Closing Service for the 2023 National Children’s Jamboree

“What the Reverend’s wife is holding is called a Kue Ku. The red colour of the Kue Ku symbolises enthusiasm and courage, whilst the white inside symbolises purity. Its shape resembles a tortoise shell, symbolising long life and prosperity. Reverend Wahyu hopes that all the young participants of the National Children’s Jamboree will enjoy long lives and be blessed abundantly by God,&” said Rev. Wahyu Purwaningtyas, whilst leading the Lord’s Supper during the Closing Service of the 2023 National Children’s Jamboree organised by the Indonesian Bible Society (LAI). 

“This is cendol dawet. It tastes sweet; I hope you children will become sweet and good children of God, who are a blessing to others,” continued Rev. Tyas as she raised a glass filled with cendol dawet. In Javanese cultural philosophy, dawet also symbolises unwavering resolve in the face of all challenges. 

The closing service of the 2023 National Children’s Jamboree was organised as a sacred, traditional-style service and concluded with the Lord’s Supper, which introduced the children to the meaning of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, sharing with one another, unity and love. During the service, Rev. Tyas and the youth leaders also encouraged the young participants to express any burdens and wounds in their hearts, to pray and ask for God’s help to grant them peace and forgiveness. 

Following the closing service, the closing ceremony of the 2023 National Children’s Jamboree took place. The General Secretary of the LAI, who had opened the Jamboree, testified in his closing remarks: “About 20 years ago, I took my eldest child to attend the LAI Children’s Jamboree in Kaliurang, Yogyakarta. My child felt stressed and had a stomach ache, perhaps because they were about to encounter a new environment and new friends whom they had not met before. Since then, my child has grown into a child who loves God, becoming increasingly active in serving the church from childhood, through adolescence, right up to today as an adult. I hope that the participants of the 2023 Jamboree will do the same, growing into children who love and serve God. 

Representing the Governor of Central Java, Ganjar Pranowo, was Mr Agus Riyanto, Head of the Central Java Provincial Education Office, Region VII. Reading out the Governor’s speech, Mr Agus stated that the children taking part in the Jamboree must grow up to be children who love God, love nature and love Indonesia with all its cultures. 

Four days and three nights have passed. Every participant has gained many new insights and experiences. They have made new friends from different cultural backgrounds. There were unique experiences to be had whilst taking part in sessions both indoors and outdoors. 

Most participants described the 2023 National Children’s Jamboree as tiring due to the packed schedule, yet enjoyable. The most exciting outdoor activity was the visit to Pura Mangkunegaran, as participants were able to learn about one of the centres of Javanese culture—in this case, Surakarta—and broaden their knowledge of the history of the Indonesian archipelago. Several others described the visit to Solo Safari as exciting too, as they encountered many animals they had never seen before and had fun tasks to complete.  

One participant, Alvin (aged 12), expressed his gratitude to the organising committee for staging the National Children’s Jamboree via a WhatsApp chat: “I’d like to express my deepest gratitude for all the effort and dedication you’ve put into organising this extraordinary National Children’s Jamboree. You’ve been absolutely brilliant!” 

He continued, ”The organising committee have worked hard, demonstrated solid teamwork and shown unwavering enthusiasm; you have succeeded in creating a meaningful and inspiring event for all participants. You have thought through every detail so well, from the organisation, the venue and the schedule, right through to the various exciting activities that filled our days. We appreciate all the careful planning and hard work you have put in to ensure the success of this event. The Jamnas organising committee has created a friendly, warm and enthusiastic atmosphere, where we were able to meet wonderful people and share invaluable experiences and knowledge.”

There were many more personal reflections from Jamboree participants who remarked that the four days did not feel long at all. The final day proved to be a difficult one for the participants as they were to part ways with their new friends from all over Indonesia. 

The 2023 National Children’s Jamboree concluded with a joint flash mob led by Kak Santi and Kak Kristi. All the participants danced and moved energetically to the tune of the song  ”Aja Dibandingke”. They had practised the moves two days earlier during the ”Dancing” workshop. Seeing the joy on the participants’ faces, one could only offer prayers and hopes. May there be more moments in the future that will bring these children together again as brave and successful children of God. May they become instruments of God, bringing salt and light to the world here in Indonesia. May God bless us all. 

See you at the next Children’s Jamboree! God’s Word is always spot on!