Camps Are Back At Coola!

During October, we welcomed schools back to camp at Camp Coolamatong! This term we’re running 24 school camps, all for schools in regional Victoria. Jam and Emily, two of our interns, give us a glimpse into life at Coola…

JAM
It’s really great to have camps back! There were a few times during our first week where I’d walk into the dining hall and there’d be noise! Kids in front of my eyes! It was almost hard to believe.

We can see the impact the camps have on the students. On the first morning, I noticed that one boy seemed isolated from the other kids. I talked with him and we played noughts and crosses together. He looked at me and said, ‘I’m so excited I came here! This is my first camp, and I have a new friend.’ He was so happy and absolutely loving being here.

As we engage with the campers we get to plant a seed of being in a loving, safe environment. My hope is they’ll look back on their experience and say, ‘I really liked this place, what was special about it?’ and God will grow that seed.

EMILY
The first week with camps back was a mixture of being extremely excited and kind of exhausted at the same time. Often I was just too excited to be tired! I was able to run all these activities we hadn’t touched in months and it was really exciting to hang out with campers again.

A moment that really stuck out for me was when I got to share my story – my testimony, of my mum being disabled and my dad being her carer. Afterwards, a camper came up to me and told me her family is in the exact same situation. She told me all about her family and how hard it is for them. I was so grateful that my story encouraged her to share her story with me.