I hope you all had an amazing Easter weekend. 

For me, I chose to spend the long weekend with 67 of our young people and leaders – plus over 3,000 others from elsewhere – at Southern Easter Camp in Christchurch. 

I love EC and have gone a number of times, but this one was the best one I've been part of yet. And it wasn't just the epic lineup of activities or the awesome programming that made it unforgettable. It was the sheer passion and hunger for God that our youth displayed. 

I'm talking about a level of enthusiasm for worship, prayer, prophecy and fellowship that I’ve never seen before. 

To give you a glimpse, look at this photo of 30 of our crew eagerly waiting outside the prayer tent!

We had to leave the main session 15 minutes early just so that we could be at the front. 

As one camper put it, Easter Camp this year was "a crazy 5-day camp filled with worship, God moments, fun activities, and cool people”. 

It was clear that camp was incredibly meaningful for our youth. Here’s what some of our campers said:

• "Prophecy [was my highlight] because I felt like I really connected with God."
• "The prayer tent was a wonderful space to connect with God, have some quiet time and to get prayer for things I wanted prayer for."
• "I really enjoyed the small group times after Big Top, as it was a chance for us to connect."
•  "An awesome, life-changing experience and fun-filled time with a community."
• "Thank you so much for a wonderful Easter Camp."
• "It was great. I loved it. Really fun. I enjoyed the experience will definitely be back next year!"
• “It’s the best camp of my life.”

I can't wait to see the fruit that comes from this camp and I’m excited to see how the growth in faith of our rangatahi will impact them personally.

So, to all who joined us this year, thank you. You made Easter Camp 2024 unforgettable. And to those thinking about joining next year, prepare for an adventure where faith meets fun in the most incredible way.