THE BRAIDED RIVER OF FAITH

from SU Adventure Magazine July 2022

by Scripture Union New Zealand

LIGHT FOR THE PATH

THE

BRAIDED RIVER

OF FAITH

HILARY HAGUE | SUNZ National Director

Rakaia Gorge, Canterbury

Last year, I had the experience of flying over the Canterbury Plains. It was a fine day and as I looked out the plane window, I was struck with the beauty of the braided river stretching below me. What a wonderfully creative God we have! Braided river systems are intricate and dynamic. Their channels repeatedly separate and reconnect, inter-twining to create patterns of low islands and shallow bars. They provide habitats for many rare birds, fish and plants. Globally, braided rivers are unusual, but here in New Zealand we are privileged to have more than 150 braided rivers. The entire Canterbury plain was formed by gravel carried from the Southern Alps by braided rivers. Southland and the West Coast and Otago regions also feature spectacular braided rivers, and there are some in the North Island too. Some of our camps take place alongside braided rivers. On these camps the river is an integral part of the experience—camps like E3 Canterbury on which participants raft down Waiau Toa or Clarence River. The young people work together to follow their guide down the main channel and stay in the current. If they miss the current they can end up getting stuck in the shallows and having to carry their raft for part of the journey. Here in SUNZ, we run a particular style of camp and, like those braided rivers, our camps have different channels running through them—each channel contributing to faith formation for our young people.

THE CHANNEL OF GROWTH

SUNZ camps are adventure-based and every camp offers a different set of challenges. Whether these challenges are physical or

...OUR CAMPS HAVE DIFFERENT CHANNELS RUNNING THROUGH THEM—EACH CHANNEL CONTRIBUTING TO FAITH FORMATION FOR OUR YOUNG PEOPLE

around topical issues such as ecological awareness, or conversations around the way we live, the young people on our camps are encouraged and supported into new experiences. The stretching that happens when young people move out of their comfort zone to try new activities, or learn new skills, or are extended in the way they think, brings opportunity for growth. Our camps have a strong leadership development focus which is a part of this ongoing growth, and our prayer is that young people will take all they learn from Scripture Union camps into their future.

THE CHANNEL OF RELATIONSHIP

SUNZ camps run on relationships. Together, each camp works to build safe and authentic communities for all involved. Leaders are very aware of this and the programme is planned to give opportunities for developing quality relationships with the campers.

THE CHANNEL OF FAITH

This is incredibly important to us. After all, helping young people discover and follow Jesus is our calling and our mission. Within our camps this channel is expressed by the leaders’ desire to love and serve God, and an understanding of the importance of the Bible and prayer to the discipleship journey. Discussions about God, Bible engagement, activities that aid experiential learning, and conversations both formal and informal are woven throughout each day to illustrate that faith is a whole-of-life experience, rather than isolated to special times or places. We want the young people who come on our camps to meet with the God who loves them.

...THESE ECOSYSTEMS ARE A REMINDER THAT OUR YOUNG PEOPLE WILL GO BACK THEIR EVERYDAY LIVES CARRYING THE THINGS THEY HAVE LEARNT WITH THEM

These channels do not work separately but weave in and out of each other, flowing together, meeting and informing each other. It is the synergy between the channels that enable young people to grow and develop so well. Sometimes a young person will be more interested in one area than another; sometimes they will come for one reason and discover the joy of the others. Whoever they are and however they come, our role is to help and encourage them into the fullness of life God has for them. A beautiful fact about braided rivers that has only been more recently understood is that water flowing into the plains around the river becomes a vital part of the eco-system. Springs and wetlands are periodically renewed and recreated in these surrounding areas. Just as the Holy Spirit flows in and around all we do in bringing life and growth to the young people in our camping ministry, these ecosystems are a reminder that our young people will go back to their everyday lives carrying the things they have learnt with them. We pray their experiences on camp will flow out of them to refresh and renew the people and places in which they find themselves. As I sat in the plane and looked down on those braided rivers, I realised what a gift they are and what a responsibility we have to care for them, especially given how few of the world’s rivers are braided and how endangered many of them are. What a gift and a responsibility we have—as with our braided rivers—to care for and journey alongside our young people here in Aotearoa, New Zealand.

SPRING

CAMPS

GOING DEEPER Ponui Island, Y11 Y13 Five days on the island, swimming, kayaking, hiking and more SUSTAIN Raglan, Y7 Y13 Exploring Raglan; swimming, farm visits, surfing, and hiking

SNOW BLAST Mt Ruapehu, Y7

Y10 Fun in the snow, skiingor snowboarding

Fun in the snow, skiingor snowboarding

MOUNTAIN ADVENTURE Mt Ruapehu, Y11 Y13 GAIN JUNIOR Marlborough Sounds Y7 Y10

Sea kayaking, mountain biking and a day hike

GAIN SENIOR Marlborough Sounds, Y11 Y13

Sea kayaking, mountain biking and an overnighttramp

SPRING CAPERS Queenstown, Y7 Y10 Mountain biking and a day walk, overnight camp-out, swimming PONUI SPRING ADVENTURE PONUI ISLAND, Y6 Y8 Hear kiwi, adventure under the stars, consider God’s creation and our part caring for it.