Kingdom Kids Camp

From August 13th to 15th, 2025, something unfolded at MAS Athena: the Kingdom Kids Camp, organised by the NCEASL. This special event brought together 111 children across Sri Lanka, children of pastors, many of whom face unique challenges such as persecution, economic hardship, and social strife. These children, supported through our Evangel Care Scholarship scheme, were given an opportunity to gather in a safe, nurturing environment where they could be encouraged, equipped, and empowered in their faith.

With the support of 36 dedicated volunteers on board, the camp became far more than a three-day program. It turned into a transformative journey of faith, fun, and fellowship. Kids Camp 2025 was a meaningful endeavour to build a strong foundation of faith within each child's heart.

Joy in Action

The camp was designed to be interactive by including team-based activities; outdoor and indoor games and talent competitions, etc., spanned across the three days. What seemed like simple sports and games revealed themselves as powerful tools for shaping character, developing leadership, and building unity. In every cheer, playful race, and shared victory, the children discovered that joy is not just a feeling; it is an action that builds them up and brings them closer to each other. This joy became the foundation upon which deeper connections would grow.

Encouraged by Grace

Building on this atmosphere of joyful connection, every moment was woven with intentionality through captivating storytelling and gospel-centered sessions. The older age group participated in testimony-based sessions where experienced young leaders shared personal stories of overcoming difficult times. These testimonies taught participants how to handle loss and hardships with God's help while gaining insights on navigating life from a biblical perspective, covering topics like relationships, loss, the legacy of a pastor’s child, education, and finances. A Q&A session revealed the many questions and doubts these young people carried, allowing for deeper discussion and understanding. The younger age group experienced activity-based sessions using creativity, storytelling, and hands-on activities to teach God's word in engaging ways. This approach recognized that older participants learn well from real-life experiences and open dialogue, while younger ones learn better through creative and interactive methods. Both approaches helped people at different life stages connect with God and apply biblical teachings to everyday life. For many, tangled thoughts of doubt, loneliness, and hopelessness began to unravel through God's grace, with participants leaving encouraged and understanding their lives hold deep meaning in God's plan.

Friendships that Heal, Communities that Last

As time went on, something beautiful began to happen beneath the surface of laughter and joy. Many of these campers had carried silent struggles as pastors' children, often walking a lonely path with unspoken burdens and no safe place to share their deepest concerns. They had bottled up years of past trauma and hardships, with some even experiencing suicidal thoughts from the weight of their pain. However, within this caring environment, these heavy burdens began to find light as campers discovered they were not alone in their struggles and that healing was possible through community and faith. Over three short days, that silence broke. The joy they had shared and the grace they had experienced together created a safe space where peers who once felt like strangers became companions on the same journey of faith. Barriers fell, friendships blossomed, and what started as simple conversations during team activities grew into heartfelt connections rooted in their shared encounter with God's love. Out of these bonds, a supportive community began to emerge, one strong enough to hold them through confusion, trials, and life's inevitable challenges. These friendships, born from joy and nurtured by grace, hold the potential to grow into discipleship networks, reminding them that they are never truly alone.

More than Just a Camp

Kingdom Kids Camp 2025 was far more than activities, worship sessions, and structured programs. It was a space where joy led to grace, grace opened hearts to friendship, and friendship formed lasting community. The children encountered God's love in tangible ways: the laughter of teammates, the encouragement of God's word, and the embrace of new friends who truly understood their journey. They left not only with joyful memories but also with something far greater: renewed faith, the discovery of their identity in Christ, friendships that will endure, and the unwavering assurance that they belong.

This interconnected experience and community was not just a camp. It was a glimpse of God's Kingdom at work in the lives of His children, planting seeds of hope, purpose, and belonging that will continue to grow long after the campfire has gone out. Looking forward to 2026!