From Monday 27th December to Thursday 30th December, the first ever Winter Reunion Camp entitled ‘Satsang Karo Ne Karavo’ was held at the Shri Swaminarayan Mandir in Neasden, London. A total of 55 Kishores and 27 Kishoris attended this four-day event. The camp was an inspiration from the annual ‘Satsang Na Paya’, a 10-day training camp intended for those Bal-Balikas soon entering the Kishore-Kishori Mandal. The aim of the summer camps is to train and strengthen the life in all aspects of the participants who are capable of becoming future Karyakars. However the winter camp was organised to reunite and enhance the lives of all the summer camp participants since it’s beginning in 1997.

The winter camp helped the Kishores and Kishoris (former Balaks and Balikas) to strengthen the knowledge and practice of Satsang intheir lives and share the same with others. The delegates were taught everything they needed to know in order to share Satsang with others in Europe. From contacting families, Satsang reading, introducing BAPS and Bapa, all the way to challenging tasks like organising a 3-day event in Europe Satsang centres and even cooking food for Thakorji’s thal and all the devotees. The kishores were taught it all.

With the guidance of the camp co-ordinators, the London Sant Mandal and other senior Karyakars, the Kishores and Kishoris were able to understand Swamishri’s vision of spreading the message of Satsang throughout UK and Europe. The sessions were intensive and to the point, where a great deal of in-depth knowledge was imparted through inter-active workshops, goshthis, presentations and exercises. Practical and social skills were brought out in the participants, as they were taught how to ‘Stand up to challenges’ and how to change their lives to become responsible, mature individuals.

Everyone enjoyed the cooking classes, the sports and the sevas as they brought everyone closer together. was as Many attendees were really pleased to meet each other after so many years, others saw who their seniors were while others enjoyed the valuable yet new skills acquired. Many voiced that this has been a very productive use of their winter holidays.