Camp 120 2016
106 people.
Tenting on an island for five days.
Being challenged by the examples of people who obviously love the Lord and His people.
Being challenged by the teaching of God’s Word.
Enjoying relaxing together and, at times, enjoying watching the young people do crazy stuff.
There was a beautiful attitude of willing and spontaneous serving that was in evidence.
There was an atmosphere of God-focussed-ness that filled our night-time campfires.
It was maybe the best camp yet in the last 11 years.
We are thankful to God for the safety He gave and for the lives that were changed by the week!
I’ve included a couple of pics of the guys from the rehab center too.
Mitya, chopping wood in the photo below has joined the team permanently. He’s been off drugs for over a year and comes to us recommended by another rehab center up north. He’s a quiet, fairly unflappable bloke who loves the Lord and His Word and wants to help these guys experience the freedom he has found in Christ. I love spending time with him.
The other photo was taken after church on Sunday with the six guys in rehab plus the four others who have come down over the last two months for differing periods of time as volunteers. Ruslan, in the center of the picture, is the newest addition and is due to face the courts soon over some robberies he committed. He’s not looking forward to it, and may go to jail. We are simply praying that God’s will be done and for his young faith to stand strong.
Pris and the girls have gone to visit her folks for a few days while Marie is still here. They get back on Friday. I have a Kiev trip lined up for tomorrow with a list of things I need to pick up and a pregnant couple to take to the hospital for some tests. Having them gone isn’t a lot of fun, but it certainly makes the house quiet. I just got an sms from Pris saying that she had been let off for parking in the wrong place.
To sign off, here’s a recent pic with Stephen and John, friends who came to visit us from Oz before camp. (John actually stayed for camp.) Elle and I took them into the city and had a bit of a climb up to the base of the Iron Lady in Kiev. We enjoyed their company and spent a classical summer’s day wandering around the Kiev sights! The highlight? Getting half our sins forgiven as we walked through the main entrance of the Kiev Pechersk Monastery. But then again, our sins were totally taken away when our Saviour died for us, so half of nothing is nothing… maybe it wasn’t the highlight. 