Senior Breakaway Herald

Well well, another year has gone by and another Senior Breakaway Camp is over. I hope you had a great time at camp. I know we did.

At camp this year we had a great time in the Mud Pit... Well the leaders had a great time in the Mud Pit and a few brave campers joined them. We played on the new Putt Putt Golf course; and on the new Rope Course in the bush; we played Water Bomb Newcombe Ball and we played two excellent Wide Games.

Of course we had a full day at Bendeela just messing around in the river. There is nothing half so much worth doing as simply messing around in boats. Except, maybe, a Feral Games Night which was SO disgusting yet SO much fun! Andrew reckons that there is nothing better than playing in the bush with your 4WD. Jeremy disagrees, saying, that there is nothing more fulfilling than changing your tyre in the bush. The girls just enjoy sleeping out in the chapel.

This year Dave, Donna and Maddi Kendall made us laugh and let us know that God is not mad at you - in fact God likes you.

In this issue of the Senior Breakaway Herald, we have an interview with Cameron. Inside are everyone's names, addresses, and phone numbers. There are some photos. And there is a puzzle for you to work out and a prize to be won.

What about the web page? It has lots of new photos from camp - and the guestbook has heaps of messages from each of you. (If you have some good photos that you would like to show everyone, please send them to us and we will put them in the next Herald and on the web page). Don't forget the web page address is: -

http://www.breakawaycamp.org.au Enjoy it.

Slop and I got a letter from NikkiB. It says, "Bruce Cassidy is the best DJ ever, pity you couldn't be a leader this year Bruce. Well I made heaps of new friends and I hope to keep in touch with you all through out the year! Bye!!!

The Dance with Bruce is always a highlight of the camp. We will see what we can do about getting him back again next year.

Slop and I got another letter. This time from Sarah. "**Hey all, How are you all after camp? I had a really fun time and I hope to see you's all next year- and at the reunion... I'll try to write to heaps of people this year, I was hopeless last year, so I'll try and make up for it... Well I'll have to go now, so take care, I love u's all. Love Always-- S.**"

Now that you have everyone's phone number and address, you will have no excuse for being "hopeless" again this year. I know the leaders would love a letter or a phone call from each of you.

See ya's later and God Bless,

Grumble and Slop.

2 - An Interview With Cameron...

Grumble: Cameron, How many years have you been coming to Breakaway Camp?

Cameron: Ummm, this is my Fourth Year.

Grumble: How Did you find out about camp?

Cameron: My friend invited me - he had been coming for a while and asked me along.

Grumble: Who was your friend?

Cameron: Luke Rossetto.

Grumble: Cool! So Cameron, you are in Year 9 at school, right?

Cameron: Right.

Grumble: What do you want to do when you leave school?

Cameron: That's easy - I want to be a professional rally driver.

Grumble: Really? If you could drive now - what kind of car would you be driving?

Cameron: A McLaren F1LM

Slop: Hey Jeremy - He didn't say a Suzuki Vitara.

Grumble: Quiet Slop! Who would your favourite rally driver be?

Cameron: Tony Makkinen or maybe Colin McRae.

Slop: Ha Andrew - He didn't say you!

Grumble: Quiet Slop!

Slop: Well Andrew and Jeremy reckon they are professional Rally Drivers. They don't even slow down for the BUMPS!

Grumble: Right. Anyhow Cameron, I hear that you have just come back from overseas?

Cameron: Yeah - I was an exchange student in Japan for 3 weeks. I really liked it over there. I loved the food! But it was SO expensive. A large McChicken meal cost around $15!

Grumble: No Way?

Cameron: It's True!

Grumble: When did you become a Christian?

Cameron: I became a Christian the second year I was at camp. At that camp we talked about what Christianity was all about in the morning sessions and in the cabins. I became a Christian in our cabin with Dave Ware. It was a funny feeling. I felt different but heaps better.

Slop: Has it been easy being a Christian?

Cameron: Not really. I don't go to church much - I need to go a bit more.

Slop: Uh Huh.

Cameron: I don't forget about God and Jesus - I still pray. I pray for different people. But I need to do a bit more.

Grumble: Thanks, Cameron. One more question - What did you think was the best part about Camp this year?

Cameron: Ummm, that's easy - ALL OF IT.

3 - The SoapBox -

This is where you have your say about whatever you like or ask whatever you like... send you stuff to Andrew.

"Fun camp.... Hope there's a reunion."

Wayne

"I love all the new photos from this years camp (on the web page), TP's photo (with Jeremy) looks particularly good. TP do you think girls find that look attractive? I hope everyone is well and enjoying school or work (or holidays if you're a Uni student!)"

David S

"Dear Everyone, well camp is over 4 another year and we r all back at school or work, 4 some BOTH!!! I hope that everyone is ok and enjoying school. Hi 2 all!!!! And a really big HI 2 all the gals in my room, b good and don't have 2 much fun!!!!"

Luv Kylie

"I don't think much about God..."

"I'm Pretty Slack Spiritually..."

"I can't remember the last time I read my Bible or prayed..."

"I'm a different person when I am around my friends to when I am at church..."

I have heard lots of comments like this. And I've been there too. Sometimes it IS hard to "be" a Christian.

Have you ever done something and felt guilty about it afterwards. Maybe you think, "Well, God won't like that! And He won't like me any more either!"

I know lots of people come to camp and feel guilty about some of the things they have done over the last year. Sometimes they feel bad about the time they haven't spent with God. So each year they decide to recommit their lives to God and do better next year. And next year they come back again - feeling bad again...

We still believe but it becomes just too hard. Prayer becomes a cry for help, "Lord get me out of this one - PLEASE." Reading the Bible comes after TV, Nintendo, movies, Playstation, Sport on the weekend, parties, homework and just about everything else. Church or Youth Group only happens if it fits in with our diary...

People throughout history have always found it hard at times to follow God. That is why God sent his son, Jesus, to share our experiences and frustration's. Jesus understands.

Think of the person you love most in your life. If they wrong you in some way, sure you get upset, even angry - but you still love them and value their relationship. This is similar to God's relationship toward Christians.

"God is merciful and tender toward those who don't deserve it. He is slow to get angry and full of kindness and love. He never bears a grudge, nor remains angry forever. He has not punished us as we deserve for all of our sins, for his mercy toward those who fear and honour him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth. He has removed our sins as far away from us as the east is from the west. He is like a caring father to us, tender and sympathetic to those who reverence him." - Psalm 103:8-13.

God is happy with you. Just as you are. Even when you make mistakes.

So how do you "do better?" That's easy - spend time with God. Spend time with him - praying. Spend time with him - reading your Bible. Spend time with him - with other Christians. Spend time with him - at church. Spend time with him - at your Youth Group.

When you spend time with God, you will become more spiritually energised. When you spend time with God, you will understand what he wants for your life. When you spend time with God, you will probably make less mistakes.

But if you should make a mistake, don't forget - Jesus understands.

Do you dare to give it a go?

Shown here are four men buried up to their necks in the ground. Their names are Andre, Bryce, Christian, and Damon. They cannot move so they only look forward. Between Andre and Bryce is a brick wall, which cannot be seen through or penetrated. They know that between them are four hats. Two are black and two are white, but they do not know which colour they are wearing. In order to avoid being shot one of them must call out to the executioner the colour of their own hat. If they get it wrong, everyone will be shot. They are not allowed to talk to each other and have ten minutes to fathom it out.

Q. Which one of them calls out?

Q. Why is he 100% certain of the colour of his hat?

This is not a trick question. There are no outside influences or other ways of communicating. They cannot move and are buried in a straight line. So Andre and Bryce can only see their respective sides of the stone wall, Christian can see Bryce and Damon can see Bryce and Christian.

First ten answers to Andrew (at andrew@breakawaycamp.org.au )will get a prize.

I will publish the correct answer next Breakaway Herald.

Have a great day!