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This week:

	Report from Bryntirion, 4-11 August
	Report from Bala, 4-11 August
	Report from Quinta, 4-11 August
	The Welsh language camps
	This week and next week
	Camps supporting churches supporting camps

Thank you for your continued prayers for this year's Camps. There's a great deal of good news to report, and we thank you for your prayers, and thank God that he has been answering them. Two of the leaders whose reports featured here, and most of the EMW staff were at the Aberystwyth Conference last week, so we weren't able to get together the information and send it to you. It's therefore been two weeks since we last wrote, so thank you for your patience.

Report from Bryntirion, 4-11 August

Paul Gamston is the chairman of the EMW Camps Committee, and was the leader of this new camp for 10-12 year olds in Bridgend. He emailed to say:

"Praise the Lord for a sunny week filled with happy campers and lots of fun. The relatively inexperienced team enjoyed a gospel unity and the campers were responsive and delightfully behaved.

Ed Collier preached powerfully from Genesis, highlighting key beginnings and the children were attentive, retaining key points throughout the week.

Please pray for long-lasting fruit and a blessing to the churches to whom the children return."

Report from Bala, 4-11 August

Dave Roberts is one of the EMW Camp veterans, and was leading camps long before any of his campers were even born! He was responsible for the 13-15 year olds, which can often be a difficult camp. As those who work with young people in that age-range know, some teenagers still enjoy the social side of camp or youth-group, but are starting to become less tolerant of the spiritual side of the work, which can inevitably lead to tension. This year, however, these problems seemed to be minimised, as Dave explains:

We had a very encouraging time with no mishaps on climbing walls or Snowdon, and excellent weather throughout the week. Rob Burridge gave a very helpful series of talks on Noah and the Flood, which he was preparing when the floods hit Britain! The Bible Studies and Seminars went well, and the optional Campers' Prayer Meeting was regularly attended by over 30 campers! Perhaps this explains the generally very good discipline and excellent atmosphere through the week.

The main work of the week was one of conviction for the youngsters whose walk with the Lord had suffered since last camp. I shared this with Stuart Ollyot when he visited, and his question was: What are the churches doing to support these young people between camps? A valid point [which we explore later in this email].

Report from Quinta, 4-11 August

Glyn Ellis and his team led one of the biggest EMW camps of the year, for over fifty 15-17 year olds. Glyn writes:

Once again we are thankful to God for choosing to bless the camp in many different ways:

• For Christians being challenged, broken and encouraged by the faithful preaching of God’s word.
• Learning of God’s providence in the life of Ruth during the bible studies.
• Lots of discussions on eternal issues and everyday Christian living on the bus… around the lunch table… watching football… drinking hot chocolate…
• Several campers being given assurance of their faith and many being prepared so they can serve better in their homes, churches and schools.
  

The Welsh language camps

We had hoped to bring you a full report on the Welsh-language camps, but unfortunately that will have to wait until the next issue. But the initial reports have been tremendously encouraging, particularly on the camp for 14-18 year olds at Bala, where it seems God really moved and spoke to many. Please thank God for this encouragement, and continue to pray for all those who attended this camp (and that for 10-13 year olds in Quinta), until we are able to bring you more specific fuel for your prayers.

This week and next week

Two camps are coming to an end this week. Mickey Webber (pictured) has stepped up from assistant leader to lead a camp for 10-12 year olds at Bala, while Steve Davies is leading a camp for 13-15 year olds in Quinta.

Meanwhile, Saturday sees the start of the two outdoor camps. The 11-14 year olds are led by Mark & Shâron Barnes, whilst Paul Gamston and Dan Meiring lead a camp for 14-18 year olds.

Camps supporting churches supporting camps

As you can see from the reports above, every single report had many things in common. One you may not have noticed was that every leader mentioned "church". This was not planned, nor asked for, but shows how important churches are in camps ministry. Paul asked for prayer that churches would be encouraged by camps, Dave raised the question of how churches can support children between camps, and Glyn thanked God that campers were going back to churches keen to get involved and to serve.

It demonstrates well the way that camps and church-based ministry often work hand in hand. In some ways, camps work is the easy part. Yes, its intense, very tiring, and takes months of planning. But largely it's over after a week. Sometimes officers are able to continue to correspond with campers and encourage them, but ultimately, at the end of camp, the leaders and officers hand their campers back into the care of their churches.

One of the great encouragements that leaders know is to see young people coming back to camp from their churches as changed people – perhaps last years' trouble-maker has been converted, or someone who was struggling spiritually has recovered from their backsliding.

Sadly though, sometimes the reverse is true. Many campers feel that camp offers a one-week spiritual re-fuel that just about gets them through the next 51 dry, barren weeks. On camp, support is always available, teaching ministry is always relevant, fellowship never hard to find. In the experience of some children and young people church-life is not often like that.

Every camp leader and committee member is involved in church-based work – many full-time – so they know the challenges and strains a year-round ministry can bring. They know that if we really are going to support the more than 500 campers who come through EMW camps each year, we need to support them - and pray for them - all year round in our churches.

Please then, make churches a particular focus of prayer. Thank God for youth leaders, and for older men and women in churches who take a genuine prayerful interest in their young people. And pray that God would raise up more men and women who would give themselves to work amongst children and young people right throughout the year.