There was held a Christian camp for graduates and students of boarding schools of Rivne region in Transcarpathian region. There was also a team from a Christian School “The start of wisdom” from Kharkiv. It was a special camp program “Detour” by Philip Tuttle. Detour is a deviation from the intended path, winding laps around the defined purposes, God’s amendments in our plans.
In this program, dedicated to the life of Joseph, we got acquainted with the numerous examples of how God led him on a life detour, testing his strength, delaying the fulfillment of his desires and testing what he really believes in. Through his way Joseph endured a lot deprivation and suffering, not once he had to give up his dreams. We talked about the parent family, his attitude to work, how he had made decisions in critical situations, how he worried about his people, what was going on in his heart and, finally, what was the legacy he had left to future generations.
The purpose of the course was not just to deepen the knowledge of the history, but throughout the course to see a lot of parallels between the life of Joseph and our own, to put ourselves in his shoes. Although since then it took about 4,000 years, God’s ways and means of action have not changed. During the evening groups we focused our look at Joseph, and we were able to analyze his actions and decisions, and to learn to appreciate the deviation from our main path. Gospel sounded on the Bible lessons in the morning and on the evening worship. If our participants don’t get well in life, it is important that they, like Joseph, are aware of their place in the global history of God. God writes it in our life every day, even when we do not understand what is happening. He shows us our destiny and uses detours to make us the people after His own heart.
In personal testimonies, prayers and worship all the glory was for our Lord, who created the beauty of the Carpathians. Geysers, pools, mountains showed the greatness of our God. In the reviews sounded thanks to God and to all those who prayed and helped in conducting this camp. Children testified that the Lord through this course touched their hearts, they shared on the groups and asked to pray about their relationship with their relatives, for forgiveness to the families and ones who hurt them, as well as they asked to burn them onto a summer camp. Thank God! The camp was a great blessing!
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)
Alexander Bondarchuk
