Summer Enrichment Programme (SEP) 2012 was not just another summer camp, it was a life changing and enriching experience for the young men and women who attended.
The warm hugs and teary eyes as campers departed attested to this!
This year almost 150 youths aged from 8 to 25 and from various backgrounds were a part of camp. The venue was the beautiful CYARA campsite, a Youth For Christ centre, nestled in the mountains near Magaliesberg. We were staffed by about 60 dedicated and committed volunteers who have a passion for youths, and are in most instances themselves a product of SEP.
Run by Youthworx and with spiritual guidance given by Grace Communion International, SEP is a truly exciting activity based camp, the goal of which is to educate, empower, uplift and transform youths from all backgrounds and all ages, across Southern Africa, offering them opportunities they would otherwise not experience. Our aim is also to better equip them to face adult life, but most importantly, lead them into a closer relationship with God. Activities included Softball, Basketball, Volleyball, Soccer, Obstacle-course, Handcrafts, Ballroom Dancing, Christian Living classes, Life Skills classes (equipping youngsters for the work place), Swimming (many do not even have the basics of staying afloat), Rock-climbing, and an overnight camping experience, where most got rained on!
A huge amount of work goes into putting together a camp for just over 200 people, but after a year of preparation by our planning committee, the day arrived and we were ready. Registration was on Friday afternoon, and camp was to officially begin that evening with a short worship session, then an activity filled games evening. Its amazing how God takes our feeble offerings, blesses them, intervenes and tweaks them, and then uses them to his glory, if we are humble enough to allow him to! Well in this instance he didnt leave us much choice, as when we arrived at camp, we were totally without electricity. We muddled through registration (everything was on our computers)- praying power would return… ate a late dinner (cooked over gas) – praying power would return… but God had other plans. Our opening ceremony could not take place in the dark, nor could it take place in the tiny hall we were eventually offered at an adjacent camp site, so we settled for an evening of praise and worship. WOW! Through the Holy Spirit, we bonded as we never could have through games, and the tone for the entire camp had been set, and our focus was where it should be, firmly on God!
Camp ran from the 14th-22nd December 2012, and our theme this year was Rooted in Christ (Colossians 2:6-7). Apart from the hectic physical activities, morning devotionals and worship led the campers through the process of being a seed, (planted, watered and nurtured in Gods love), to an emerging sprout (flourishing and growing in the light of Christ) to a seedling with roots sinking deeper (fixing yourself firmly to him) into a sapling growing tall and strong (feeding off his Word and the Holy Spirit) and finally into a mature tree that is able to bear fruit (discipling others). What a privilege to watch these young men and women bloom in an environment of love and acceptance which so many had never before experienced.
Seeds were planted and I look forward to seeing the resulting growth, to Gods glory!
I would like to sincerely thank all of our amazing staff for giving of their time and talents, and the very generous sponsors and donors for enabling us to continue touching lives through your sacrifice.
PS: for more details and pictures like our facebook page (Summer Enrichment Programme – SEP, South Africa). Already the plans are underway for SEP 2013. For those who would like to be a part of this amazing outreach, we will post details on facebook, as they become available.