17 December 2014

Alinta learns how to soar like an eagle

Posted in Camp life / Indigenous youth


Alinta Ward is 15 years old, and is one of 26 young people to attend Camp Mibunn – our first camp for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander youth.

Alinta has big plans for her life – and that’s because of encouragement from her Indigenous elders and youth pastors in Logan.

“I want to change someone’s life in a big way. I think I want to be a social worker because there aren’t a lot of Indigenous foster parents. A lot of Indigenous kids don’t get looked after… so I think being there for them and telling them my testimony would change their life,” she says.

“I think that’s what Camp Mibunn is all about – it’s about getting kids together from all different environments, and [sharing about] God,” Alinta says.

Camp Mibunn was held at Mount Tamborine from 22nd – 25th September. The four-day camp included faith discussions; cultural activities, like painting and basket weaving; games; bush walking; and a trip to Wet’n’Wild.

“Just as eagles gather at high places and have the ability to soar higher, so too do these kids have the potential to soar high in life.” — Joshua Maher, Camp Director

“Mibunn means ‘eagle’ in the Yugembeh language,” says Camp Director, Joshua Maher. “Just as eagles gather at high places and have the ability to soar higher, so too do these kids have the potential to soar high in life.

“The camp is about changing their states of mind and broadening their horizons,” he says.

The young people who attended the camp learnt about God and how to walk through life with faith in God.

One of the major struggles leading up to the camp was limited financial resources. “Some of these kids come from single-parent homes with sometimes five kids living off a pension, so it’s quite difficult,” Joshua says.

“Another great need is volunteers. I could have gotten more kids along, but we didn’t have enough leaders.”

If you can support our Indigenous camp through sponsoring a child, donating materials for workshops, or volunteering your time to lead on the event, contact info@sucamps.org.au.



SU QLD

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