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At Ionian Village, each summer invites young people into an experience of faith, fellowship, and discovery. While every journey is unique, many campers choose to capture these moments through personal reflection.
The following excerpt comes from the journal of camper John Neboyskey, who committed to writing each night during his time in Greece in the summer of 2025. Written in the early hours before his departure, his words offer a glimpse into the impact of his experience and the ways in which Ionian Village shaped his faith, perspective, and sense of self.
“My name is John Neboyskey. and through a journal entry of mine, I am going to bring you into my experience of Ionian Village, a place I call home and an early glimpse of Paradise. Before my trip to Ionian Village in the Summer of 2025, I told myself that as a way to grow deeper in my faith and self-understanding, I was going to buy a journal and write in it each night. I stuck to my word and it changed my life. This entry was written hours before my flight back to Chicago would take off and I would go back to my seemingly ordinary life. In my last few moments in paradise, I reflected on all the blessings IV poured into me:
‘8/7/25: To end the night, we all went to Basil and Austin’s room and had a great last devo as a Kerkyra cabin. We talked about random stuff before getting into our overall thoughts, experiences, and favorite moments. I talked about my inexplicable feeling at the Church of St. Dionysios in Zakynthos. Afterwards we went back to our rooms and watched some National Geographic to cap off the night. Overall, there are no words to describe the past 3 weeks. Lifechanging, powerful, transformative all fall short. I’ve learned more about myself this past month than I have the past 19 years of my life. The brothers I have found, the mentors I have gained, the life-long memories I have formed—all these things add up to make the most transformative experience one could ever undergo. I pray that the lessons and habits I’ve learned and established during my time here weren’t learned in vain—rather that they seep into my life as to not only direct me in my next 4 years at Nova, but for the rest of my life. Anyways, its 4:45am, the phone just rang for the alarm, and I am sitting on the ledge of my window, taking in my last breaths in this early glimpse of paradise. Thank you, Ionian Village. Peace.’”
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The post An early glimpse of Paradise: A reflection from Ionian Village appeared first on Orthodox Observer.
