The second family camp combined formation for the Family Committee, a couples gathering with 24 couples on "My relationship with my children," a talk by Father Wissam Wakim on relationships, and a review of the year.
The Family and Life Committee of the Greek Melkite Catholic Diocese of Sidon and Metanoia Listening Center organized the second family camp at Beit El Ansara in Kfarfalous, from 5 to 8 September.
The camp included special formation for the committee members, with personal time to reflect on their relationship as a couple and as members of a community.
The second day began with preparations for the couples gathering: preparing the theme and the dialogue circles and setting up the venue. At noon we were visited by Father Joseph Abi Aoun, superior of the Monastery of Our Lady of the Hill, together with Rachel and Charbel; we had lunch together and shared conversation and experiences.
In the afternoon we welcomed twenty-four couples from both dioceses, around the theme "My relationship with my children."
After welcoming everyone, members of the Family Committee performed a short play highlighting how parents treat their children, the different parenting styles of mother and father, favoritism between children, and arguments between spouses. After the play, the participants shared their thoughts on the situations shown; each person then took ten minutes of personal time to reflect on the questions handed out, after which they divided into six groups to share ideas and experiences from their own families and answer the questions. After an hour, everyone gathered again for a summary of the theme.
Everyone then moved to the outdoor courtyard for the recreational part: games, competition and excitement. Everyone played, laughter rang out and a joyful atmosphere filled the place.
The gathering ended with simple refreshments; it was an enjoyable time in which couples got to know one another better and made new friends.
On the third day, the committee continued its own formation with a two-hour talk by Father Wissam Wakim on "relationship" and its dimensions. In the afternoon, a meaningful film was shown about a couple struggling with communication and dialogue, after which the couples shared their views on the situations in the film.
On the last day of the camp, the formation centered on a review of the year as a whole, at the personal and couple levels and as a community, and the year and the camp were evaluated.
The second family camp ended in joy, and everyone left with new fruits, ready to begin next year's work with energy and enthusiasm.
