by BIS CORRESPONDENT
KAPADVANJ, OCT 30, 2017: Sixty four youth attended a four-day Diwali youth camp, entitled 'Connect, Commit, Celebrate' which was organised in 
collaboration between the St. Vincent de Paul, Chad District Council and the Divine Mercy Youth Conference at the Don Bosco Kapadvanj campus from October 20 to 24 .
Youth from various parishes of the Umreth deanery of the Ahmedabad diocese participated in the camp, which focused on one particular theme per day, with different resource personnel animating the day-long sessions.
Day one was dedicated to 'commit', with Father Ajit Munis, principal of Don Bosco Kawant animating the students on the different aspects of commitment. Post-lunch the group made presentations on the various topics.
The second day was animated by social activist, Snehlata Bhatia, on 'celebrate'. She used inputs on social and communitarian inclusivity, focusing on health issues such as HIV/Aids and on gender sensitisation. The post-lunch session was animated by Father Dinesh Vasava, Director AmrutDhara Kapadvanj, and was dedicated to face painting activity and rehearsing the actions for the SYMBIOS 2017 GURAM theme song.
Father Chris animated day three on the theme 'connect', by using indoor and outdoor game-activities along with audio-visual aids to explain the connectivity and linkages possible through social media, its effects and possibilities. The afternoon session was dedicated to pocket film-making with the participants scripting, directing, acting and editing shorts on their smartphones without using any apps, on the camp theme in a time span of just 90 minutes! The cultural evening, with song and dance, had the youth swaying on late into the night and created a bonhomie that is bound to last forever.
The daily features of holy Mass, group activities, input sessions, tele-games and a panel discussion on the most pertinent youth issues were appreciated by the participants, as also by the animating sisters and priests.
Sister Elfina said, "I thoroughly enjoyed this experience along with the youth. I wanted to go away early, but the enthusiasm and high spirits of everyone made me stay on till the conclusion." Smit Macwan, one of the camp volunteers, added, "It was a learning experience for me as both- a participant and volunteer. I was excited by the pocket film-making and its outcome which is uploaded on YouTube."
The camp concluded with each participant taking home a gift souvenir. Jasvant Macwan, Editor of the Gujarat Catholic Monthly 'DHOOT' was present throughout the camp as a senior mentor and overseer. Father Mayank Parmar, Director Don Bosco Kapadvanj provided the logistical and on-site requirements.