THE New Year’s holiday of Thingyan, a major Buddhist festival, is also a time of reflection for Christians in Myanmar. Many churches hold camps for young people during the festival to deepen knowledge of their faith.

Brayton Church, a Po Karen Baptist church on Min Ye Kyawswar Street in Yangon’s Ahlone township, organised a camp at Pone Maung Kyaing village near Ngwe Saung Beach from April 12 to 16.

It was the 43rd time the church had held a camp during water festival. Activities include Bible and general knowledge study, fellowship programs and leisure time at the beach.

“The water festival holiday camp is meant to help Christian youths deepen their faith, understand more about the religion and spend their time prudently rather than wasting it,” said Rev Mahn Jubilee of Brayton Church. The camp is open to youths aged 14 and above, who pay K15,000 to participate. The camp costs a total of K2.4 million.

Ywama Baptist Church also organises camps during the water festival, rotating annually between junior camps for 8 to 12 year olds and youth camps for those aged 13 and above. The camp was held this year for juniors, from April 14 to 18.

At the camp, the children attended lectures and studied personal devotion, culture, music, social ethics, the Bible and health issues, and took part in evening group competitions.

The camps cost around K2 million, said Ma Phyo Phyo San, religious educator at the Ywama Baptist Church.

“The camp helps children learn more about the Bible within their age limit, learn social ethics and improve communication,” said Ma Phyo Phyo San.

With the theme “Abiding in Christ,” the camp aims to help children reject sin and understand the real meaning of life through abide in Christ.

St Francis Assisi’s Church at Tarmwe, which has held 11 water festival camps, did not offer one this year, but will concentrate on its educational programs.

The youth director at St Francis Assisi’s Church for 25 years, Rev Father Edwin David, said that during camps, not only religious issues are taught but also subjects such as leadership training.

“It’s good to be in camp instead of being carefree and unmanageable during the water festival,” said Father David.

Young Christians like Nant Ni Ni Mar, 24, from Brayton Church also went to camp instead of enjoying the water festival. She has been on more than three camping trips outside Yangon and participates every year during the water festival except for last year, which coincided with the exam period.

“Growing up in my church, I got to know young people from other churches who went to our camp, so I had the chance to make fellowships. And as a Christian, the camp gives me additional education apart from Christianity,” said Nant Ni Ni Mar, who is acting as the treasurer of the camp.

Children are also encouraged to join junior camps planned by churches, and Aung Si Thuta, 12, who attended the junior camp at Ywama Baptist Church is interested in joining.

Having participated the year before, he is happy to go again this year.

“Last year, I didn’t want to be in the camp but this year my mum didn’t have to push me hard to go. More group competition programs, like a talent show and singing are included this year, and it’s a wonderful camp for me,” said Aung Si Thuta.

His parents, who believe that it is a meaningful way of spending the holiday, fully support Aung Si Thuta and his brother Kaung Myat Thuta, 10.

“I’d prefer them to spend the holiday under the supervision of the church instead of being exposed to all the temptations of the festival,” said Ma Le Le Tha Po, 39, who has also started introducing her two children to the junior camp.

“It’s the second time for them and at first I had to really persuade them to go to camp but this year, they were happy to go – they even wanted the camp to last longer,” she said.

Ma Le Le Tha Po believes the systematic training in time management offered in the camp, as well as an introduction to subjects such as sport, music, education and a more detailed knowledge of the Bible, can be a good grounding for the children.

“They got to know about teamwork and I was amazed to see how hard they tried during the group competitions,” said Ma Le Le Tha Po.