Well, next week I'm going on camp. I'm going to Wirraway Homestead Youth Centre (you can look at it here http://www.wirraway.org/). It's a non-denominational Christian youth camp which runs most weeks of the school holidays. I think it's my fifth or sixth or maybe seventh time (I loose count easily) going there, but it's my first time going not as a camper.
I'll be a Bunkhouse Leader! The camp is for 10-12 year olds, so it'll be me and between 5 and 8 girls in the bunkhouse. I'm rather nervous, actually. I'll be 'mother' for the week - in charge of getting them to bed, getting them up, getting them washed and dressed and everywhere on time, and... in charge of Bible studies/devotionals.
These devotionals are called 'Bunkhouse Discussions' and are meant to take about 15 minutes right before bed each night. I've done something I don't think any of my Leaders have ever done, and planned everything out quite comprehensively. I don't know whether the girls in my bunkhouse will be Christians or not, whether they'll have been to church or Sunday school before, or anything. I know the camp often gets non-Christian children in simply because of all the others stuff that's done on camp (horse-riding, mainly, but there's also low ropes course, archery, more riding, dish-washing, orienteering, flying fox, horse-riding, pooper-scooping, and so forth). I've been in bunkhouses with girls who don't know at all who Jesus and God are, but then there are other girls who have been raised in Christian families and who are Christians and have gone to Sunday school every week for most of their lives. So it's a bit of a range.
I planned out nine Discussions for a five-night camp (arrive Monday afternoon, leave Saturday morning). The first one is mostly a get-to-know-you exercise, but I did put a couple of questions in about God, just to guage where the girls are at. Then I have two lots of four days, labelled 'A' (basic or beginners) and 'B' (more advanced). So after the first night, I'll choose which ones to do.
So I'm going to post them on here to see what you think. I know some of you are about this age group, so you'll probably have more idea as to whether what I've planned is appropriate or not.
I'll be a Bunkhouse Leader! The camp is for 10-12 year olds, so it'll be me and between 5 and 8 girls in the bunkhouse. I'm rather nervous, actually. I'll be 'mother' for the week - in charge of getting them to bed, getting them up, getting them washed and dressed and everywhere on time, and... in charge of Bible studies/devotionals.
These devotionals are called 'Bunkhouse Discussions' and are meant to take about 15 minutes right before bed each night. I've done something I don't think any of my Leaders have ever done, and planned everything out quite comprehensively. I don't know whether the girls in my bunkhouse will be Christians or not, whether they'll have been to church or Sunday school before, or anything. I know the camp often gets non-Christian children in simply because of all the others stuff that's done on camp (horse-riding, mainly, but there's also low ropes course, archery, more riding, dish-washing, orienteering, flying fox, horse-riding, pooper-scooping, and so forth). I've been in bunkhouses with girls who don't know at all who Jesus and God are, but then there are other girls who have been raised in Christian families and who are Christians and have gone to Sunday school every week for most of their lives. So it's a bit of a range.
I planned out nine Discussions for a five-night camp (arrive Monday afternoon, leave Saturday morning). The first one is mostly a get-to-know-you exercise, but I did put a couple of questions in about God, just to guage where the girls are at. Then I have two lots of four days, labelled 'A' (basic or beginners) and 'B' (more advanced). So after the first night, I'll choose which ones to do.
So I'm going to post them on here to see what you think. I know some of you are about this age group, so you'll probably have more idea as to whether what I've planned is appropriate or not.