THE 160 young people heading to the Zero Gravity camp on the Sunshine Coast in the school holidays weren’t told about the “pools of goo” waiting for them.
Just one of the “small group challenges” from January 15 to 18 provided by Emmanuel Youth Outreach (EYO) – others included a maze and building a raft from tyres and branches – the event was described as “a mountaintop experience”.
“While the young people didn’t want to leave, we know that we aren’t meant to live on a mountaintop, but to bring the mountain experience as a source of strength into our daily lives,” EYO’s Luke Plant said.
The camp’s theme was “Access all areas” – with a focus on “allowing God to go back stage … and meet us as we really are”.
“We know that being a young, practising Christian isn’t easy,” Luke said.
“It’s not easy to live your life sold out for God – but as long as we continue to say, ‘Yes’ to God and surrender our lives to Him, we can do it.
“We need to live for God in an ongoing way throughout our lives, not just at the high moments of camps and retreats.
“This is the Christian challenge and we believe that young people can do it … we have seen young people do it.”
With youth from as far as Dalby, Bundaberg, Lismore and Adelaide, the days were filled not only with mixed group activities but also those more “gender exclusive”.
Luke said there was an openness for young people to express their desire to keep themselves “chaste until marriage”.
“Being at Zero Gravity I have realised that I can’t lock God away and only bring him out when it suits me,” Year 9 student Shannon Maloney said.
“God is amazing and has shown me a new, better way to live.”
Another Year 9 student expressed similar thoughts.
“The activities were extremely fun and creative but the sessions were phenomenal and the speakers were just so amazing,” Gordon Turner said.
“I went to prayer ministry teams and realised just how much faith meant to me.
“It was as if a candle was suddenly lit in my body, and it feels as if my faith has grown a lot stronger.”
The outreach camp also included shared testimony, dynamic and more “intimate” worship times and an opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
Fr Richard Healey from Wollongong Diocese and Fr Michael Grace from Ipswich parish both attended the entire camp and a number of other priests arrived for the Reconciliation session.
“Our focus is engaging young people through crazy, fun activities and also sharing personal testimonies of God’s work in our lives,” Luke continued.
“… to give young people a clear message of God’s love for them and the role they have in the life of the Church.
“We believe that God is doing something powerful amongst the current generation of young people.
“The challenge of the final sessions at Zero Gravity was for each of them to consider what they were taking away from the camp and how that would impact their own lives once they returned to families, school and other friends.”
