A glimpse into YFC Lebanon’s High School Summer Camp
Dressed as a shepherd, with a wooden staff in hand and teenagers following behind him like sheep, YFC Lebanon National Director Maher El Hajj stepped into the meeting hall to illustrate one of Scripture’s most familiar images. As he began sharing the parable of the Good Shepherd, the illustration soon became deeply personal.
“I was once the lost sheep,” he told the campers before sharing how, as a searching teenager, he first encountered the Gospel through a Youth for Christ event. His testimony set the tone for the camp’s central theme, Wel3ane (“On Fire”), which challenged high school students to cultivate a faith that continues long after camp ends.
Throughout the week, Maher walked campers through the stories of David and Goliath, Elijah on Mount Carmel, Jesus’ authority over evil, the Good Shepherd, and Peter’s restoration. Each message pointed to the same challenge: to know God personally, remain steadfast in Him, and keep the fire of faith alive.
“Emotions at camp come and go,” Maher reflected. “But I want their faith to continue. We’re here for them. We can help them read the Bible, pray, overcome sin, and walk this journey together.”
As campers reflected on the week, many described how God had been speaking to them in deeply personal ways:
Maya
“It’s my first camp. I came because I wanted to draw near to God and improve my relationship with Him. Lately I’ve been focusing on studying, and I waste a lot of time instead of reading the Bible because it feels like a requirement. I want to change that. I especially liked hearing people share their stories because they show you how people’s lives changed. Seeing leaders talk about how they were far from God and then turned to Him really spoke to me. One thing I want to remember is that no matter what hardships you go through, God is with you, and you can always turn to other friends and even leaders.”
Carla
“This is my first YFC camp. I heard about it before, but I never thought of coming because it’s several days long, and I thought it might be boring. But time flew by so fast. I came because I was really longing to hear worship songs and teaching, and they were really beautiful. I didn’t expect the talks to be so powerful. I thought they would be okay at best. I learned not to wait to follow Jesus and not to believe the lie that I can’t go deep with God because I’m young. It’s not just meant to be a fun camp. It’s meant to make you think.”
Ghida
“I have been coming to AXIS [our youth center in the Bekaa region] since 2024. A friend from school first took me to one of their events, and the team also used to visit our school. I love AXIS. The people and leaders are great. This is my second YFC summer camp, and I am happy here. I feel safe. If someone asked me to stay longer, I wouldn’t say no. I love the messy games and the talks from the Bible. They speak to my heart and mind and make me want to know Jesus and the Bible more, and to keep working on myself.”
Tony
“I’ve been coming to YFC camps for years, and every year I learn something new. What keeps bringing me back is the people, the leaders, and the space YFC creates for us to hear God’s Word. Today during liquid worship [a creative worship experience where youth rotate across stations], I really felt the Lord’s presence. I also realized that I’m becoming a better leader year after year. During one of the competitions, I gathered the team captains, we prayed together, made a strategy, and ended up winning. But I learned that leadership isn’t really about winning. It’s about relationships. It’s about making the team want to win.”
As campers packed their bags, they left with muddy shoes, tired voices, and memories of games, worship, laughter, and late-night conversations. More importantly, they departed with a challenge that extended far beyond one week of camp: to keep the fire of faith burning wherever God leads them next.
