It’s Sunday morning at 9 am. 130 Rally children and 40 leaders are at Forest Lakes on the Kāpiti Coast. The children and leaders are from rallies in Levin, Feilding, Marton, Crossroads (Palmerston North), Kingston Street (Palmerston North) and Church on Vogel (Palmerston North). The kids are laughing, singing, and competing with each other. There’s a fantastic vibe in the room.
Amazing puppets, fantastic multi-media, and fun games set the scene as children’s evangelist Ray Cooper powerfully and pastorally points these young men and women to the cross of Jesus Christ.
There's a whiteboard full of the names of children who have come forward the night before to say they want to trust their lives to Christ.
It’s probable that at least half the children are community kids. One of the leaders mentioned that he thought at least 30% had never been on a boat before. Going biscuiting on the two boats was a highlight for many over the weekend.
Regional Rally leaders Mike and Rebecca Mudford had the vision for the camp, along with their team, and brought the weekend together. Lichfield Lands generously provided funding for the camp that reduced the cost to $50 per young person. A committed group of Rally leaders came along to continue discipling and supporting the young people as they understand and encounter Jesus Christ.
Manawatū District Rally Camp 2019 is a reminder that “together works better”. It’s a reminder that more young Kiwis can meet the living Lord Jesus, through the gospel, from the Scriptures when we work together locally, regionally and nationally. It’s a reminder that we are a body, and when we work together in the body--and as a body--lives can be transformed.
Please pray with us that in the coming years we would see regional Rally camps happening across the country, with amazing creativity and rich content pointing children and youth to the goodness and greatness of our amazing saviour, Jesus Christ.
