Driven by a common mission to lead children closer to Jesus, more than 2,000 participants—including nearly 1,000 Adventurers—gathered at the Negros Occidental Conference (NOC) Evangelism Center from September 24 to 27, 2025, for the region’s first conference-wide Adventurer Camporee. The event invited young hearts to “travel with faith,” reminding families that every journey with God begins with trust and obedience.
The event, themed “Travel with Faith,” was organized by the Education Department under the leadership of Jerelyn Orquesta, education director of NOC. It aimed to strengthen the spiritual and character development of Adventist students through experiential learning. The program opened with a parade of 19 participating church schools, where students carried colorful balloons representing joy and unity in their shared faith journey.
The Adventurer Club, a faith and leadership learning curriculum of the General Conference Youth Department which provides age-appropriate spiritual and character-building activities for children in their early school years. Its program is structured into six progressive levels: Little Lamb for pre-kindergarten, Eager Beaver for kindergarten, Busy Bee for first grade, Sunbeam for second grade, Builder for third grade, and Helping Hand for fourth grade.
During the opening ceremony, Southern Asia-Pacific Division Youth Director Pastor Heshbon Buscato expressed joy over the successful launch of the event.
“This is the first Adventurer Camporee we have ever held,” Buscato said, adding that he looks forward to similar gatherings in the future.
Negros Occidental Conference President Pastor Jophone Galanza and Education Director Jerelyn Orquesta officially opened the camporee, drawing loud cheers from the participants.
In an interview, Orquesta said the inspiration for the event came from observing how much the older Pathfinder group enjoyed their camporee the previous year. “That made me think of the younger group—the Adventurer Club,” she said. “It was a challenge for me because since I began my journey as an educator, I had not encountered programs specifically designed for Adventurers.”
Each day of the camporee began with morning devotions and physical exercises that encouraged children to start the day with God and care for their well-being. Participants then attended classes to earn honors in various subjects, with workshops covering topics such as “My Family,” “Jigsaw Puzzle,” “Flowers,” “First Aid Helper,” and “Music.”
Central Philippine Union Conference Education Associate Director Liza Facon expressed appreciation to the Negros Occidental territory for its support and cooperation in organizing the event.
“I believe this experience is very valuable to the children,” Facon said. “They are the future of our church and the community. We praise God for the opportunity that, through NOC, we were able to conduct the first Adventurer Camporee in the CPUC territory.”
More than 2,000 individuals, including parents, guardians, and teachers, joined the four-day program and remained committed despite heavy rain and strong winds. CPUC Education Director Lemuel Banday said the event was an inspiring milestone for Adventist education. “Witnessing this first Adventurer Camporee motivates us to continue promoting programs that nurture children in faith and service,” he said.
Banday also reminded the attendees of the importance of Adventist education and training. “The pioneers traveled with faith, so remember wherever you go, always take Jesus with you.”
A Master Guide investiture was held during the vespers program to affirm the commitment of teachers and youth leaders preparing for future service in the church.
As the camporee concluded, Education Director Jerelyn Orquesta expressed gratitude to God and to everyone who contributed to the event’s success.
“We praise God for His protection, guidance, and blessings that made this camporee possible despite the unfavorable weather,” Orquesta said.
The original article was published in the Negros Occidental Conference Social Media page.