YOKE Camp is an opportunity each semester for kids and their clubs to get away, have fun, learn more about Jesus, meet students from other schools and spend valuable time with their YOKE Folk. The past two weekends have been full of some of the best fun and adventure YOKE can dream up as we hosted our Western Camp – horses, outlaws, the Lone Ranger and Tonto, Black Bart and his gang, tractor pulls, hay bale relays and much more. There were also many stories of kids coming face to face with their need for a Savior, realizing just how much Jesus loves them, and how they want to live a life reflecting Jesus when they get home. Sometimes camp even forces students to deal with unresolved relationship issues.
As students from multiple schools gather for camp, there are hundreds of underlying story lines, struggles and issues between schools or even within clubs. Such was the case for a few girls in one of our west Knoxville schools. In the weeks leading up to camp, three sisters began attending club for the first time. Two of them were students at the school, while the third was enrolled in a private school. She explained to the YOKE Folk that she had transferred this year due to some pretty intense bullying last year. They came back the next week and eagerly signed up for camp. Unbeknownst to them, the student whose bullying had forced the one sister to transfer had also registered for camp. The YOKE Folk weren’t aware of the entire situation until last weekend and were naturally wary of what could transpire.
The YOKE Folk prayed all weekend for these girls and God really showed up. All of the girls had a good time together, found common ground, and competed together as a team. There were no issues of bullying or conflict between the girls and by Sunday all of them were laughing, talking, and reminiscing over the great weekend they had experienced together. One of the sisters even made a decision to follow Jesus! All of the girls are looking forward to club and being together again. It was such a stark difference from club on Tuesday to the bus ride home on Sunday. God is so good – He is the healer of hurts, mender of relationships, and the author of joy and fun. We are so thankful that we got to see and experience all of these over the weekend.
As students from multiple schools gather for camp, there are hundreds of underlying story lines, struggles and issues between schools or even within clubs. Such was the case for a few girls in one of our west Knoxville schools. In the weeks leading up to camp, three sisters began attending club for the first time. Two of them were students at the school, while the third was enrolled in a private school. She explained to the YOKE Folk that she had transferred this year due to some pretty intense bullying last year. They came back the next week and eagerly signed up for camp. Unbeknownst to them, the student whose bullying had forced the one sister to transfer had also registered for camp. The YOKE Folk weren’t aware of the entire situation until last weekend and were naturally wary of what could transpire.
The YOKE Folk prayed all weekend for these girls and God really showed up. All of the girls had a good time together, found common ground, and competed together as a team. There were no issues of bullying or conflict between the girls and by Sunday all of them were laughing, talking, and reminiscing over the great weekend they had experienced together. One of the sisters even made a decision to follow Jesus! All of the girls are looking forward to club and being together again. It was such a stark difference from club on Tuesday to the bus ride home on Sunday. God is so good – He is the healer of hurts, mender of relationships, and the author of joy and fun. We are so thankful that we got to see and experience all of these over the weekend.