It is a good question to ask before applying to come on mission in Hungary. Working with youth workers and teenagers in a cross-cultural mission setting with a difficult language barrier is not easy! Therefore serving with ACORNCAMPS should not be seen as a ‘mission opportunity to try something new’. Rather it is an opportunity for people God has gifted to work with youth leaders and the teenagers they bring to camp, to serve God in a cross-cultural setting. The camps are a fantastic time during which teenagers can hear the truths of the gospel, and see volunteers living out their Christian faith through the week of camp.
We aim to use the opportunity camps provide for people to use the gifts that God has given them. This might involve being stretched out of your normal comfort zone. However, people are not forced to do things they really feel unable to do. There is opportunity on the application form to mention particular skills, abilities or experience that you have. On each UK team there will be a Team Leader, someone who manages the Camp Programme, the Speaker/student Mentor for the week (linked with the CORE Training programme and camps) and Team Members.
Specifically then anyone wishing to apply should be a committed Christian who is:
We encourage people of all ages to apply from 18-60+ years; sometimes 16-18 year olds are considered at the request and in discussion with their church leader.
If you are still unsure, try answering these questions.
What will the accommodation be like?
Bringing a family on mission can be a very enriching experience for both the family and the teenagers on camp. It can also be a huge challenge, and will not be for everyone! For anyone considering coming as a family, ACORNCAMPS requires that at least one of the parents has visited Hungary and served on a mission week, before coming again with their children. This is important so the family can properly prepare together, with their eyes open, and use their experience of mission to the full.
If you are on camp in 'Parent' capacity, even if you have other responsibilities on team, you have full parental responsibility for your children. This includes:
Some parents have Team responsibilities whilst on camp, e.g. English sessions, Craft, Translation, etc. In these cases, it is the responsibility of the parent to:
Finances: We appreciate the costs for bringing children are significant as kids over 2yrs have to buy flights. Therefore we will contact you individually to confirm what is the overall cost of hosting you as a family.
Please contact our Mission Week Coordinator with any further questions.