The Summer Camp at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish has been held in Fujairah, followed by a Graduation Day and Culmination Ceremony. Inspired by the life and spirituality of St. Francis of Assisi, the camp offered children and teenagers a joyful experience of faith, friendship, creativity, and community life.

Around 100 young participants took part in the program, accompanied by around 50 volunteers. Their generous service helped create a welcoming and lively atmosphere, allowing the children and teens to feel supported and accompanied.

At the heart of the camp was the figure of St. Francis of Assisi.  The parish priest, Fr. Willy Atienza,  introduced the participants to the life, conversion, and spiritual journey of St. Francis, inviting the participants  to discover the values of humility, simplicity, peace, love for creation, and joyful discipleship. Through the different activities, the participants were introduced to his early life, his conversion, and his journey of faith. 

The story of St. Francis and the Wolf of Gubbio became a simple but meaningful way to speak about compassion and harmony. Songs, stories, and activities helped the young participants reflect on St. Francis’ love for God’s creation and on the call to live with gratitude, compassion, and care for all creatures.

St. Francis was presented to the children and teens as a Man of Peace and Brother to All, inspired by the Canticle of the Sun. The children  created greeting cards filled with messages of gratitude and love for their parents, while the teens handcrafted rosary bracelets and friendship bracelets as symbols of faith and unity. These activities helped the young participants express what they had learned in a personal and meaningful way.

The experience was also marked by moments of prayer and celebration and culminated in the graduation ceremony. The young participants shared their final performances and received certificates of participation, celebrating not only their involvement but also the friendships, faith, and cherished memories they had built during the camp.

The joyful spirit of St. Francis of Assisi accompanied the whole experience, inviting the young people to live with simplicity, peace, love, and gratitude, and to continue growing as joyful disciples of Christ.