Matome Makgato, Pretoria
Upon arrival, we were greeted with greetings as warm as the chicken soup. Thereafter, we settled into our rooms and got to know each other. The next morning after breakfast we dove into the topic or theme of this year’s camp which was the “The heart of being Lutheran”.
With Pastor Christian, Pastor Martin and Vicar Philip, we were being taught how church tradition was elevated during Martin Luther’s time on human works in paying for your sins. So, Luther wrote theses in 1517 and wrote: “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said ‘repent,’ he intended that the entire life of believers should be repentance.” Luther didn’t want to split from the Catholic church, but he wanted to fix it. He wanted the church to come back, not on tradition, but on what Jesus said.
As the camp went on, we had sufficient breaks in between to breathe, converse with friends and pastors, play games like ping-pong, zipline into the waters and go canoeing. I must say we were very well fed too, and when I say well fed, I mean, well fed!, in terms of physical and spiritual food.
Through the remainder of the days, we tackled more topics like confession and absolution, what defines a church, how people think someone gets into heaven, grace, how God gives us his word, Church discipline and Church preparation. What ultimately stuck with me most, is how we learnt that the Law shows us who we are before Christ, which we find in chapters like Romans 3:23 and Ephesians 2:2. We have all fallen short of the Glory of God and we have walked according to the course of this world. We most certainly can’t save ourselves, and judgment is our fair reward. BUT! GOD LOVES US! Rich in mercy and love, he saved us. Even when we were dead in our trespasses, He made us alive together in Christ – “by grace you have been saved” (Ephesians 2:5) – and so we have no reason to boast, because we have done nothing to earn this, nor do we deserve it; however, it is a gift from God that we have been freely given.
Above all the camp was lovely! To see the Lord’s beauty, to laugh each day and find joy in community and fellowship, and to have amazing men of God like Pastor Christian, Pastor Martin and Vicar Philip to teach, preach and lead the youth closer to Christ. A special thanks to everyone who made this camp possible, from the organizers to the cooks, to the pastors, to the youth that made it. Until the next Camp: “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night” (Psalm 92:1-2).
