Southern Youth Councils
Our weekend at Living Springs started with 110 RAT Tests which, would you believe, were all negative.
Well, what a weekend! I came away feeling incredibly blessed to have the job I do. A couple of months before camp as I was getting into planning, I touched base with my leaders around the division to see what they thought might be a good theme for camp. It was a unanimous response: ‘let’s talk about what it means to be a child of God in the world we live in; let’s discover our identity in Christ’—this formed the basis of time together.
Session one on Friday night was entitled WHO AM I? Lieutenant Stu Duxfield brought the message laying a firm foundation for us to build on throughout the weekend.
Saturday morning we joined together for various workshops, which helped us to discover different ways we can minister to those around us using our giftings. Then we put everyone into teams and headed over to Christchurch, where we competed in the Amazing Race, run by Captain Nigel De Maine who planned everything.
Session two’s message was brought to us by Captain Missy Ditchburn, who covered what it looks like to not let what the world throws at us affect our belief and firm knowledge that we are loved children of God.
The Sunday morning message came from Mike Dodge. Mike talked to us about what it means to go the distance and to keep building on our foundation. Straight from Scripture, he brought biblical truth about who we are in Christ.
Seeing young people make steps to further or begin their journey with Jesus is so incredibly special. Young people, if you are reading this, I take this opportunity to reaffirm: wherever you are, whatever is going on for you, God Loves you and desires above all else to have a relationship with you!
So to all of those that prayed for our weekend, I say thank you. Thank you to the leaders that committed to bringing young people to camp. Thank you Southern Divisional Headquarters team for your help setting up on Friday. And thank you to all the young people that chose to join.
Lastly, thank you, Jesus! Thank you for showing up and meeting people where they are at—be encouraged people, God loves you!
by Pete Lobb
Southern Divisional Youth and Children’s Mission Coordinator
