According to the Coordinator of the SMX path, Javier Jaldo, "the main objectives are meeting and sharing life with children, adolescents and young people of the same age, recreational and educational activities in Free Time and deepening of the relationship and encounter with God".
As for the SMX Province, 1,860 children, teenagers and young adults are involved in the camp, along with some 250 leaders. There are two camps in the Canary Islands, eleven camps in Andalusia, in Antequera, Sanlúcar la Mayor, San José del Valle and Campano, two in Catalonia, which started on 8 July and will last until the end of July. There will also be a retreat in Catalonia and a retreat for young people from all over the Province. Fr Jordi Lleixà, SMX Provincial Delegate for Youth Ministry, will be present at all events.
In the SSM Province the camps are held in three locations: Logroño and Somalo (La Rioja) for the IEF camps in the north and Cambados, in Galicia, for the north-west area. A total of 1,845 children, teenagers and young people will enjoy this summer period, accompanied by Fr Xabier Camino, Delegate for Youth Ministry in the SSM Province. "The work we do during the course" Fr Camino explains "finds quality reinforcement in the summer period, which consolidates the processes and prepares for the upcoming educative and pastoral process."
This is confirmed by Ángel Fragata, from the Centro Xuvenil Amencer in Ourense. At the end of the Andaina Movement children turn, he said that: "the camp was a success and [...] everyone now returns to their homes convinced that they can do a lot to leave a better world."
During the last weekend of June, as mentioned, 70 young volunteers from the Salesians in the SMX Province prepared the three camps in Campano with great commitment and enthusiasm. Similarly, on 15 and 16 June leaders from the north and north-west area of the Salesians in the SSM Province gathered in Bilbao and Lugo to prepare the camps.
A thank you for the dedication and affection with which the leaderswork came from Fr Xabier Camino, who stressed how young people have found in the Salesian youth centres "a home that welcomes, a church that evangelises, a school that prepares for life and a playground where they can meet as friends."
