Camp Conqueror
Newsletter

April 2000

Issue Number 57

In this issue:

Winter Camp — July 9^th — 15^th
Summer Camp Reunion — April 28^th — 30^th
Wild Woolly Wootton and "The Summer Camp Report"
Campers Remember Care
The Conqueror Crossword!!!

Letter to the Editor

I received a disk in the mail a while ago and was pleasantly surprised to find it was from someone who'd been on a Conqueror Summer Camp. Both myself and the other leaders were very touched by the letter that was on the disk. It's so good I just have to print it all, hope you don't mind Colin. You see this is what Conqueror is all about! (And you though it was all about climbing mountains, didn't you! J )

Dear New Ed,

Hi, I'm Colin. I've just finished my HSC and have a bit of

time, well a lot of time, to type this up. I'll be doing Bulli beach mission and then a CYC kids camp and then a youth leadership conference in the space of one month. Prayer would be appreciated.

I typed this with the initial intent of reminiscing on the old newsletter. It's yellow colour, hand written articles and poems. So I thought I'd suggest to you to throw a few poems in. I then realised how extremely difficult that would be if you didn't get any poems. So, as a hypocrite's compromise (this isn't hand written, but it probably doesn't matter), I'll submit a poem and an article.

A bit more background on me. I went on a Camp Conqueror in January 1995. I don't remember more than two leaders, I don't remember what the particular Bible studies were on. I was 13 years old and had my first teenage growth spurt during the trek (a couple of inches were added to my height). I do remember two older blokes (campers) who gave me a hard time. I do remember that all of the leaders had time for me, were friendly and cared about me. This was especially so with one of the older leaders (early thirties). He got along side me and was my friend for the whole time. If you take me as a general representation of all campers (not very accurate) then you will draw this conclusion from my experience: Campers remember care. This is not a call to drop the games (Stoneage) or the Bible studies. I remember bits of the trek where me and him were just walking and he was taking a general interest in the things that I'm interested in. I still have my music roll award (award written on toilet paper). It reads as such:

Most improved

Walker

Colin Rae

Solution to Crossword No. 56

[Editors Note: Heh well trust me to make a typo. 9 across should have been 12 across, but you all worked that out didn't you J ]

ACROSS:

DOWN:

Campers Remember Care

Cash in, Kid out. Maybe that's our parent's view on camps like Camp Conqueror. I don't know how my parents saw it, I didn't ask. I know how I saw my Summer Camp, an immortal trek into the brooding Budawangs.

That immortal trek is now long dead. Yes a few vague memories do exist in my head, but it's dead. This particular immortal trek was wayyy back in the summer of 1995.

Four years on am I still trekking the Budawangs? No. Are the leaders still as lost as the rest of us? No. Are there great numbers of vivid memories? No. What, then, does live on from the camp? Care. Sounds silly, but that's what sticks in my head.

The only times that I remember are little snippets of a forgotten leader walking beside me and chatting with me. He was caring, I remember that. It is extremely rare for anyone to befriend me of their own initiative. He did, he cared.

I guess he was doing his job right. The leaders job is to represent Jesus. Jesus cares, the forgotten leader cares. I guess I'm still learning that Jesus wants to be my friend, even when no-one else does (including me). The forgotten leader helped me learn that by being my friend.

What do you remember about your camp? It's probably someone who cared. We remember care.

Colin Rae

Winter
Conqueror
2000!

A wonderfully, wild, white week of cross-country skiing in the NSW snowfields awaits you!

From the 9^th to 15^th of July we will learn how to ski with swishing speed, enjoy great, gifted company, feast on delicious, delightfully delectable food, and learn about the great and glorious God who created us and loves us.

And this year we have NEW accommodation closer to snow!

All Accommodation/Food/Ski-Hire/Transport and fun for only:

$270

Get in quick - limited places.

Please make cheques payable to:

Camp Conqueror Account 1

Contact:

Steph Schwarz
(02) 9877-0467
winterconqueror@altavista.com

The Summer Camp Report

This is a story about a horse... no! about a camp! A camp with class! Camp Conqueror 2000. Well, well, well (three holes in the ground) what can I say about this camp... ah yes, but it was a good camp, and a good time was had by all. There was much joy, and mirth abounded and resounded in the hills to the calls of ‘how could it not be a horse!' and ‘we hav loost our coompaas!' - but more of those stories later.

This year was a new year (thanks Pete) and we had a fresh start with the brand-spanking new cookhouse, completed only just before camp on set-up (there were two particularly clever fellows who made a rather splendid looking and functional door). Setup as usual was a ton-o-fun and we did start to wonder if it would just be more fun without the campers! Ah, but what a bunch of campers they were!

With Postman Pat, Chris the Cow, Robust Rhys, Deluxe Package Daniel, Antiquated Andrew, Riana the horse (not her real name), Smart Shelly and Elegant Eleanor, just to mention a few - this camp was squeezy-jam packed with .... well..... lets just say an interesting group of .... um ....people. Thats not to say that the leaders weren't strange enough by themselves - but just add campers, and presto! You have the craziness and general frivolity that was - Conqueror 2000!

The House of Lords this year had also, along with the Shed, reached its last legs so a tent was erected instead! This came complete with partitioned stalls and even enough room in front to play stone-age whilst you waited! The British Embassy had a more open-air policy, which granted a spectacular view of the cow-pat creek. Which the female leaders thought was fab - but I don't think the female campers agreed so much!

We had two activities days this year with the option of going canoeing, abseiling, or a climb up pigeon-house mountain. I lead canoeing both days and thought this went very well - although there was some very unorthodox methods of getting down rapids applied. Shona and Rhys seemed to want to get their money's worth so they decided to use up all the water available by zigzagging along the calm bits and constantly going backwards down the rapids. They seemed to be more in control this way - so whatever worked for them is what I say! The most enjoyed part of the canoeing experience though was the rope-swing at the end (which, by the way, I never got to go on! Ah the joys of leadership (Not!)).

War games on the day before the walks was great fun - but as to who won and why was purely academic. There was many and varied challenges including the flying fox (which you had to traverse up!), the song (a song about the camp to the tune of the house of the rising sun) and the barrel crossing of the creek just to name a few! But at the end of the day, team work and friendship were the real winners, and that's what counts isn't it! Hmmm?

There was a three day walk this year, with the contingents camping out at the starting points the night before. Wog-wog contingent (Phil, Caroline, Action Al et all) actually walked half-way up the Castle and camped in a cave - just to show em! Wog-Wog continued on and did a loop back to Mt Owen car park. Along the way they picked up a couple of German tourists who were seriously lost and who were decrying - ‘we hav loost our cooompas!' and ‘we are making our way through the foliage!' (not so funny on paper - so if you weren't on camp you'll have to ask for the translation). During Wog Wog's last day they apparently literally walked down the river to car park, getting back late and once again almost giving their camp director a heart-attack thinking ‘Oh no, I've lost Caroline - again!'.

The other two contingents walked from the Wog entrance to the Castle. Yatte Yattah contingent walked via Corang Peak and Kaliana contingent went via Cascades. Both contingents climbed Mt Tarn and camped on the side of Cole. Two of the campers from Kaliana contingent unwittingly carried some rocks in their packs from Tarn to Cole and didn't find them in the morning. Only to blame a member of their own contingent for the crime (I wonder who would do such an awful thing - certainly not Yatte Yattah!). The funniest thing about this incident was we almost got caught in the act by Chris (Ralph) Charden - but fortunately I was able to divert him by asking him ‘So Chris, how good are ya?'. At which point Ralph (as only Ralph can do) told me and completely forgot about his pack!

The second last day consisted of the Iron-man competition, Wally Burgers and the always overly anticipated camp concert. All of which were huge successes! The cooks this year were Tom and Carol Harper and our congratulations must go out to them both, once again, for the magnificent food that they put out that not only filled our empty stomach, but also tantalised our taste-buds!

In all, Camp Conqueror 2000 was a huge success and we were mightily blessed by our HUGE God. As always, I was struck by how HUGE and powerful he was (his creation of the Budawangs certainly is a masterpiece!). Also I was struck by his faithfulness and love for us all - even when things didn't seem to be going as planned, God had it under control. Wog Wog is a prime example of this - finding those two Germans who would have been in serious trouble if God hadn't placed them there at that very time!

Once again I'd like to thank everyone that was involved in Conqueror 2000 - from the Cooks, the Leaders, the Campers and the other people behind the scene supporting us with prayers and encouragement! Conqueror 2000 certainly was a camp to remember and I hope to see you all at reunion or on camp next year! See ya and God Bless!!!!!

Wild Woolly Wootton

Summer Camp Reunion

"To Summer Camp you have been, hmmm? Good, was it? Many friends you did make, yes? Then to the reunion you will be wanting to go."

Dates: April 28^th — 30^th

Where: Euroka Clearing, Glenbrook National Park, Blue Mountains
How Much: $20 Cheap!
Contact: Chris (Wild Woolly) Wootton

(H) 02 47336906
(M) 040 800 2814

email: cwootton@tpg.com.au

Editor's Notes

Alas the Newsletter's a bit on the thin side, again. Only a few of you contributed articles, poems or the like for this issue.

Perhaps I should start giving out incentives so people will write articles?! Not a bad idea if I do say so myself. Alrighty then:

Hear Ye! Hear Ye! Let it be known throughout the land that anyone who sends the Editor something to put in the Newsletter will receive a prize! What sort of prize you ask?? Well it could be anything from a chocolate bar to a chicken hat! I promise it'll be something edible or funny, maybe even both! Oooooh BOTH! Now that's a challenge. So… get writing now!

In case any of you have forgotten Conqueror has a website (at least a temporary one) at:

By the time this newsletter reaches you I hope to have a small photo gallery up, so come check out pictures of Conquerors walking, eating, swimming and errrr… conqueroring!

This newsletter, along with the previous one, is up on the website. Can those of you who don't wish to receive the newsletter in the mail please let me know (again). I won't be sending out the newsletter via email but I will let you know when a new one is up on the website.