Church camp 2009

Church family camp 2009
Date: 10-13 April 2009
Camp site: Rawson Village
Theme: Cross
Speaker: Doctor John Juster aka Doc John aka our youth pastor to be!
Clue: Intense

Camp to sum it up in a word would be, awesome, actually awesome does not even come near to how great it was.

After a long ride taking the wrong "scenic route" I had my head spinning around in circles. Not ready to leave my life in Melbourne behind; the feeling of getting sick once again, after getting better from a months worth of sickness, my uni assignments and mid sems creeping up, worrying about making uni friends, keeping up with being a youth leader. Everything just felt like a burden.

Being a leader i'd been asked many questions from my kids such as "what's happening at camp?", "what are we doing at camp?" "Are we having games, will there be free time?"

And my answer was "I honestly don't know"

When Doc John announced that it was 'Inspection' it meant: no mobiles, no electronics, no magazines, no homework, no books, no FOOD! ( i bought $20 worth of food), no beloved cup noodles!I shrieked, my kids were in shock, everybody wasn't happy. I felt empty, ninja-ed, and i don't think anybody likes the feeling of being ninja-ed. Although it was not the first time i had no reception( fungus camp at camp Howqua had no reception) but it was a really hard experience for me as i was waiting for that one phone call for my job offer I'd been waiting for 2.5 months. I prayed and said to myself, it's okay, have faith and God will provide. During the camp it actually felt good not having my phone around, less of a burden, something I didn't have to think about, something I didn't have to worry about losing.

The first night we sat around in our camp groups. My group consisted of Matt, Clarie, Michelle, Paul, Lillian, Jonson, and myself. Doc John imposed questions challenging us about our church community. We discussed upon topics of, feeling inferior, unity, fusion services. Whilst this was happening Sam (one of the camp committee organisers) pulled people one by one to our prayer stations. I had absolutely no idea what Doc John had installed for us. The worst thoughts came into my mind, being blindfolded, and the feeling of being placed outside in the cold somewhere in the middle of the night. My mind screamed "no! im not ready for this!" It was my turn. My eyes read 'fear' Sam knew i was scared. He asked me "are you ready?" and I replied "NO!" But it was my turn to go. He lead me out into the cold, I hesitently baby-footed my way down to the stations with the voice of "It's okay, i'm here, I won't let go, I won't let you fall" It reminded me of God, the times that we fail, the times where we are so low, the times he doesn't seem to be there; God is carrying us. At first when i got lead into the room, and had to read the directions, i was scared. After reading the instructions I was blindfolded again, and lead to sit. Someone came out to get me, lead me into a room, and it was Clifford. This station was about letting go of our idols, I knelt infront of the box of distractions we all face everyday, from everybody's mobile, to cup noodles, It really made me reflect on how many things we place before God. I apologised to God and felt very bad for the lifestyle i'd been living in the past. After completing the rest of the stations, it was my bed time 1 am! now call that intense

The next morning we had breakfast, and Sharon lead us in worship. It was the day where we

to be continued