A total of 52 children survivors at the Campus of Hope celebrated their religious journey after they graduated from a 12-week Bible study course.

The course is known as the "The Greatest Journey". The young survivors of violence undertook 12 lessons throughout the 12 weeks course which encouraged them to feel loved and look beyond the violent experiences they had endured.

This was echoed by missionary Mindy Wiese who is leading the program alongside her husband, missionary Jim Wiese, who stressed that the program is non-denominational and simply about the lessons of the Bible.

"The program is through Operation Christmas Child. The shoeboxes were from the United States as gifts which were brought to the Campus in March, about 70 shoeboxes which include the greatest gift, a book," she said in an interview with this newspaper.

"The greatest gift is not about the gifts in the shoeboxes but the gift of Jesus. After that program we invited the children to do their 12-week discipleship program called "The Greatest Journey" which concluded at the graduation.

"These children have worked 12 lessons, worked very hard and they have learned about who Jesus is, about his life and about how to love one another and tell people about Jesus.

"The biggest thing for us at the Campus of Hope is we want these children to know that they are loved.

"We want them to have earned unconditional love because they've come from a situation where love is not and they were loved the wrong way and we want to show them the kindness and goodness of God.

"And we want them to be included. If they were home in their villages, their churches in their villages can have this program and they can be part of it and we've been volunteering for three years."

The program is normally for children with ages between six and 14-years-old according to Missionary Wiese.

She believed that they've come weekly and the children have completed their lessons and drawn their pictures since it started last year.

President of the Samoa Victim Support (S.V.S.G.) which operates the Campus of Hope, Siliniu Lina Chang acknowledged the hard work of the missionaries.

"We're happy to see that the children are now getting more involved with the Bible and it helps us with what we do as staff members," she said. "It's their effort and striving to continue helping the Campus and help the children with their mental states of health."

The presentation of the graduation certificates was done by missionary Jim Wiese, presentation of New Testament was by his wife, Mrs. Wiese and presentation of Leis (Ula) was done by missionary assistant Christonga Mose.