FOR 82-year-old Simone Couanga Doleyres, the trip to Jamaica for the Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventists (SDA) fifth Pathfinders Camporee has offered some relief.

Couanga Doleyres, of Haiti, she said the high level of crime and violence in her country in recent months has caused a lot of uneasiness.

Couanga Doleyres told the Jamaica Observer that she moved to live with her daughter in Texas, United States, recently and was delighted to receive an invite from the Haitian delegation to attend the camporee.

“I am now living with my daughter in Texas because, since the turmoil in Haiti, I was obliged to leave. My children do not want me to stay over there because it is a terrible situation,” she said during the interview at Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium.

“Usually, old people don’t come to camporee, but I am glad the young ones in Haiti know I am very pleased and I don’t give trouble, so they invited me,” said Couanga Doleyres as she chuckled.

Couanga Doleyres, who is a retired missionary and secretary of the Franco-Belgian Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists, where she had served for 40 years, said she was pleased to see the turnout of young people for the camporee.

“It is my first time in Jamaica, the people are very friendly, I was very impressed at the airport, I am very glad to be here,” she said.

“I was impressed also to see so many young people, they are well disciplined. I will help the smaller ones here, I am like a grandmother to them,” said Couanga Doleyres.

As a youngster, she said she was happy to be exposed to the SDA faith and enjoyed participating in many camp activities.

“I always remember the family who shared the SDA truth with my parents, and I am very glad to be a Seventh-day Adventist. I am looking forward to Jesus coming,” she said.

“I used to go to camp in Martinique, Guadeloupe, and many [other] places; I think those experiences build you in life and help you to create a lot of friendships,” she said.

As she indulged in the events taking place at the camporee, Couanga Doleyres encouraged young people to be joyful and assist each other.

“I told them to support one another, don’t complain. Help one another and enjoy yourself, especially people from Haiti, because everyday they have stress. I tell them to laugh, to play, and to be happy,” she said.