Wednesday, 10 October 2007 00:00 | and posted in Events
I love going to SU camps. I enjoy doing different activities; kayaking, crate climbing, winds surfing... I look forward to midnight feasts snuck secretly into dorms (As a new trainee leader it is my duty to tell you that food is BANNED from most dorms at camp!) and I like trying to sneak away from leaders when it's my group's turn on washing up. But what if I were to suggest to you a camp without any physical activities? A camp where midnight feasts were not only frowned upon but were lectured about? A camp where those on duty were expected to clean dirty dishes without complaining and instead ENJOYING themselves serving others?!
Yeah, I know. Sounds crazy. It was a camp designed to turn a bunch of teenagers into trainee leaders - no wonder it sounds so strange...
Basecamp is name given to the training events within SU's Training in Leadership Programme. I was on Basecamp B which took place during the first weekend of June at Scoughall. The weekend was jam-packed with seminars, teachings, worship, good food and even an exhausting game of football in the sand on Saturday. Throughout the two days I learned so much - from how to answer children's questions to tips on how to actually achieving silence from rowdy kids. In a lot of ways it was what I expected. In a lot of others I was surprised. I had believed that the whole weekend would be focused on perfecting us - but I was wrong. It was so much more! We learned that as leaders we are still always growing, learning. Nobody's perfect, except Jesus! I grew so much closer to God over the weekend through worship and teachings. My parents are both Christians and I thought I was pretty clued up on Christianity. Basecamp B proved me wrong - I now know if I'm ever to succeed as a Christian leader I have to be willing to learn more, to further develop my relationship with Him.
On the last day of camp we had banoffi pie. There was "left over" which the cook was going to throw away. I was mortified - and quickly volunteered to save the pie from its peril, offering to take it home! In a strange metaphorical type way I saw the pie as representing everything I'd learned from Basecamp B. The things that I'd heard were life-changing, full of flavour (like the pie...) and I didn't want any of my knowledge to simply disappear once I returned home. I can only hope that I did the right thing by taking home my knowledge and storing it deep inside of me. (for all those failing English I'm trying to tell you poetically that I took the pie back home and ate it as well as taking home all that I had learned from Basecamp and hopefully radiating God's light)
Basecamp B was AMAZING and anyone enthusiastic about God and anyone going into S5 or S6 this year should definitely consider going next year! You can find out more about Basecamps here.
Read part 2 of my Trainee Leader experience here...