming. A burial service for the two pathfinders is scheduled for December 18.
Meanwhile in the East Kenya Union region, another 20,000 pathfinders attended the Reach the World Pathfinder Camporee on the beaches of Mombassa, Kenya. The event, which began Sunday December 11, will finish Sabbath December 17.
Guest Speakers include Pastor Jose A. Barrientos Jr. and his wife Claudya, youth director for the Potomac Conference in the North America Division.
The camporee's official opening was officiated by Deputy Governor of Mombasa, Her Excellency Hazel Nyamoki Katana. Katana praised the Seventh-day Adventist Church for “making good use of schools holidays to teach their young ones to be clean, organized and courageous."
Organizers expect to have another grand celebration baptism this coming Sabbath at the conclusion of the Reach the World Pathfinder Camporee.