July 21 – 25, 2008

by Teena Cassell

Excitement charged the air as preparation was made for the trip to Coles Pond for Newfoundland’s twentieth annual youth camp. The attendees, representing ourchurches in Newfoundland, Ontario, Alberta, Norway, and Portland, Oregon, met in the Roddickton Church parking lot, and even the cloudy weather could not dampen their enthusiasm. After the forty-five-minute drive to Coles Pond, two boats were waiting to transport people and luggage to the campground. Some chose to walk around the pond, while others eagerly ran to get there faster.

In addition to the morning and evening sessions in the chapel, there was plenty of time for sports and games in the afternoons. The majority of Monday was used for setting up. Cabins were decorated and put in order; the field was arranged for sporting activities; canteen services were put in place; and the kitchen was bustling with activity in preparationfor the first meal. Reverend Rene Cassell, the camp leader for the past twenty years, officially started the first evening service with the theme song learned at the first youth camp twenty years ago, “I Can Hardly Wait.” As everyone sang with zeal, there was anticipation of great things from God during this youth camp. Marcy Cassell from Fort McMurray, Alberta, was the song leader, and she encouraged everyone to put their all into singing praises to the glory of God. The theme for this year’s youth camp was “Making a Difference,” and Trent Newman of South Brook, Newfoundland, read 2 Corinthians 5:17 for his sermon text. Using the example of the man with the unclean spirit in Mark 5, he portrayed howhaving an encounter with Christ can make all the difference in a person’s life. It was encouraging to see young people seeking the Lord at the altar after the sermon.

The morning session on Tuesday began with singing old and new choruses, followed by a teaching from Freeman Cull of Englee, Newfoundland. He told the story of the plague of frogs in Exodus 8:1-10, as “surprise” frogs leaped around the chapel! Freeman shared stories of what people consider to be some of the worst words in the English language, such as “loneliness, death, flat tires, alcohol, drugs, etc.” He concluded by saying that the worst word spoken by Pharaoh was “tomorrow” in verse 10. He encouraged those in attendance to do what they could to make a difference today, as tomorrow may never come. In the Tuesday evening service, Michael Ivany from Roddickton, Newfoundland, used Galatians 5:1 as his text for the sermon. He used the example of the three Hebrew children in Daniel 3 to describe how taking a stand can make a difference.

On Wednesday morning, Reverend Rene Cassell shared how the youth camp originated, and his reflections of the past twenty years. Individuals who have now gone to be with the Lord were commemorated for their contributions to the camp over the years. The audience was entertained as several of those in attendance shared some of their experiences at previous youth camps.

In the Wednesday eveningservice, Kirsty, Heidi, and Sonja Johansen from Norway, and Vee, the camp nurse, from Toronto, Ontario (originally from Zimbabwe), sang a beautiful song in “Shona,” the dominant language of Zimbabwe. Scottie Wells from Kitchener, Ontario, spoke about promoting Jesus, using the story found in Acts 8:26-39. He reminded those in attendance that it is their responsibility to promote Jesus whenever they have the opportunity, and failing to do so brings consequences. It was awesome to see many young people pray through to salvation that night!

On Thursday, some of the men treated everyone to a barbecue supper, giving the cook and kitchen helpers a break from cooking. A good portion of the day was spent preparing for “Talent Night.” The evening included singing, skits, and instrumental numbers. All the performers did a fantastic job! A presentationwas made to Reverend Cassell showing appreciation for the time and effort he has committed to the youth camp. He has truly been an inspiration, and has made a difference in manylives over the years! The evening ended with refreshments in the cafeteria, followed by fireworks.

On Friday morning, young hearts were saddened as they prepared to go back to the “real world” and their separate ways. However, Lord willing, there will always be next year! While the kitchen crew did a fantastic job keeping everyone well-fed physically, souls were well-fed with all the wonderful spiritual food. Just as youth camp has influenced many lives in the past, this year was no exception. Hopefully and prayerfully, the young people who attended this youth camp will be encouraged to take a stand for God and use their full potential to “make a difference.”

More pictures are available on our youth site here.