first years’ camp

by Mariette Loubser (Amplified)

At the beginning of each academic year university towns are brimming with first year students, ready to make the most of their time on campus. It’s a time of adjustment – figuring out boundaries and enjoying new-found freedom. Which also makes it a potentially vulnerable time.

That’s why our congregations who are based in campus towns, including Bloemfontein, Rondebosch, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Stellenbosch and Tygerberg, host Amplified First Years’ Camps. It’s an opportunity for students to get to know each other, make friends and spend time with God – starting campus life as part of a bold, Jesus­-loving community.

Two hundred and ninety students attended the First Years’ Camp in Stellenbosch this year, of which 160 were first years and the rest were student facilitators and crew.

There were many opportunities to build relationships and we still see daily how students who met on camp are seeking God together on campus, encouraging each other to run the race well!

Over a hundred first years either committed their lives to Jesus for the first time or committed to follow Him wholeheartedly. Many were baptised in the Holy Spirit and around 20 were baptised in water on the Sunday. Afterwards one of them told us, with tears in her eyes, how the camp had changed her life…

“Amplified First Years’ Camp literally changed my life. (This may sound like a cliché, but it is the honest truth.) Amplified surpassed my wildest dreams. The camp created a platform for myself, and many others, to get to know our King better and to create a real relationship with Him. At the first years’ services I could connect to the Lord in an intimate way, and I was motivated to stay close to Him. At school I was used to make things happen on my own, and I relied only on myself. From the day when I decided to surrender to Him totally I’ve seen so many miracles in my life! My fear of man is gone, I found place in a residence and I am free from my sins. The platform that Shofar created to connect to the Lord changed my life radically and I am SO unbelievably grateful for that.” Kyla Orton

To find out more about Amplified, visit the website.