ETBU student enjoys stint at Christian camp

Jeffrey Staples, far left, poses with students and staff from the Talsi Christian School in Latvia.

J.L. and Freda Beam of Whitehouse were proud to have grandson Jeffrey Staples visiting this past week and even prouder of his recent involvement with a Christian youth camp in Latvia.

The 22-year-old religion major took part in the two-week camp after a foreign exchange student at East Texas Baptist University asked her classmates to volunteer. The girl's mother is on the staff of the Talsi Christian School in Latvia, which hosted the camp.

Staples helped with the camp, aimed primarily at 16- to 19-year olds, and also had the opportunity to preach to the congregation of the Talsi Baptist Church.

"The camp was very successful and very well received," said Staples, adding that he was impressed with the students' behavior and involvement.

"They were very disciplined. What the teacher says, goes," he said. Staples also said the students' questions were very thoughtful and could put most college students to shame.

Staples was also impressed with their musical ability -- not surprising for inhabitants of the country that calls itself "the nation that sings."

In addition to his time at the camp and Talsi Christian School, which was founded in 1995 and has about 500 students now, Staples visited the grave of a relative buried in Westminster Abbey and the site of one of the early concentration camps.

"It was very moving, a very touching site," he said, adding that being there firsthand "made everything more real."