Conference Day 1 (Sunday)

So like the week at Lesozavodsk, I will try and make one post for each day we were away trying to capture the day. Unlike Lesozavodsk, I will actually type these posts up while I am at the camp so that they will be fresh and all done as soon as I get access to wifi. So right now as I write this it is actually Sunday July 28.

            Anyway, today started early as the team, the sisters, and all six of the brothers at the monastery in Vladivostok headed to the bus station to make the trip to Nakhodka. The bus ride was uneventful and the roads weren’t quite so bad. I was able to sleep, although a few bits of jostling sent me face planting into Brian’s shoulder. Not the best way to be woken up.

            So the International Far East Youth Conference is being held at what I am told was a former summer camp for kids 20-30 years ago. There have been some mixed reactions from the team on the living conditions. Admittedly the bath and shower conditions are pretty bad (and that’s coming from a guy), but our rooms are spacious, we are being fed three meals a day, and the company is pretty nice. At the conference we have our band of 13, both sisters, our translators (Yury and Victor) are back, along with the 6 brothers from the seminary in Vladivostok (2 from the Philippines, 4 from Indonesia), with 2 more priests to help Father Steve, and a large handful of Russians from around the greater Eastern Russian area. We are on a lake (sort of) and a short walk from the beach. The camp has some sports stuff (nets and a field) and quite a nice playground, but is lacking in certain areas like limited shower facilities and a pretty bad toilet situation. It is also pretty humid, so many of our rooms just feel moist

            Today we did not arrive until lunchtime. In addition to Sunday Mass, our meals, and evening prayer, there has been a lot of down time to get all settled in. The schedule for tomorrow looks pretty jam-packed, with only 1 hour off for sports and a few coffee breaks scattered between activities.

            I am sure many of you are wondering how a Catholic conference works with so many different nationalities in attendance. Well first, the beauty of it being a Catholic conference is that the Catholic Church truly is universal. Even if I can’t say all of the prayers, I can recognize them as ones I know. Also this bond of faith makes everyone immediately connected in a special way. We can all enjoy a Mass or prayer together, even if half of it is in a different language. The physical presence and fellowship is what counts.

            Another rather fun anecdote of this, and my high for the day, was singing. My mother is probably shocked at reading that, but yes Mom singing. A few of us were hanging out in the brothers’ room playing music and stuff (they all speak English). Then a couple of our new found Russian friends who had been working on the music for tomorrow come in and start playing music for us. Soon we all started singing together the most random songs, and even sang one of the worship songs in Russian and English simultaneously. Despite the lack of the actual verbal communication, everyone seems to be getting along great and enjoying their foreign friends.