There is something magical about meeting with people from a different country and culture, that's especially exciting when we're young. Last summer, pupils of Savio Salesian College, Bootle, together with a group of young people from St Maroun Catholic Parish, Israel, shared that experience, and Savio's Chaplain Fr Jakub Ruszniak SDB, tells us what it was like.

While completing my studies in the Holy Land, I often spoke with Fr Sandy Habib - a local Catholic priest - about the need for such a gathering. We always thought it could be beneficial in so many different ways. A few years later, when I joined the Salesian Community in Bootle and began my ministry in Savio, the opportune time had come to turn those ideas into reality. One day, when we were talking over Skype, Fr Sandy asked me if there was something we could do together in the UK for young people. I thought of inviting him to London where we would spend a week in a Salesian style. That's where the idea of the camp started.

Fast forward a few months, and in August 2016 we met together for a week at the Salesian Summer Camp in London to make new friends and discover once again that diversity can be a true blessing.

The adventure started with the journey to Luton Airport. Our Bootle group gathered at Arrivals to meet and greet the young people arriving from Israel. After a few joyful moments of getting to know each other, all headed to the Salesian House in Battersea, where we stayed during the camp. The place itself is wonderful and provides great opportunities for groups like ours. We were able to stay in the centre of London while enjoying the comfy accommodation and many facilities, which is so useful when bringing a group of young people. Besides the dormitories, there is a big room with a screen and projector, TV, tables for group work, a small kitchen, lovely garden and, of course, the chapel. What more could you ask for? The young people were very excited. But it was outdoors that we spent most of our time, and London has definitely got a lot to offer! We started by going to the places that everyone was most eager to see: Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and the Catholic Cathedral, where the young people could go up the tower and get a beautiful view of the entire city. Fr Andrew Ebrahim SDB was our guide, which made the experience very enjoyable. The weather was great and it was really nice to see the young people enjoying the sights and the company. Since the Israelis knew some English, the language barrier was not a problem. Both groups quickly made friends.

Read the full article in the Spring 2017 issue of Don Bosco Today (Pages 21-23)