Spotlighting the Family in This Year’s Lifecamp Family Edition
For four days from March 27 to 30, MGC New Life Christian Academy (MGCNLCA) families, both new and old, took time off during Holy Week to bond with one another in this year's Lifecamp Family Edition at CCT Tagaytay Retreat and Training Center.
With the theme of “Spotlighting the Family," this year’s camp emphasized the importance of family bonds in today's self-centered world. Camp Director Iris Chiu shared, "In a world where people seem to be fixated on self-love and self-worth, the team has decided to put the spotlight back on the most basic unit of society which is the family. This is the essential building block of human society. This is where character and values are first taught, explained, and consistently modeled."
The camp kicked off with an engaging opening ceremony, followed by ice-breaking activities led by Kel Chan, who assumed the persona of "Taylor Sweep". In the first two plenary sessions, Reverend Stephen Tan shed light on the significance of a Christ-centered family and explored the various roles within a family.
The third plenary session had Reverend Eugene Hao share his testimony about the importance of resolving family conflicts, while Reverend Harg Timothy Ang reminded all of the families to focus on building legacies with the family rather than worldly possessions in the fourth plenary session.
In the first family activity, family members split into groups for tailored discussions led by various facilitators on topics ranging from parental responsibilities to finding one's calling in life. The speakers included Daniel Jon Dionisio and Larry Ang for the fathers’ groups, Pamela Takai and Joy Yulangco for the moms, Janaye Villanueva and Feliché Labella for the youth group, CJ Chingcuanco and Helen Tio for the young professionals and singles, and Michele Ching for the seniors’ group.
The second family activity titled "I Appreciate You! Day," brought families together for a series of fun and interactive experiences. Participants enjoyed various stations, including game booths, a taho stand, and an ice cream counter, along with a family task roulette wheel. School Director Helen Villanueva then clinched the family activity by giving some practical tips on how to strengthen family relationships and ended with the verse in Joshua 24:15, which states that “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”
For the last night of the camp, Reverend Ang led the campers in dedicating themselves to the Lord in different ways. The night concluded with a bonfire, where the families sang to the Lord and enjoyed a late-night viewing of the film “Sing.”
During Testimony Time on the last day, campers shared heartfelt testimonials and personal experiences. Many of them expressed gratitude for the enriching and spiritually uplifting camp experience.
Reflecting on the camp's impact, DJ Abuso, head of the Abuso family, remarked, “We were so blessed. Despite our financial situation, someone was able to provide for our family to go to this camp and (we) got to experience all of this. Even though I am from a different religion, I was able to see that Christ was the center in everything that was done in this camp.”
Bianca Sy from Patmos shared, “I think what impacted me the most was seeing other families spend time with each other. Whether it be actively learning about God through family devotion, praying together hand in hand, or just freely talking to each other like close friends.”
