PYV Summer Camp 2016 - Day 5

Today has been full. Beyond full. I haven't been able to find time to write my blog. But I will when I can.

I know that by then everyone will be home and you can just ask your children what happened. But maybe reading it in a few days' time will be an encouragement to get them talking anyway.

(Nearly one week later)

Day five has been a full and a fun day. We started as usual with our leaders meeting which had the opening devotion from Sarah Weber. We have been greatly blessed with the pastoral care team we have on this camp. They have great experience and compassion and are able to talk to our campers and leaders with wisdom and grace. 

Prayer meeting was a little small today, but still a good number attended. 

In our worship session today, the campers heard a testimony from the oldest bloke in the room (when did I suddenly become the oldest bloke in the room?!?!?!!) Rather than recite it now, if you had children at the camp ask them what they remember. I also got conned into doing a 'dab'. I still don't know what that is!

More importantly, we heard a great sermon from Jared about the plagues that came to Egypt. There is so much to learn about these plagues and why they are relevant for the people of Egypt at that time. Three things stood out for me. First, these plagues were natural events of biblical proportions. Some have suggested that this means they really are a run of bad luck with natural events, but that cannot explain the final plague. Second, these plagues directly challenged the gods of Egypt, even pharoah himself. Third, when Pharoah said, "Who is the Lord?", the plagues answered that question in a powerful way. 

Our study groups had a good chance to talk through these issues and see how the Pharoah responded to each of these plagues. How sad that the more he hardened his heart, the more he found his heart being hardened. There's a good lesson there for all of us. 

We had planned to take a large group of campers to the local pool for a swim, but a breakdown in communications somewhere meant there was only one guard on duty and we had to limit the numbers Once again the activities team were able to make some changes and divided the group into three so they could all have about an hour each at the pool. I was one of the leaders who spent the afternoon at the pool with these groups. 

When we returned, it was time to get into our New Year's Eve costumes. The theme for the camp was 'Cartoons' so people had all kinds of cartoon characters costumes. We had at least two Pikachus, but I think one of them was too tall. The team who made up 'Winnie the Pooh' characters looked great -  except for the dragon. Why was there a dragon in this group?

I always enjoy the colour and spectacle of this part of the camp. Well done everyone for making the effort. And thanks once again to David Johnstone for taking some great photos.

Dinner was magnificent, and then we began the New Years Eve activities. It started with a Trivia Quiz. A shout out to the YouthMETRO team for joining in here tonight. This was a good and simple way to start the evening. One the sun was setting, it was out to the oval for an outdoor cinema experience. Now, I'm not a big fan of youth group movie nights. It makes little sense to get a group of teenagers together and tell them not to talk to each other for two hours. But tonight was great. Perhaps that had something to do with it being an outdoors cinema, or because it was near the end of a long camp, or because it was a lovely night, or because it was The Lion King. I don't know what made it work, but it did. (The popcorn and zooper doopers probably helped too.)

After the movie some people enjoyed the dance floor, some enjoyed board games, and others played table tennis or just talked. Whatever they were doing before midnight, at midnight we were together to welcome in the New Year. After a few cheers and handshakes, we sang. We sang to God's glory as one year ended and another began. Then we broke into our study groups and we prayed. What a privilege was mine to sit with this group and pray for those who are beginning at university in 2017.

What a great way to finish one year and to start a new one. 

It was a full day.