New day camp BLASTS into community

When school chaplain, Sarah, bravely attended an interagency meeting at her local council, she had no idea BLAST camp (standing for Building Lives around Solid Truth) would soon join the council calendar, receiving a generous grant to launch it.

But that’s what happens when you act from a point of faith and prayer.

“I’m a bit of a, let’s just put pen to paper … and come back in prayer. And God seems to always pull through,” reflects Sarah.

“The first few [interagency] meetings, I felt very much on the outer, like everyone knew what they were talking about. And I just sat and listened,” remembers Sarah.

“And then at one of the meetings, we started talking about the school holiday program … And I thought, we did a little mini school day camp last Christmas holidays … I wonder if we could do that again for this school holiday break, and if I could work with the interagency group and actually put my holiday program on the calendar?

“So I said … ‘I work for Scripture union, and last year we ran something, are we able to put that on a school holiday program?’”

The answer, of course, was yes!

While the camp held the previous year drew around 8-12 children, with the support of council, and much prayer, the new Blast camp drew over 30 attendees, and by the last day they were bringing their friends. Sarah began to worry if they’d have enough craft activities!

“We had kids from all different schools in the area,” says Sarah.

The children and young people — ranging in age from kindergarten to teens — had an absolute blast making and creating Lego, t-shirts, canvases and other arts and crafts under the theme of ‘Builders and Designers’. But best of all they heard God’s big story — learning how God is the ultimate designer — and the response was far better than Sarah could have anticipated.

One parent approached Sarah with a very special request. Sarah recalls her words:

“We’re just looking into being Christians and going to church again. So I want you to know that you can teach my girls anything from the Bible … I want them to ask you lots of questions.”

Sarah was able to continue working with these girls in her capacity as school chaplain.

Another seven-year-old boy approached Sarah himself, asking to read the Bible stories they were hearing.

“So I went up and got one of the little Gospels of John, and I read to him out loud about Jesus and his death and coming back to life … He didn’t want to just take my word for it,” Sarah remembers.

Clearly, prayers are being answered and children, young people and families are discovering their place in God’s big story. Can we ask you to continue to pray for more and more camps and opportunities just like this one to come about. Because you never know what a bit of faith, a spot of creativity and a lot of prayer can do! Stay up-to-date with SU prayer points at su.org.au/pray.