TRELAWNY, Jamaica – Falmouth mayor Councillor C Junior Gager has welcomed the hosting of the Seventh-day Adventists fifth ‘Pathfinder Camporee’,which is expected to attract some 15,000 participants to Trelawny next month.

Jamaica will for the first time host the Inter-American Division (IAD) of Seventh-day Adventists ‘Pathfinder Camporee which is slated to be staged at Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium April 4 to 8, 2023.

Speaking at the regular monthly meeting of the Trelawny Municipal Corporation on Thursday, Gager appealed to all the councillors to make every effort to attend, especially the opening and closing nights of the event. He revealed that there will be fireworks displays on those two nights.

“I’m going to invite all of you to come, bring out your children. Make sure that we have a good time and assist the Inter-American Division (IAD) of Seventh-day Adventists… they are in our parish at the multi-purpose stadium,” Gager appealed.

“Of course there is work for us (Trelawny Municipal Corporation) to do because we will have to see that the roadway is clear and will have to help with parking and all of that,” he added.

He also disclosed that on Wednesday he had a meeting with Culture Minister Olivia Grange, who he said is “on board”.

“They (Adventists) will be having a team of police officers that will be working with them and JDF officers will be there in their numbers to make sure that the security is guaranteed and that everything works according to plan so that it can be a real experience or we call a Trelawny experience,” Gager said.

The event will see Pathfinder delegates and youth leaders ages 10 to 15 from 24 countries across areas such as North America, Europe, and Africa, engaging in a host of activities geared towards physical, social, mental, and spiritual development.

Under the theme ‘Pathfinders in Mission’ the camporee will focus on Bible lessons from the book of Judges, specifically about Gideon and his call to motivate Pathfinders and improve their faith in Christ and the fulfilment of his mission.

Previous IAD Pathfinder Camporees were held in 2017 in the Dominican Republic; 2011 in Mexico City; 1989 in Puerto Rico; and 1983 in Oaxtepec, Mexico.

-Horace Hines