The activity carried out by the monastics of the Grace Mercy Order and the Marian Center was a camp for working with spiritual education in theFigueira Light-Community.
On January 9 and 10, 14 children from ages 6 to 9 camped in the area of the lake of the Sacred Heart Nucleus. The girls stayed in the little wooden houses and the boys in the tents. The activity was supported by the parents, who prepared the food, provided transportation for the children, and worked to support and harmonize the areas.
Based on the idea that values and principles are integrated by each individual through personal experiences, the work developed enabled the young children to experience the fundamentals for fraternity and spiritual awakening. The teachings of Jesus and the passages of His life were experienced by the students in theatrical skits, walks, story-telling, star gazing, and conversations around the campfire.
The comments from the kids reveal that the experience will be remembered forever, and especially in each one’s heart. The little girl Mariah, 6 years old, categorically states: “it was the best thing that has happened in my world!”
For Friar Agustin, one of those responsible for organizing and carrying out the camping experience, the activity was also a learning experience for the monastics, because it allowed them to see how the teaching process works when the students truly experience the situations.
“The children’s input, the questions…, everything was important in order to think in a different way about their spiritual education, which must be something alive,” he concludes.
