The UK Kishore-Kishori Mandal organised special winter camps at BAPS Swaminarayan mandirs in London and Leicester during December 2019.
The camps were titled “mySatsang: my journey with Bapa” and consisted of numerous sessions specially tailored to the 14-23 age group. The camp focused on understanding and developing their relationship with the Satpurush, an appropriate topic in anticipation of Mahant Swami Maharaj’s visit in 2020.
Key messages were presented by a mix of learned Swamis and experienced volunteers, who made the sessions relatable, engaging and inspiring. These were followed by short group discussions and activities, allowing delegates an opportunity to discuss and reflect on their understanding.
In the London Camp, two of the evenings concluded with Q&A sessions with Swamis, where delegates submitted their questions throughout the day via QR codes. These sessions were incredibly well received by the delegates.
Over the duration of the camp, delegates were given the opportunity to have one-to-one sessions with Swamis and senior volunteers to reflect on the year and their progress.
The timetable for each day was arranged to foster unity and friendship amongst the delegates through devotional and recreational activities, such as garland making, making cupcakes to be offered to Nilkanth Varni, sports, bowling and laser tag, which were all thoroughly enjoyed.
Sharing her reflections and appreciation, a delegate from Leicester wrote: “The Winter Camp helped me focus on the Satpurush, not my problems, so now I feel a lot more confident and empowered to face whatever is thrown at me. I am thankful to everyone who helped organised this inspiring event!”