Glamping arrives at Kingscross

This season, Kingscross, our campsite on the beautiful island of Arran, has been transformed. Instead of sleeping under canvas, young people will be staying in beautiful new cabins.

The Kingscross project was delivered in partnership with Brass Tacks. Since 1986, Brass Tacks have worked on approximately 250 projects, mainly in Europe and sub-Saharan Africa. Their projects have included the construction, repair and maintenance (building, bricklaying, carpentry, electrical work, plumbing, plastering, painting, etc.) of churches, schools, hospitals, training centres and houses. We were delighted to be able to work closely with Brass Tacks and a group of dedicated volunteers pouring their hearts and souls into the build, grafting away over several weeks in the early spring.

Alan Webster says, 'This year marks my 60th year since I gave my heart to the Lord at my first SU camp at Kingscross. When I saw the article in the @SU magazine, I was intrigued, thinking what better way to mark the 60th by helping with this project.

'I did five years of camping at Kingscross in the mid 60s, becoming a tent leader. Then in the mid 70s I led for three years at Scoughall, and a further three in the mid 80s at Scoughall as Adjie (or Assistant Team Leader as they’d be called now.)

'Over the years I have read of the developments at both sites and always wanted to see the changes.

I may be long retired, but to quote Caleb, "I am still as strong as I was!" Since my retirement I have been a volunteer at Citizens Advice Bureau one day a week and also at the Reconnections Project, one day a week. The latter is a Dundee based project working with recoverees from addiction problems. I also help at the Windmill Christian Centre, where I am involved with gardening and maintenance, and have been mainly doing painting over the winter months.'

Commenting on the volunteering to support the buildling project, Alan says, 'I reckon that was the best ten days I have spent in a long time!'

Graeme Stangoe, Holidays Operations Manager, who co-ordinated the project says, 'The canvas tents have served us well over the years, but now, as expectations have increased, we are responding by increasing the quality of accommodation we provide our guests.

'I am extremely grateful to the staff and volunteers of BrassTacks and our own committed SU Scotland volunteers, for making this long awaited project a reality, and we all look forward to lives being transformed as young people experience God at this amazing site.' 

The cabins will not only enhance the comfort of children, young people, and teams, but also allows us to consider using Kingscross outwith the summer season for church or youth weekends.

—Graeme

Last year cabins were new at our other campsite, Scoughall, and are proving really popular.

Worthwhile exhaustion!

I'm one of the volunteer leaders for the Motiv8 Holiday at Gowanbank which runs over the Easter break with children from the Ferrywell project in Edinburgh, Room Sixty in Ayr and Glasgow City Mission in Govan.

Young people who attend Motiv8 tend to come from priority areas, bringing a different dynamic to camp, as the children may present more challenging behaviour. Leaders prepared with an overnight together, prior to the arrival of the children, to discuss approaches and the needs of specific children. We also took time every morning to go through 1 Peter. This was a blessed time as it centred us on our goal for the week with the young people.

Throughout the holiday I was a group leader for a team called the Snowballs. It was great to develop relationships with the young people— though they often liked to poke fun at the leaders in a witty way. At Motiv8 you have to be thick skinned—it is their way of showing endearment!

During the evenings we would hold a session where leaders would share their testimonies, interlaced with a Bible verse or passage. This was an effective way to demonstrate the reality of Christ in our lives but prompted many questions from the young people—we had to answer carefully to avoid negative triggers.

At Motiv8 you have to be ready for challenging behaviour, tough conversations and tiredness. That’s the truth—but the reality is that our relationships with the group grew, and I made memories that will never be forgotten.

This was a week where young people, many of whom had nothing, had the opportunity to learn about Jesus and the inheritance that they could have in him. A week where Jesus was slowly prodding away at their hearts..

I was physically, emotionally and spiritually exhausted by the end, BUT! I would not have changed this for the world. It was worthwhile exhaustion, and it was a privilege both to share Jesus and be part of these children’s stories.

Starting a new chapter

At Motiv8 I worked with Joe* , a young boy so full of life and energy, yet noticeably pushed aside and often misunderstood by his peers.

When talking with Joe, he would often speak nonsense— I do not use this word lightly. When I asked him at the start of the week about Jesus, he replied with, 'Meh, I don’t care.'

I felt throughout the week that there was a block with Joe as he would not engage when discussing the Bible nor gospel message.

At the end of the week there was an opportunity for the children to respond to Jesus and make a commitment to follow him. When I saw Joe enter the room, my initial thoughts were that he had come for a joke.

Joe approached me and said, 'This Jesus thing— I want to go for it’. Hesitantly I stopped Joe in his tracks and questioned him, as I assumed he did not understand the message of the Gospel.

I made it clear that this was not a small decision to make and that he needed to consider what it means to be a Christian. We further discussed the message of the Gospel, what sin is, how Jesus died on the cross for our sins and how he was victorious over the grave. Joe understood everything!

Considering the cost of being a Christian, Joe looked into my eyes with tears rolling down his face saying, ‘I want to follow Jesus.' I shed a tear too.

We soon prayed after that, and Joe committed himself to Jesus. It was a privilege to share in this moment with him. Once we finished praying, I looked at Joe—this child speaking nonsense all week—and then he told me the most profound thing: ‘This is a new chapter in my life’. 

*Name changed for privacy. Motiv8 Holidays give youth leaders the opportunity to bring their young people away on an SU Holiday specifically designed to be suitable for those that come from a priority area.