When: 18-21 March 2016

Where: BergVenture, Central Drakensberg

Who: Senior students and young workers from several Reformed Churches in South Africa

Photo courtesy of Lourens Aucamp

Photo courtesy of Lourens Aucamp

Highlight #1: Enjoyed the majestic beauty of the Golden Gate Highlands National Park from the height of the Protea Corner.

Highlight #2: Chilled out at the arty quaint Clarens. Savoured the FREE beer-tasting in the microbrewery there.

Photo courtesy of Motlasing Moreki

Photo courtesy of Motlasing Moreki

Highlight #3: Inhaled a lungful of fresh mountain air, took in the sights of the incredible peaks of Drakensberg, and pondered upon Psalm 8:3-4: “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?”

Highlight #4: Hung out with cool brothers and sisters from different parts of the world.

Photo courtesy of Mukesh Kumar

Highlight #5: Sunbathed in Falcon Ridge Bird of Prey Center while being mesmerized by the lively raptor-flying show. Do you know that eagles most often fly by soaring and gliding instead of flapping their wings? Their particularly large wings make them prefer to rely on external forces, such as the lifting air stream or rising warm air, to move around. This means that they do not need to rely on their own strength during the flight. Knowing how an eagle flies helps explain Isaiah 40:31, which reads: “But those who wait for the Lord’s help find renewed strength; they rise up as if they had eagles’ wings, they run without growing weary, they walk without getting tired.” Like the eagles that soar high in the air by relying on external currents, we shall overcome our deficiencies not by our own strength, but by relying on the powerful God. 😉

Highlight #6: Explored the stunning Drakensberg (Dragon Peaks Park) on horse back. Lady Jemima was the horse I was riding on (not sure if I spell the name correctly).

Highlight #7: Sang the refrain of the hymn “O Moholo”/”Hoe Groot is U”/”How Great Thou Art”/ “Comme tu es grand”/”你真伟大” in different languages on the last night of our camp. It was really amazing to witness how people from diverse backgrounds can somehow be united by their awe of God.

Let’s enjoy the hymn once more in English 🙂