Yap Vicariate Summer Vocation-Bible Camps

The young men and women of Yap are back in school now, but summer break gave some young Catholics a chance to reflect on the meaning of "vocation". Through two four-hour "camps", one for boys and one for girls, a total of 60 young people came together to sing songs, reflect on Scripture, and listen to vocation testimonies from faith filled adults. Leaders of the camps included two diocesan seminarians, Jesuit scholastics Dickson and Siwi, Ed Quinnan, and Tom Frink.

The boys' camp began with Dickson narrating the Biblical story "The Call of Samuel" and then weaving it into his own vocation story. Dickson's "call" began, in fact, when he as a preteen heard his father telling the story of Samuel. Enthralled, he stayed awake all night praying, "God, call me the way you called Samuel!" In the years that followed, God masterfully answered that prayer, using people and circumstances (including a literal three-part call!) to prepare Dickson for his Jesuit vocation. The boys at the camp responded to Dickson's talk in small groups, led by the seminarians, then summarized their discussions by performing skits of other Biblical "callings".

The girls camp began with Tom Frink telling the story in the Book of Ruth of Naomi's heroic devotion to her mother-in-law in the face of dire hardship. Because Naomi said "yes" to God’s inner promptings, God used her marvelously in his work if salvation, making her the grandmother of King David--and the great, great...grandmother of Jesus! After hearing the story of Naomi, the girls spent 15 minutes in church praying about the meaning it might have for their lives. They shared the results of their prayer in small groups, led by four high school girls, assisted by the adults. After the small group discussions, two adults gave testimonies of present-day examples of women making courageous responses to God. Perpetua, a teacher at St. Mary primary school, described the heroic "yes" she made to God in leaving her homeland as a teenager to spend several years in the Maryknoll order. She made a second heroic "yes" years later when she discerned that God was calling her, not to be a sister, but to be a teacher on Yap. She exhorted the girls to say “yes” to God’s promptings, trusting that he will lead them to where they are meant to be. Ed Quinnan shared next about the creative work he saw being done in Nigeria by religious sisters who were making great sacrifices to acquire the skills necessary for them to meet the most urgent needs of the people.

Both vocation camps ended with socializing over lunch, after which the participants were driven home. The boys and girls of both camps seemed enthusiastic about their new knowledge about vocation, and, hopefully, felt excited in knowing that they too are part of salvation history as it plays out today on their island of Yap!