This, and many other testimonies like it are just a small indication of the good that can be accomplished when we band together to serve the Lord.

D’Sozo WA, 2016 was the first camp of it’s kind to be held in the whole state of Western Australia. 30 youth plus staff and parents gathered together by the beach at Camp Kennedy about 25km out of Albany. For one week the young people ranging from ages 10-25, devoted their holiday time to learning how to minister to their world more effectively. Everyone took part in deeply spiritual and relevant bible studies and training sessions as well as having the opportunity to put what they were learning into practise in the afternoons - either in canvassing door-to-door work or helping people in their homes and gardens.

The almost unanimously voted highlight of camp was the canvassing or literature evangelism program. Each afternoon up to sixteen young people and their leaders would flood the streets of Albany and surrounding communities to spread the precious word of God like leaves of Autumn. Most of the youth had never done canvassing before and were surprised and excited to discover that they really enjoyed it. Over the four days of canvassing 175 magabooks and 260 smaller books were left in homes in and around Albany. This number included approximately sixty Great Controversy and over three hundred copies of Steps to Christ. Please pray for each piece of literature that has gone out in southern Western Australia that the seed may be watered and spring up to bear fruit.

The participants and helpers who were not out canvassing in the afternoons, also went out to do community help work. They attacked overgrown yards, weeded gardens, mowed lawns, cleaned and generally helped the people. The home that I was blessed to visit on the Monday was the home of an elderly lady who called herself a collector. My team’s task was to clean her garage area. The difficulty was that her garage area was cluttered with her ‘collected items’. Piece by piece we moved furniture, collectables, old bottles, tarps and everything else she had piled up until we were able to sweep and clean the area. Then, with her directing we sorted the items - some to be thrown out and the rest to keep. Felicity’s grandson, James, joined us part-way through the day and through his whole energy into helping us. Two of my team were young men about James’s age and the three of them  spent the hours riding bikes and telling the rest of us what to do. As I took a break to have a drink, I looked around me and had to smile. Here were three little boys sharing joy and having fun doing the simple things - even working can be fun. The older volunteers were busy rearranging, sweeping, lifting, moving, dusting - working as a team. Who know that work could be fun when you are doing it with friends? Well, many hands do indeed make light work and before dark, Felicity’s car port was clean and tidy and we had made two new friends. We were able pray with Felicity and James before we left and we knew that we had truly made a difference for someone.

On Wednesday, we took a break from our regular schedule and almost the whole camp made their way down the path to the Point King Lighthouse to take part in what was, for nearly everyone there, a brand-new experience. Since before camp, all the participants had been learning choir parts for the inspiring song ‘Give Your Best to the Master’. Now, assembled in a picturesque location, the youth sung their hearts out as cameras rolled and the drone cameras circled overhead. We surprised the camp by having a rough-cut version of the video ready to present on Friday night. Seeing their faces as they watched themselves sing was worth the extra work the team had crammed in. (This video will soon be ready to be published online so that you can watch it too!)

On Sabbath we had an opportunity to share a little bit of camp with the local church. Participants and staff alike took part in an exciting program of testimonies, music, sharing and lessons from God’s word. The church was blessed and so excited to hear the stories of what the youth had been doing in their local community during the week.

Coming away from camp, I was awed by the work that God had done in people’s lives. The youth of WA have been inspired to commit their whole life to Christ. Decisions were made to read the Bible more and to give up harmful addictions. Children and youth were inspired to change life habits, to give up unhealthy emotions, to be baptised, and of course, to be more active in their home communities. Praise God for the wonderful work He is doing in Western Australia and please pray for everyone involved in D’Sozo WA, that we will remain faithful until He comes.

- Katlyn Bailey