Twenty-two young men from the Jamaica Bible College (JBC) in Manchester are now reaping the benefits of a weekend camp hosted by the institution. The camp, which ran from February 15-17, was to address the behavioural problems of the students.

They were transferred to JBC from St Paul of the Cross when the school closed down last year. These students were at St Paul's as they were not accepted into formal high schools. Many were from broken homes etc, and as such, needed some positive reinforcement.

Speakers at the camp included Danville Colquhoun, (retired guidance counsellor, Ministry of Education), Winston Morgan (lecturer at JBC), Darren Larmond (camp director), Dr Bryan Wallace (JBC lecturer). Some of the topics included self- esteem and conflict resolution.

Greatest benefit

At the end of the camp, all 22 boys responded to the call to accept the Lord Jesus as their saviour. Later at the wrap-up session, the Rev Owen Gordon, principal of JBC, noted that the students cited the greatest benefit of the camp as their acceptance of Jesus Christ as their saviour.

He said that on Monday when he got to the campus, he was greeted by smiling, happy, young men. "They greeted me for the first time by calling me Uncle Owen," he said. He noted that other students and teachers have also commented on the remarkable change in their behaviour.

Several of the young men who attended the camp sponsored by the Ministry of Education have asked that it be repeated.