7,000 Columbia Union Pathfinders Attend #2019Chosen International Pathfinder Camporee

Potomac Conference’s Rockville (Md.) Club hosted the Flying Marine club with 165 members from Nairobi, Kenya, and a few Pathfinders from Jamaica and Alabama. The clubs also shared a campsite and meals, both of the American and Kenyan flavors.

Steve Owens, the Rockville club cook for the last three camporees, says the event was a cultural exchange between clubs’ members. “We’ve learned a lot about their foods and ... [the] native dances they’ve done,” noting that Kenyan club staff also cooked several of their traditional dishes like ugali, a cornmeal porridge, as well as amaranth and lentils, while the Rockville staff shared a North American favorite— haystacks. “Just talking with everyone and learning about their experience and how God has brought them this far, has been a learning experience for all of us,” says Owens.

Pathfinders also had the opportunity to go into the community and volunteer at local nonprofits like the Salvation Army, food banks, a local library and more. New Jersey Conference’s West New York club painted, cleaned and reorganized items at Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore in Fond du Lac. Crystal Mark, the assistant store manager, said the volunteers helped expediate their reorganization project that had a six-month timeline. She thinks they can now get it done in a month or two at the latest.

“I like helping because it gives me a nice feeling that I did something good,” says Annabelle Perez (pictured above, left with Sophia Campoverde), who also enjoys pin trading and all the fun honor options at the camporee that are harder to do back at home, like the lumber honor.