PYV East Camp 2017 - Day Three

Another chilly start to the day, but we are getting used to it. The weather might be cold, but it has been truly magnificent here in Rawson. We haven’t seen any rain. In fact, we’ve hardly seen a cloud until today. If we were in control of the weather, this is almost exactly how I would have organised it. But we’re not, so it is another reason for us to praise God.

Yesterday we learned that we needed to be out of our rooms an hour earlier than expected. This meant an earlier morning for some than might have been planned, but everyone did their bit and the rooms were empty before 8.00am. Parents, you might want to keep this in mind next time your child wants to sleep in. They have proven they can be up and functioning well before 8.00.

None of this changed the planned leader’s meeting at 7.00am, and the prayer meeting at 7.30. A shout out to the boys from Frankston Presbyterian Church who were the only campers at the prayer meeting today. We moved breakfast back to 8.30am to allow time for that earlier clean up. So there were plenty of hungry people ready for bacon, hash browns, toast, and cereal to get the day truly started.

Our final worship session for the camp included another blog post from the OS17 crew in Malawi, and an opportunity to pray for this team. We believe that they are bringing a great blessing to the people in Malawi, and to the people involved with Orbus. How we wish we could do so much more for these people. Now that we have heard more from this ministry, and that we have our friends there, our hearts are touched by what is happening there.

We opened our Bibles to Romans 5, and Andrew preached from verses 1-8. We have been reminded, or told, that we will never be the same once we meet Jesus. Many who read this should be able to look back on your own life and realise the truth of this statement. You who have met with and now follow Jesus know what it means to have your life radically and completely changed. This chapter of scripture addresses that topic, but perhaps not in the way we might first expect, for while we learn that we now have peace with God, we also learn that this peace will be made clear in our suffering.

Thank you, Andrew, for your preaching.

This was a point that we should think about more than we do. We are well aware that many around the world suffer for their faith, but even here in Australia we should know that it will be the same for us. It might come in different ways, but it will be there. How do we deal with it? We boast in our sufferings. Not in a “Look at me and my suffering” kind of boasting, but more that we would be known for our trust in God in that suffering. What a great reminder that we are not alone in our suffering – God is with us.

God’s love is proven to us as well. The point here is not that Christ died, but rather when he died. “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Andrew laid down some challenges for our teenagers. You might want to talk with your teenagers when they get home from camp about these. One of these was to read Romans 5-8 and see what a transformed life should look like. He then finished with these four questions:

1. Will you plan to maintain and grow your relationship with God?
2. Will you keep meeting with other Christians intentionally?
3. Will you change?
4. Will you share Jesus with others?

After morning tea, we moved into our study groups for the final time. Our leadership team is quite a young team this year, and as they have moved through the camp we have seen them grow in confidence in leading a study group, and in talking with the campers under their care. We hope they will continue to use the gifts and abilities they have been given in wonderful ways.

Our camp time together finished with lunch, and from there we spent some time playing games, talking, and saying our goodbyes.

So, did this camp have any impact on anyone? I believe it did. Near the end of camp I heard from two of our leaders of two young people who clearly had God do something in their lives. We have had great preaching, terrific conversations in the study groups, and most of us have had enough sleep too.

Thanks for praying for us.

Congratulations Team Rangers.

Happy birthday Daniel. Sorry we couldn't sing in tune.

Two fine young men leading a camp.