Jarmila Jackson, Features Writer

It was a fine frenzy at the Thursday night opening ceremony of this year's instalment of the Seventh-day Adventist West Indies Union Pathfinder and Master Guide camporee.

With a turnout of more than 2,000 people, from more than six nations, the display of flags was as colourful as the crowd who came alive with applause to accompany the hearty soundtrack provided by the Bahamas Conference Pathfinder Band.

Holistic lifestyle

According to Pastor Charles Blythe, youth ministries director of the West Indies Union - a combination of Seventh-day Adventist churches across the Caribbean - the Pathfinder move-ment was founded 80 years ago with the principal aim of "training youth between the ages of 10 and 15 to develop a holistic lifestyle; totally, mentally, spiritually and physically".

The camporee is a nine daylong camp where campers from across the Caribbean are exposed to various seminars beneficial to the develop-ment of the youth who, this year under the theme 'Total Surrender', will have the option of participating in various seminars, with topics ranging from HIV/AIDS, human sexuality, drug abuse, interior design, peer pressure, self-esteem and even overcoming depression.

Community outreach

In addition to fostering this typeof spiritual development, strict discipline is encouraged and deemed necessary for achieving a positive impact on the youth who, throughout the day, also participate in outreach activities, such as feeding the needy and tending to the elderly.

Overwhelming support was given to the speakers who included Senator Warren Newby, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Youth, Culture and Sports, who said the Government wanted to join forces with the movement in the name of youth development. In his address, he called out to the youth, encouraging them to become the leaders of the nation. The speakers shared the view that this type of outreach could be a worthy combatant against the state of violence that is crippling the nation.

Blythe stressed that the Pathfinder movement was not exclusive to members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church and encouraged all to join for the holistic development of the nation's children and, by extension, the nation.