MGOCSM New York Leadership Camp 2008

This past Thursday (July 24th), I recently went to the MGOCSM Leadership Camp of 2008, which was hosted by the New York area, held in Ramapo College. The theme was Uncovering Our Roots: Bringing Orthodoxy Back. At first, it started off with me saying goodbye to my folks and headed off to LaGuardia Airport; Central Terminal at Baggage Claim. There, I was greeted by the NYLC Transportation Committee, and some new people still waiting for the bus. While still waiting, they played a few icebreaker games to keep us entertained. Anyway, I went on the van, to Ramapo, and on the way I met three people from Houston, one from Detroit, and the rest from my area. So, total in the van were eight (including myself), along with the driver, which happened to be Saju Chacko (aka MC Vikram). When we arrived there at Ramapo, I started to register at the NYLC front table and getting settled in my dorm room. After that, we started going off to dinner and evening prayers, and then there was the lighting of the lamp along with a few messages by Barnabas and Nicholovos Thiruminis, Mat semessan (General Secretary), and the co-conveners, Jomy Chandy and Anu Jacob. After all that, they showed some presentations (including the new AM-Team video), which is also shown on www.nylc08.com. We then were separated into our small groups, I was part of the A-Train. The first thing we had to do was an icebreaker, in which we had to do a small skit, without talking, and people had to guess what it was (my group was about the Paralytic). After the icebreaker, we had some refreshments and then went off to our area meetings to discuss about leadership. After the meeting, we had game night in the dorm lobby, in which everyone was playing either cards, pictionary, or even taboo. At the end of the night, we concluded by saying the compline prayers and heading off to bed. My roommates and I started staying up so late and talking about simple stuff.

On Friday, I kind of woke up late, than the usual schedule. In the morning, we had a special wake-up call by the committee, banging drums and our doors to wake us up for prayers, devotional address by Gheevarghese chem, devotional songs, and our first main speaker, Fr. Josiah, who was funny in most of his speeches. Then, there were workshops discussing about the Church, noon prayer, lunch, and a small group activity, which was a scavenger hunt (my group came in second to last). Then, we had another main speaker, Mother Magdalena, refreshments, another small group discussion, panel discussion, and then dinner. After all that, we had evening prayer and devotional address by Daniel chem. Then, we got ready for a team building activity in the gym, including Blob tag. We all then went outside for a special ice cream treat, playing basketball and volleyball, talking, and music playing. This event was so memorable. It ended with compline prayers and we just sitting and talking to each other, including Daniel chem making fun of Tenny Thomas.

On Saturday, it started off with the usual, this time I woke up nice and early. Some of us were tired during the lectures and workshops, but I tried keeping myself awake. All the small groups did something really cool, which was writing our own kukliyons. My group, however, did it small because we didn't have enough time to finish it. Anyway, we then had lunch, songs, and a presentation by the missions trip team of 2008. We then went off to our area meetings to discuss about witnessing and the mission within our areas. After that, we had an MGOCSM General Assembly meeting discussing about the annual secretary and financial reports, along with electing a new Genral Secretary and Treasurer. After that, the 2009 Atlanta Leadership Camp committee shown us a promo presentation (also shown on YouTube). After that presentation, all the small groups presented our own kukliyons (my group had Jimmy Panicker from Chicago doing the censor), then the conveners presented the souvenirs, and then went off to dinner. After dinner, we had evening prayer, a retreat message, and meditational times before Sunday.

On Sunday, we woke up at 5:30 AM, and then got ready for morning prayers and Holy Qurbana. After the service, we had our entire Leadership Camp group photo being taken, along with closing remarks by the conveners, a slide show, a reflection session by each area representative, and the lighting of the lamp for the 2009 leadership camp in Atlanta. After all that, we had lunch, packed our things, checked out, and said our goodbyes to each other. Overall, it was truly an amazing and blessed experience of my life, and I still miss everyone I met there. Here are some pictures I took at the camp.





Also, below is the official A-Train Kukliyon about St. Stephen, enjoy!
Be merciful to me Oh God for man would swallow me up Hallelujah
Fighting all day long he oppresses me
In God I have put my trust Hallelujah
I will not be afraid, what can man do to me?
BAREKMOR
SHUBAHO L’ABO… MEN’OLAM (DOXOLOGY)
Oh St. Stephen, martyr stoned
As you behold his glorious throne
Remember us in our iniquity
Pray to God for us sinners
STOUMEN KALOS… KURIELAISON