Togo World Camp, which started from August 13.
Before a month from the opening ceremony of Togo World Camp, 1,100 students applied, and 1,500 students actually participated in the camp. We could see how God has been waiting for Togo World Camp and how He loves Togo.
The opening ceremony on the 14th of August was held in ‘Palais des Conres,’ a Togolese national theater. Also, the opening ceremony was broadcasted by Togolese cable TV station, LCF. Cultural performances, which are rare to see in Togo, were presented in the opening ceremony. There were performances by Righteous Starts and Toofan, which is a gospel group, and also guitar medley by Rio Montana kept passionate Togolese youths standing. Cultural performances such as ‘A Chandelier,’ prepared by Togo and ‘Fan Dance’ by Masan Lincoln House School were presented. Students were surprised to first see Korean culture and they made exclamation when performers made a lotus flower with fans. A beautiful and magnificent ‘Fan Dance’ from Korea led Togolese youths to feel elegance of Korean culture.
A vice minister from ministry of youth in Togo, Adigbo Kodjo Kiaste was shocked by passion and scale of the World Camp, saying “I was very surprised to see how big organization IYF is and how large the World Camp is. We couldn’t support IYF enough because we did not know them well, but now I will give a lot more supports and helps to IYF.” Ki Kwon Doh, a chairman of IYF was also surprised stating that “Togolese youths are much more passionate than Ghanaian youths.”
A last performance of the opening ceremony was presented by Gracias Choir. Students gave continuous applauses to performances by Gracias Choir. Particularly, performances of exceptional class by Gracias Choir seemed to be enough to lead participants’ minds into one.
For Togo World Camp, we could get supported with general supplies needed for the camp by corporations like Voltic, Fanmilk, Coca Cola, and Nestle. A native pressman heard about the World Camp through advertisement and held a press conference, so that reporters and pressmen were able to nationally advertise the World Camp all over Togo. Besides, 18 companies came up front to support the camp, concerning with supplies needed for the camp. A company selling motorbikes, which are a major transportation in Togo, supported the camp with a motorbike as a 1st prize for marathon and other necessaries. There was a presentation of appreciation plaque to representatives from the companies.
Pastor Ock Soo Park explained a portrait of many youths who cannot get freed from sins, through a story of Leonardo da Vinci taking out an angel locked up in a stone. Then he emphasized that when their minds and His mind get connected they can be free from the sins.
Togolese youths, who are usually orderly and calm in public areas, showed great passions and reactions time to time during the ceremony and the lecture.
IYF, releasing youths through the camp, led Togolese youths to embrace hope and presented them with vision for future. We hope that gospel will flow from mind to mind and be blossomed through the first World Camp in French circle.
Many students showed great interest in this Togo World Camp, and the camp will be continued in University of Lome.
