This years youth camp was an amazing testimony to the growth that has taken place over the year in our youth group. We had 65 teenagers on camp this year and six leaders to oversee all the activities, parent, teach, encourage and survive for a week with the the excitement and adrenaline that had built up for the camp.
Our convoy of vehicles and trailers were indeed a sight to behold as we made our way out to Leopard trail camp site, just outside Ashton! Once all the tents were pitched and camp was set up, the fun began. The teens were divided into teams and had to do all their own cooking for the week. Each team was given two army ‘trommels’ of food and utencils and the rest was up to them. There was the added bonus of not having electricity, so all the cooking had to happen over open fires or gas stoves! Needless to say, we had some very creative and colourful meals and combinations….
During the day we had some hectic team building activities, that stretched every young person and tested their ability to work and function in a team. It was amazing to see that by the end of day two, all barriers and divides had disintergrated and young people who never knew each other where suddenly talking and laughing like old friends! The unity that has been built over this week is amazing!
Around the campfire under the stars at night, we had awesome times of praise and worship and great Bible teaching. It is amazing how open to God’s word you become when surrounded by the beauty and majesty of creation. It was great to see God moving in the lives of our teenagers. Our youth leaders did a great job of sharing and teaching. We are really blessed to have such a wonderful leadership team.
Late nights where occupied by an age old tradition called ‘stalk the lantern’. Young people try to stalk and capture a lantern hidden in the undergowth and protected by the youth leaders, each wielding a sock filled with flour to ‘bop’ the attacking hoards! Needless to say after two hours of running around in the dark, the lantern prevailed and once again a year has passed without the lantern being captured! Leaders rule!
The last morning of the camp we climbed to the top of the mountain and had devotions overlooking the beautiful valley below us. It is always an amazing moment of humility as we look out at the world around us and realise how small we really are! God certainly touched the hearts and lives of everyone on camp!
As I reflect on all that God has done over this week, I can only rejoice in the amazing group of teenagers that God has brought together….. but over and above that, I can simply marvel at the grace of our heavenly father. I pray that the memories of this camp will carry our young people into the rest of the year and I believe that these moments become testimonies in our lives of the wonder and joy of serving Jesus!
