The Words of the Byrne Family

Operation Free Spirit

David Byrne
April 11, 2007

Operation Free Spirit - High School (11th-12th grade) – College
July 17 – 29th, 2007

Dear American Family,

We are pleased to announce Operation Free Spirit 2007, an Unificationist youth program that is designed to help BCs grow to God and have a memorable time doing so! This program is open to BCs of 11th grade and above. We hope to have participants from all over, replicating the geographical diversity of 2nd gen workshops in mid 90’s at Camp Sunrise. Staff is comprised of both 1st and 2nd generation.

Operation Free Spirit was originated by Dave Byrne and Ritz Yamamoto, childhood friends who wanted to come up with a youth program that would energize second generation participants and capture their imagination. We wanted to design a program that would both allow for significant spiritual growth and the creation of memories that would last a lifetime. We decided that the only way to do this is

Mission Statement

Spiritually empower American Second Generation from diverse life and faith backgrounds, through service, prayer / spiritual exercises, compelling family values education, outdoor adventure, and new relationships with older American 1st and 2nd GEN.

Desired Outcomes

Participants experience God.

Participants understand Blessing, True Family Values, and sexual purity and are committed to living according to those values.

Participants experience deep gratitude for material wealth that they are blessed with and a greater ability to understand other’s less-fortunate circumstances.

Participants experience lasting, increased sense of self-worth.

Participants feel strong cohesion with older second generation, first generation, and peers.

The desired outcomes will be achieved during three distinct phases of Operation Free Spirit.

Phase One: Urban Service Project JUL 17-19, Paterson, NJ

This phase will consist of OFS participants mentoring younger, inner-city youth and then conducting a service project with these youth and Free Teens Club members. There will also be a pro-abstinence concert/performance and Free Teens (abstinence and healthy relationships) curriculum, as well as Blessing-related presentations.

Phase Two: Native American Service Project JUL 20-24, Location TBD

Phase two will consist of a Service Project for Native Americans, as they were here first and suffered a lot. After conducting a service project to meet the needs of a Native American community for approximately three days. OFS participants will educate themselves on Native American culture by conducting cultural activities, to include an Inipi (sweat lodge). This will serve the dual-purpose of allowing for open-mindedness and spiritual growth.

Phase Three: Outdoor Adventure/Reflection period, JUL 25-28, Maine

Phase three will consist of climbing Mt. Katahdin, highest mountain in Maine. Also, participants will fish, sail, and explore islands off the coast of Maine. During this phase participants will focus on experiencing God’s love through the beauty of Creation and will experience extended periods of prayer and meditation. Internal guidance concerning spiritual growth and self-realization as a child of God will be given.

Administrative Info

The fee for the workshop is $600, approximately $46 per day. Much of this fee has the potential to be refunded through participants’ fundraising, which will be done in conjunction with Operation Free Spirit staff and other participants. Fundraising will be done initially over Mother’s Day weekend and possibly during other weekends in May / June.

Due to logistical limitations, we are limiting this program to 30 participants. Applications will be approved based on purpose statement narrative and completeness of application. PLEASE NOTE THAT TO BE CONSIDERED, ONE MUST SEND COMPLETED REGISTRATION FORM BY MAY 7TH. Applicants will be notified via e-mail by May 9th as to whether their application has been accepted. Then, following fundraising over Mother’s Day weekend, program fee of $600 will be due in full by May 19th. If fee is not paid in full at that time, applicants on waiting list will be accepted instead.

Based on limited availability and a desire to prevent a large clique from one geographical area comprising the majority of participants, we are allocating the following slots: NY 7, NJ 7, New England 6, and the rest of the country 10. However, if many more applications are received than available slots, we may allow certain family churches to sponsor their own staffed, logistically self-sufficient team that can participate in our program. Contact us if interested. We are allowing sisters to apply, pending the recruitment of at least one sister as staff. If no sisters are recruited for staff then female applicants will receive notification. Enclosed are registration, Code of Conduct (pdf), liability waiver and medical treatment consent and insurance information forms. Bring the signed conduct commitment form and health / medical waiver form to Operation Free Spirit: For questions about the workshop, please contact any of the following: Dave Byrne, Kenritsu Yamamoto, Mike Stewart, or Danso Sawumakai.

God bless you and your family.

Dave,
Ritz,
Mike,
Danso,
Kenshin,
George,
Joe,
Mr. Simonds,
Mr. Odlin,
Mr. Dickson,
Mr. Caron and
The OFS Team

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