Pastor Marvyn Smith (fourth from left) sits with a group of youth leaders from the Caribbean Union at the IAD Pathfinder camporee in Santo Domingo, in 2017.  Image by Pastor Anthony Hall]

March 9, 2023 | Georgetown, Guyana | Caribbean Union Staff and IAD News Staff

More than 1,000 Pathfinders from throughout the Caribbean Union are prepping to fly into the upcoming Inter-American Division Pathfinder Camporee to be held in Jamaica Apr. 4-8, 2023.

With support and representation from the ten fields of the Caribbean Union, the group will be the largest regional delegation to travel to the camporee event, which is usually held once every five years, said Pastor Marvyn Smith, youth ministries director of the Caribbean Union.

Smith is striving to obtain the largest participation numbers in line with his belief that Pathfinder camporees are significant memory events which become anchor points in Christian development, he said.

Members of the Philipsburg Pioneer Pathfinder Club in St. Maarten, wash cars and offer breakfast on Sunday, February 12, 2023 to aid pathfinders in raising funds to attend the 5th IAD Camporee in Jamaica in April. [Photo: Christina Blythe]
Themed “Pathfinders in Mission,” the camporee will feature a focus on missions and community.

“I am excited to be involved in what the life of the church is all about in the Caribbean Union and let our Pathfinders show how much they care and are involved in the mission,” said Smith. “Many of us will be witnessing and participating in community events that will bring out the passion of who we are and inspire those who attend the camporee to return energized to continue the best mentoring program that we, as a church, offer.”

Across the region, Pathfinder clubs are rushing to raise funds by holding concerts, car-washes, bake sales, and fun day activities to help with the expenses of traveling to the camporee, but the bulk of the costs come from parents’ pockets, according to Smith.

“A Pathfinder camporee is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and parents are making enormous sacrifices to support their young ones to get there,” he said. Most pathfinders will spend upwards of US$1,000 each to cover airplane tickets alone. Smith, who took on the responsibility to lead in youth ministries seven months ago, believes that “with those parents making the enormous sacrifice to send their children to camporee, there will definitely be great inspiration and enthusiasm to build on when they return.”

The Virgin Gorda Pathfinder Club  in the British Virgin Islands, took to the streets recently with a Sweet Tooth and Lemonade Sale stand as part of their efforts to raise funds to attend the IAD Pathfinder Camporee. During the sale, the gospel was also shared with the community under the caption ‘taste and see that the Lord is good’. [Photo: Kya Huggins]
Despite pandemic-related job losses and economic fallout, Smith was encouraged that, thanks to youth leaders and club directors, Pathfinder Clubs across the Caribbean Union have been able to maintain a vigorous social witness.“Considering that many of these Pathfinders have already worked hard to raise funds just to attend the camporee, I am simply astonished at their generosity in supporting others in their quest to make it there,” added Smith. “Club leaders have had an opportunity to witness the impact of their community services since community members are sending their children to Pathfinders meeting now.”

“The investment parents make is in response to the spiritual need and moral values they want their children to have in this new generation of Seventh-day Adventists,” Smith said.

Pathfinder leaders are planning to show highlights of daily devotional moments, activity reports and more through the Caribbean Union’s Facebook Page.

Goodies the Virgin Gorda Pathfinder Club  would sell on their Sweet Tooth and Lemonade Sale stand to raise funds for the camporee. [Photo: Kya Huggins]
For more information on Inter-America’s 5th Pathfinder Camporee, daily schedule of activities and detailed program, go to camporee.interamerica.org