Fourth day of Summer Camp

The fourth day of Summer Camp was jam-packed with preparation for the pilgrimage which would take place the following day. After morning chanting the youth got straight into action, they made sure the dining room was freshly swept and moped to a standard of excellence. Then the youth prepared the path where the pilgrimage participants were going to walk up the early the next day by sweeping away all the little stones and leaves. They swept from the front gate, through the car park and up to the front shrine. In the afternoon the youth sorted the rocks which are located outside the kitchen, working well together, the task was completed faster than expected, allowing them time to prepare for the Venerables surprise trip in the evening. After dinner Venerable Rulian revealed the surprise which turned out to be a trip to the beach. The youth were all extremely excited and were waiting by the parking lot before the drivers were even ready! At the beach, Abbess and Venerable Rulian had kindly prepared snacks for everyone to share. Some of the youth decided to simply relaxing on the sand while others went for a swim. Leo, a member of the youth had recently passed his learners driving license, and as a reward Leo was tackled, lifted and thrown into the icy cold water totally unprepared by the others. The night was spent sharing lots of laughs from the youth, Venerable Rulian and the Abbess. This surprise trip concluded not only the night but also the end of 2010 as the youth look forward to the pilgrimage and the new year of 2011.