Come for Fun, Leave with Faith

Non-profit Christian youth organisation CRU is reaching the next generation with the good news of Jesus through life-changing camp experiences.

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“When I first started going to CRU camps, I tuned out during the Christian time,” 14-year-old Mia said.

No doubt Mia is not alone. But there’s something special about CRU Camps that helps awaken interest in even the most disinterested young person.

Growing up in a family that didn’t attend church, Mia didn’t know much about the Bible.

She made the decision to go on a Brightwaters CRU Camp purely for the wakeboarding, kneeboarding, water skiing, tubing and the fun she could have with her friends.

However, after getting to know the leaders, Mia began to listen to what they were saying about Jesus.

On CRU Camps, young people hear the gospel in a safe, Christ-centred environment.

A time of questioning

“I had always wondered why bad stuff happened to people,” Mia said.

When people on camp talked about these deep questions and her leaders pointed to the Bible as the source of truth in answers to life’s big questions, Mia started to take notice.

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“The leaders and the people who go on CRU Camps are all so encouraging and really helped me to think about God and what it is that I believe,” she said.

It was also at this camp that Mia’s sister, Phoebe, gave her heart to the Lord. This made a big impression on Mia, but in her words, “I wasn’t going to believe just because she did!”

Instead, Mia spent the week peppering her leaders, Brynn and Halli, with questions and reading God’s Word for herself.

“The words of Isaiah 53:6 rang true for me, and I knew I needed to make a decision one way or the other.”

We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)

An eternity-changing decision

Then, on the last night of Brightwaters camp, a special evening was held at which leaders and Christian campers shared their testimonies.

After giving a short talk, camp speaker Jared invited all campers to join him in saying a prayer of confession if they wanted to accept Jesus.

“Jared asked us to close our eyes, and if we wanted to become a Christian, to put up our hand,” Mia said.

“I prayed the prayer and raised my hand and experienced a peace and joy, knowing that God was now a central part of my life.”

It was a very special night as Mia’s friend Lauren also became a Christian that evening: “We prayed and sang songs around the campfire together”.

Mia’s leader Brynn encouraged Mia to start attending a local youth group when she returned home and promised to support her through prayer.

The wide variety of camps include water sports, horse riding, dirt bikes, outdoor activities and study camps for Year 11 and 12 students.

The path ahead

Since camp, Mia hasn’t found following Jesus easy.

“I don’t have Christian friends at school my age,” she said, explaining that she has “started going to a youth group in Bondi and I have a Bible from CRU and read that quite a bit, and I pray every night”.

Mia is optimistic about the future as she knows that God is the source of all hope and she can rely on Him in everything.

Her favourite Bible verse is Matthew 19:26: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible”.

Mia hopes to lead CRU Camps one day and help kids who, like her, came to camp for fun, but will leave with something more precious – faith!

Find the perfect camp for your child at crucamps.com.au.

Open to all

CRU camps are a wonderful opportunity for young people to hear the gospel and experience loving Christian community.

Whether a camper is hearing the Word for the first time, or they’ve grown up in the church, CRU Camps provide spaces to ask questions, grow in knowledge and take the next step of personal faith.

Not only that, but CRU camps are incredibly fun! With over 70 camps ranging from water sports to horse riding, outdoor adventures to Year 12 study, there is a camp for everyone.

Find the perfect camp for your child at crucamps.com.au.

Feature image: Supplied (CRU camps)