The Adventist Church in Peninsular Malaysia (PEM) successfully organized a Public Campus Ministry (PCM) camp, which took place from November 3–5 at Port Dickson Methodist Centre. If our pockets are empty for you and your hearts are full for God during PCM23, it makes every effort worthwhile, said Pr. Tan Weoi Siong, the PEM Youth Director, in reflecting on the success of the camp.
A total of one hundred and forty participants coming from 32 institutions of higher learning, including public, government, private, and one Adventist institution, came together from locations all around the peninsular for a camp themed ‘My Circle of Influence.’ The camp intended to instill awareness of being a Christ-like influence in character among the youth, despite their secular context.
One of the highlights of the camp was a town hall session where the participants openly asked questions about how the church deals with current issues. A panel of qualified experts in their fields addressed some of the subjects, such as taboo gender issues, students' stress and depression, and social challenges. Other sessions included topics students were interested in, such as career paths and team-building activities.
In 2021, the Adventist community in Malaysia surpassed 60,000 members, a notable presence amidst the nationwide population of 33.57 million. This presents a significant challenge for the church as it endeavors to foster connections within the broader community. The objective of the Public Campus Ministry is to instill a strong commitment to the mission of Jesus Christ and the Seventh-day Adventist Church among young people, enabling them to establish enduring relationships with their fellow campus students. Additionally, Public Campus Ministry extends its focus beyond student nurturing, offering support to Adventist professors and other individuals working in public campus environments.
Mary Ann, a Shah Alam student, expressed, "I found this camp enjoyable as it allowed me to connect with new Adventist friends and reunite with acquaintances from my hometown who are studying in different parts of Malaysia." Jim shared his thoughts, saying, "I look forward to having more PCM activities to expand our network and meet fellow SDA friends pursuing education in universities."
Malaysia Union Mission
The original version of this story was posted on the Malaysia Union Mission website.