Sluggish campers stirred in their sleeping bags fighting off the heaviness of morning slumber and dreading the thought of splashing freezing cold water on their warm faces. But the fajr prayer was mandatory for the 90 campers who attended this year’s 8th annual summer youth camp held by the Costa Mesa-based Islamic Educational Center of Orange County (IECOC).
Every summer, IECOC brings together Muslim youth from across the southland and other states, even as far as New York, for four days to experience what a Muslim camp retreat is all about.
For the past two summers, IECOC has held its summer camp at Camp Ocean Pines in Cambria near Hearst Castle, due to its beautiful mountains and oceanic scenery and weather.
For three nights and four days, campers got to experience a variety of pre-planned activities and Islamic lessons focused around the five daily prayers.
Activities included workshops, discussions, skits and heated debates.
Campers got to meet and interact, as a group and one-on-one, with a variety of invited Muslim scholars and speakers.
Topics such as gender mixing, modesty, marriage, Qur’an and science, and the duty and responsibility of the Muslim youth generated most of the fierce discussions.
Campers were also tested of their Islamic knowledge as the girls and boys competed against each other in a game of Islamic Jeopardy — the girls won.
Besides the daily morning five mile hikes, outings to view the 2000 Elephant Seals in their natural habitat and kayaking in the Pacific Ocean were enjoyed by all.
As one camper said, "I was just a regular college student who was confused in my religious life, but after this camp, it seems as if a door has opened for me. Everything I do now has a purpose. I want to deeply thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for changing me as a Muslim and, more importantly, as a person."
