In an effort to establish a summer camp exchange program in Russia, Floyd Murdoch, Zaoksky Adventist Theological Seminary vice president, invited Richard Parker, Camp MiVoden director, to come to Russia.
Parker saw firsthand the land where the seminary hopes to locate their summer camp. He met many of the students who have an interest in working at the summer camp and who held a 20-day camp last summer at Zaoksky for children from the nearby Tula orphanage.
In such an exchange, students from Zaoksky would come to the United States for the summer and work at a summer camp, and students from the United States would go to work at a summer camp in Russia. This would give the Russian students an opportunity to immerse themselves in the English language and a chance to develop new ideas for summer camp programs.
Camp MiVoden plans to bring two or three students over from Zaoksky this summer as part of this exchange program. Each Russian student would receive a scholarship to cover a full-year at Zaoksky Seminary.
"There are two things that make this exciting," Parker said. "One is the talents the Russian students would share with us in our summer camp programs in North America, and the other is the opportunity to help these students develop a strong new summer camp program in Russia."
There are between 200 and 300 students attending Zaoksky Theological Seminary, established in 1987, in the Tula region of the Russian Federation.
Inside the orphanage, the children enjoy a party planned by students from Zoasky Seminary. (Richard Parker)
Inside the orphanage, the children enjoy a party planned by students from Zoasky Seminary. (Richard Parker)
This group of students from Zoasky Seminary go to the nearby orphanage in Tula each Sabbath. (Richard Parker)
From the front: Richard Parker, Floyd Murdoch, Wade Zaharie and the pastor of the seminary church are near the summer camp property, which is located about 20 kilometers from Zoasky.
A view of the land where Zoasky Seminary would like to locate their summer camp. (Richard Parker)
