Faith for the real world at QUEST Camp

Launched nearly a decade ago, QUEST Toowoomba is an SU holiday camp for young people looking to deepen their faith.

Campers are given the opportunity to engage with heart-hitting realities such as the refugee crisis, homelessness in the local area, and how Christians can have a positive impact on the environment. 

It’s an intentional camp; full of purpose and designed to get young people thinking about how to live out their faith in the real world, explains Camp Director, Don.

“At QUEST, we talk a lot about what being a disciple looks like. We always invite people to come to share their testimonies, and they talk about their own walk following Jesus,” he says.

Part of this year’s camp featured a Homeless Sleepout, where the campers had to build homes out of cardboard boxes and make shelter for the night. They were also told they wouldn’t be given dinner that night (but a food truck showed up at about 9 pm).

A local Christian paramedic came and shared how his walk with Jesus impacts the way he does his job. He also shared some stories about what life on the streets is like, and the discussions that followed had a profound impact on these young campers’ worldviews. 

One camper, Holly* who comes from care, was particularly impacted, says Don.

“Even though this young girl was picked up by a youth worker at the end of camp, and her home life probably isn’t all that great, her reflection from camp was that she was grateful for what she had. I thought that was incredibly deep and mature.”

“A few of the other older campers had some great conversations about how faith can be an active thing – and how they might be able to live out their faith in different ways.”

“The things we learn at QUEST are all about broadening your horizons and seeing that God isn’t contained within four walls.”

This year, there was also a unique opportunity for the group to visit a Wildlife Sanctuary.

“We talked about themes of empathy and compassion. Holding something small and defenceless gives you a whole bigger perspective of the Kingdom of God and the environment and creation. The kids loved it,” says Don.

Thanks to your support, camps like QUEST exist for our young leaders to deepen and broaden their understanding of faith. To keep this life-transforming work going, head to su.org.au/give.

*Name has been changed for privacy reasons