ISOLATED faithful people were brought together for encouragement and fellowship last week, when close to 20 teenagers and six adults from across Victoria paddled along the Gunbower Creek.
The four-day camp is organised by the Evangelisation Society of Victoria – formed to reach the non-church going population of Victoria.
The interdenominational Christian organisation manages camps across the State, drawing on leaders from various churches.
Kerang and Barham/Koondrook Baptist Churches pastoral team member, Bruce Stewart said more than 800 people have attended camps, from abseiling at Mt Arapiles, canoe camps, senior camps in the Grampians National Park, fishing trips on the Murray, student camps at Pental Island and Portland.
The group departed last Tuesday from Cohuna for the teen canoe expedition, paddling downstream along the Gunbower Creek for two days before connecting with the Murray River at Koondrook.
Seventeen people, from as far as Alexandra and Ballarat, were led during the 84-kilometre journey by qualified outdoor education camp director, Peter Geldart.
“Campers gear is put into watertight barrels, so at the end of the days canoeing, all gear can be extracted; tents erected and tea cooked by volunteers using a mobile kitchen,” Mr Stewart said.
“Bible devotions are presented at this camp by Zoe Creelman, formerly of Ballarat. She is a young scientist who loves Jesus and presents excellent life related studies. Of course, part of Zoe’s testimony is now on the loss of the lower part of her leg through a boating accident and now walking wonderfully with prosthesis.
“At times physical endurance was tested in both the heat and the cool and in many kilometres travelled, but at journey’s end it was a wonderful experience facing challenges together and learning and growing and having fun and encouraging each other.”
Each day campers and leaders spent time together discussing some of the big questions of life, using the Bible as a source of learning and inspiration.
“Young people have questions about facing the challenges of life, choosing careers and how to develop meaningful relationships,” Mr Stewart said.
The camp finished on the banks of the Murray River at Murrabit on Friday.
