2022 Saint Juvenaly Youth Camp

This year, after being suspended since 2019 over concerns with COVID, the faithful of the Bristol Bay Deanery held the Saint Juvenaly Youth Camp outside of New Halen, Illiamna, again!

Held from August 10 through 14, it was a most joyful return to an event that has been running for 40 years!  As many as 45 registered campers in addition to their families, parents, and many other day campers joined in for the various activities.  In alignment with the theme of this year’s All America Council, the camp theme was Becoming Vessels of Grace.  

Campers learned how to tie prayer ropes, memorized the Lord’s Prayer in English and the Jesus prayer in both English and Yupik. Every day began with morning prayers and closed with evening prayers.  On the first day, Archpriest David Askoak and Priest Peter Kamilos blessed the camp site and campers, and campers began to learn how to make prayer ropes.

On the second day, campers had classes in which they learned what vessels of Grace are and how the heart is our specially created vessel of Grace to be filled by God.  Campers went swimming, canoeing, paddling, and worked on tying their prayer ropes.  Matushka Maria Askoak and volunteers made wonderful meals for the camp from food that had been gifted to the camp by various volunteers and donors from the surrounding communities.  Campers learned how to make prosphora, sang evening prayers, and heard the lives of several saints.  Fathers David and Peter hosted a questions and answers seminar and campers enjoyed a final swim before bedtime!

The next day, campers learned how God fills our vessels (our hearts) with His Grace and how we can open our hearts and prepare them to receive His Grace through the services and sacraments of the Church such as prayer, baptism, confession, communion, participation in the services, and spiritual reading and journaling.  The rest of the time was filled with camp activities that featured making prayer ropes, the lives of the saints, questions and answers, … and SWIMMING!

On the fourth day, campers learned what Grace does and how this Grace spreads from our hearts to our family, friends, and neighbors at home, at church, and the world we live in.  Campers learned how Grace is the adornment and measure of beauty in the faithful and throughout all creation.  After classes, campers finished their prayer ropes, swam, and competed in relay races and group activities until vespers time.  After vespers they sang a panikhida for several beloved community members and campers that have recently departed this life; and Father David and Father Peter blessed all the prayer ropes that campers had made!  More prayer ropes were completed than have been made in previous years: it was very exciting to see!

On the last day, the fathers served and campers sang the liturgy.  During lunch campers shared and reviewed what they had learned throughout the week and prizes were given out (icons, prayer books, and blank journals for the older campers; icons, coloring books, and writing pads for the younger campers).  When everything was finished, camp was broken down and most campers went for a final swim before the closing molieben.

It was a wonderful close to the final day of a return to Saint Juvenaly Youth Camp!