Summer camps

If you ask people what they know about Novi Most many will probably think of summer camps. Ever since the early beginnings of Novi Most many volunteers from the UK (and sometimes other countries) have given up part of their summer to help out on these camps.
One aim of camp is to allow a young person to learn new things in an accepting environment and feel they can be themselves, the person God designed them to be irrespective of ethnicity, creed and colour. This year Novi Most held two camps: the first for 11-17 year olds and the second for 18-25 year olds.
As Centar has continued in Capljina some of the team members attended a camp or two!
Eleanor and Ivica went up to Jahorina to the first Novi Most camp.

Eleanor writes:-

I had the amazing privilege to be a part of two camps this summer. The first one was with 17 young people from Novi Most (8 from Capljina and 9 from Mostar) up on the Mountain of Jahorina, about 45 minutes drive from Sarajevo. It was extremely pleasant to escape the summer heat, but at times was too cold!!!
The week was centred around the theme of ‘looking for something’, we had ‘hunt the coin’, scavenger hunts, and a find the landmark challenge on a day out in Sarajevo. The week culminated in Matt giving a talk based on the Lost Parables of the coin and the sheep, and explained to the young people that God is looking for them.
Having had a loud week, none of us expected the hush that was in the air as Matt was talking, everyone in the room was listening, and I know that there were lots of seeds planted into the lives of the young people that evening.
It was so encouraging to see all the young people getting along and making new friends, and I felt that I got to know the young people from Capljina better too!!!

The Evangelical Church now run the camps at Boracko Jezero which were previously organised by Novi Most. They start from the end of June and last until the middle of August; each week is designated for a particular age-group. These include set-up, prayer, family, children’s, teenagers and youth, and also helping with the Mission Without Borders children’s camp and at the end a clean-up camp. Novi Most members also help with the organising and running of these too.
Eleanor attended the children’s Church camp and continues:-

After a long, hot journey back to Capljina after Novi Most Camp, I had two days to prepare for camp number 2 – the Evangelical Church Children’s Camp.

This camp was a lot different from the Novi Most camp and was held at Boracko Jezero at the Church campsite. There were 80 children from all
over Bosnia and Hercegovina, and our theme was Bog Uvijek Radi Nešto Uzbudlljivo
(God Always Does Something Exciting), everyday was spent with aerobics, morning programme, afternoons on the beach and then a crazy evening programme!!!

My highlight of this camp was when one of the children from Capljina started a conversation with me about how she now felt really special because she had found out that God had created her special, just the way she is!!!
This moment far eclipsed the sleepless nights, the early mornings and the numerous insect bites and stings. Since returning from camp, I have continued to speak with her, and she is realising more and more that God loves her for who she is!!! It wasn’t just the children who learnt that God always does something exciting – I was reminded of it too!!!


Becca works with the teenagers during the service on Sunday at Capljina Evangelical Church so she went to the teenage Church camp as a leader. She writes:

Alongside all the activities which are held in and around Centar during the summer we also help out with the camps run by the evangelical church of Bosnia Herzegovina. All together this year there have been 6 weeks of camps which take place near Boracko lake in the middle of the country.

So, I signed up to help out with teenager week…this involves one hundred 13-17 year olds who had travelled the length and breadth the country to get there. The teenagers were from all sorts of backgrounds but for one week they all had something in common; tents and sleep deprivation! Some of the teens had been to camp before, for some it was completely new territory but for many of them it was a rare chance to hear about Jesus and His love for them in a fun, relevant and engaging way.

The theme of the camp was “I have something important to tell you” and each day we took a topic to discuss, debate and mull over. There were also many fun activities, games, sports and workshops as well as worship and a powerful message each evening.



For me the overwhelming thing that stuck out was the sense of community; regardless of where people were from, what they looked like or how they behaved, there was a sense that they were loved and accepted for who they are. It was a real privilege to be on camp and see people touched by such knowledge. My hope is that as they go back to their homes and normal day to day lives, they would each take a piece of camp with them and know that God doesn’t stay in a tent at Boracko but goes with them.


The second Novi Most camp was for the older youth aged 18-25 years. This was a chance to revise some English grammar and practise spoken English. Ali led this camp and writes:

This is the type of “camping” I like! We stayed in a hostel in Gradac on the Croatian coast. There were seven students of Upper Intermediate level. Lessons were held in the morning and evening. The morning lessons were mainly revision and included teaching in writing and reading skills.



The main focus of the camp was to allow the students to practice spoken English and to increase fluency in speech. A Murder Mystery evening was played out and the students were given a role. These included Dame Barbara Carthorse, Mike Bison, Chocolate Bertrand… There was reading and discussion practice to decide who ‘the murderer’ was. This was a fun evening especially as everyone dressed up and really acted out their part! The atmosphere that evening was really special as we all enjoyed each others company for who we are and not what gossip of the town says we are!

We pray that the students saw some of Jesus love through us during our time with them and that the friendships we have made are strengthened in the coming new term.
The youth enjoyed their time learning ‘in an interactive way’ and all would like to go again next year. It is so nice for me that people of this age group who work hard at University during term time gave up some of their summer holiday, came freely on camp to improve their knowledge of English and were keen to learn.
I really feel camps give the workers as much as they give the students and would encourage anyone to come and see for themselves… you will certainly be a blessing and will also be blessed.