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| QLD Campmeeting
~ June, 2005
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 A
small flyer with a lighthouse and the text, “Get ready! get ready! get
ready!” advertised a June camp to be held at Inglewood, near Stanthorpe,
QLD.
Speakers
American David Sims was the guest speaker. Other speakers included
Nader Mansour from Sydney, Alex Paap, missionary to China and Michael
Lawrence from Melbourne.
The messages and fellowship were unforgettable. Without exaggeration, I
can say that we enjoyed a foretaste of heaven.
Campfire Stories
Many will never forget the cozy Sunday evening worship session. We sat
around a campfire and took turns thanking God for the blessings gained
from the camp. The testimonies were touching and sincere. One young uni
student told how much she had looked forward to the camp. “Usually when
you really look forward to an event, it doesn't live up to your
expectations,” she told us, “But this has exceeded them.” There was a
man from Broken Hill, who was new to us all. He told of how when he'd
arrived late Friday night he got lost and was accosted by the police in
a nearby town. When he told them he was lost, they offered him an escort
and just as they left him at the entrance to Apex Camp Greenup, they
asked him, “So you have friends here?” “No, but I believe I will soon,”
he responded. He, too, had become as family to us.
Surprise Visitors
We were surprised and delighted to have three young people join us from
Melbourne, Sydney and Townsville. Most of us had never met them before,
but in the short time we spent together we joyed to see their intense
love for God, the truth and spreading the gospel. We came to regard them
also as close and loved family. They say that 'blood is thicker than
water', but the bonds of love in the family of God go beyond that.
Camp Food
Food at the camp was provided free on freewill offering basis. And we
were well provided for with healthy and delicious food, which included
the gift of our camp cook: truckie Adrian White from New Zealand. In
answer to prayer, one of the brethren from Melbourne offered to pay to
cover the airfare to bring him out. And Adrian said yes. Not only that,
but David told me when giving a New Zealand report, that Adrian is still
talking about how much he enjoyed his time at Inglewood.
God be praised alone
It was wonderful for me, the inexperienced organizer to see how God
blessed my meager efforts and made up for my lack. When people commented
to me, “The camp has been wonderful. You did a fantastic job,” I could
only give the glory to God. “But we have this treasure in earthen
vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.”
God’s Providences:
- The dates for the QLD camp seemed impractical, but as they had been
prayed about, we went ahead with them. We later discovered that they
were the first dates of the year David was available.
- Inglewood is known to average -80 in June. So a number of people stayed
away for fear of the cold. The rest of us prayed. One sister encouraged
me by saying, “God will cover us with a cloud like He did for the
Israelites during their desert march.” Sure enough, the weather was mild
and sunny. A number of campers wore summer clothes. Some (like me) who
brought their winter woolies cooked!
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