My Youth Camp Report

Two days before the CTMI Youth Camp in Mauritius, the Lord placed it strongly on my heart to be there. In my mind it seemed impossible… with no ticket, no place at the camp, and only 48 hours to go. How I managed to be at this camp is beyond me!

I arrived on the night of the camp. As soon as I landed, I was rushed off to Belle Mare to join everyone for my first Mauritian youth camp. Man, was I excited! Passing through sugarcane fields, the 90-minute bus ride couldn't have felt longer! When I finally stepped off the bus, I could immediately sense that this camp wasn't just going to be another emotional high, but that the Lord was going to bring a clear and direct vision to us youth. I've been to many other Christian camps before, but never have I seen so many young people with such expectancy for what the Lord was going to do. There were people from all over the world: France, America and England to Botswana and Zimbabwe, without forgetting the 50 or so youth from SA, just to name a few, but everyone was gathered together with the same focus.  

In true camp style, we were put into teams, which was a good opportunity to get to know new people. I didn't know a single person in my group but somehow that didn't seem to matter. Through the activities and during the times of sharing, we did get to discover each team member; it was incredible to see every single person change somehow. I'll never forget this one girl in my team who went totally from not wanting to be there at all, to someone who was beaming by the end of the camp. How amazing!

Our activities during the day were really cool, they reminded me a bit of the challenges on ‘Survivor’. Normally, I find typical camp activities pretty lame, but because everyone was so enthusiastic it made it really fun. As part of the 4-day treasure hunt, we ran up and down the beach, dived in the sea to find clues, and unscrambled a puzzle to crack a code. But the best part of my day was late in the afternoons, when we had free time to enjoy fellowship with everyone. It was so cool to see young people who weren't there to get to know each other in a superficial way, which is so rare amongst youth these days. On the contrary, they were all trying to encourage each other to continue through whichever circumstances they are facing today. I heard some incredible testimonies of people who had been set free from drugs and alcohol; others who had been in the church for years and whose lives have only now been turned upside down by the power of the true gospel!

One of the things that I have never experienced before, and which blew me away, was the availability of the elders at the camp. It was so humbling to see that these men of God are so concerned about our lives; that they are prepared to give of their time purely for us to share with them so they can invest into our lives on a one-on-one basis. I had a really special time with one of them, and realised how important it is for us to have a good relationship with people who have taken the road ahead of us… something which is really lacking in the church of God today.

In the evenings, everyone came together for the meetings under the tent where the presence of the Lord was evident from the moment praise and worship began. It was incredible! Because God’s anointing was so powerful during worship, the Lord spoke to my heart even before the preaching started. It was amazing to see how the focus wasn't on the songs being sung, or who was leading worship, but on the Lord alone.

The first 2 nights two elders, Marc and Lindsay, shared powerfully, yet simply; making it clear that we cannot stay bound to the things of the world, or of the flesh, if we want to serve the Lord. My heart was truly convicted as I realised that I've been living a life full of compromise, with one foot in the world and one foot in the church for far too long. There was a need for a distinct separation in my life. There were so many things I was scared of letting go of, but this life of separation from the world is not just for me alone, but something that every single Christian is called to. The bar He has set for us – the way we need to live our Christian lives – is not too high, because His grace is sufficient to help us. This was the exact thing Miki shared on for the last 2 nights, and it brought such clarity and assurance to my heart… that we should live according to the standard the Lord has set for us, without compromise, by relying on his grace and strength to carry us through.

Miki also spoke about the vision he carries for the youth. It was wonderful! He told us that he would trust us, today’s youth, to go out and spread the gospel. We are a generation that has been set apart for the Lord, and are being raised to spread the truth all over the world! What a privilege, what a responsibility! I realised that I need to be ready to be used by the Lord. I can’t waste any more time; I don't want to live any more on past experiences and convictions, but must seek the Lord everyday so that I don't miss out on the great plan He has for our generation.

It was wonderful to see so many people respond to the God’s call on their lives and many being saved. One evening especially was really precious for me, when two of my friends gave their lives to the Lord. Tyrone and Brenda came to the camp not wanting to be there at all; but on the first night, the Lord really touched their hearts in a miraculous way. I still can't believe it! To be very honest, before the camp I had written them off completely, seeing the state they were in and the hardness of their hearts. It truly was a miracle from the Lord.  I am still in Mauritius attending Bible courses, and they have both gone back to Durban. It’s so encouraging to hear that they are still on fire for the Lord with an urgency in their hearts to see people saved - it's evident that this time at the camp wasn't just an emotional high or a once-off experience with the Lord. He has completely transformed their lives, is still changing them and setting them free. We heard so many other testimonies like these from the camp… of people's lives being totally turned around!

I can say with assurance that this camp has truly turned my life upside down! I have finally found what I have been seeking my whole life… the true Christian life. The Lord made it so clear to me that this is the one and only life that I have been called to live. I am first and foremost a Christian; my career, my job, my studies, although a part of my life, come second to the plan of God for me. What I experienced at this camp was something real; it has marked my life and given me a newfound joy in my relationship with the Lord. For many years now, I tried to manufacture my relationship with Him in my own strength. Today, it is has become obvious that it is only by humbling myself, taking up my cross and denying myself that I will truly be able to serve Him in the spirit of the gospel. This is the road I want to continue on. My generation has been set apart for Him and is being raised to spread this true gospel of the cross of Christ to the rest of the world; but to do this, every single one of us needs to give our lives 100%, without compromise! This is what the Lord has called us to, and it’s something that needs to seize our hearts completely.

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