Tay expedition - a final word by Kirsty

This expedition was a success. While everyone I have spoken to who didn’t attend the camps seems to have got the impression that it was horrendous, it was far from that. While we did face challenges, of course on something as difficult and different as an expedition we faced challenges, the opportunities for the development of the young people and opportunities for God to do “His thing” are far greater than in a normal camp. Yes the problems seem greater, but yes the victories, the instances of healing are FAR FAR greater. God touched and controlled every aspect of the camp; from the wind (which like the celtic blessing was always at our back!) to the rain, to the way time worked out - allowing us the time to pray and to share, to the boats we ended up in (and day after day I ended up with Jasmine, and day after day she was difficult and day after day God challenged me to show her grace, Danika was able to overcome fears with Rogan and develop a real friendship, Graham could support Ryan on his last day of camp and Claire could support Raymond.)
There are things we can learn from or do better, of course, which I have listed above but there were so many positive things too:
Jasmine learnt to say please.
Rogan gave up smoking!
Wayne who was stand-offish at first and quite difficult decided to spend the last night hanging out and play fighting with Rogan
Raymond overcame shyness and particularly dreadful homesickness on the 3rd night and made friends and decided to stay for the remainder of the trip.
Some of the young people seemed to get a lot out of the time-out slots, particularly Chris, Danika and Jasmine.
And of course there was the views, the beautiful light, the jokes, the stories…

Monday:
Drive to Killin paddle to camp site: only 45minutes and perhaps too short. Talk about boundaries rules before setting off could have been beneficial

Tuesday:
Paddle down the loch, sort out canoes (change people around) lunch. In the evening we organised a game of hide and seek, tired the YP’s out a bit before time out, this worked well (safety issues of being close to a road)

Wednesday:
Allan runs off, 2nd day on the loch was too much for some of the young people and with dwindling tobacco there was a near mutiny on our hands but this was thankfully averted after a good dinner and another game of hide and seek. Alan and Ryan go home.

Thursday:
Paddle on the river. 2boys get a bit fed up but are encouraged back on board. Chilled out evening with the young people hanging out and doing their own thing.

Friday:
Everyone gets up surprisingly early. Rogan gives an impromptu time out that works really well. A short paddle to where the buses are. The young people are really proud of themselves for sticking with it.