From camper to director

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Dan Harte is one of our many SU NSW volunteers who has gone from being a camper on SU Shearing Camp, to a leader and now the camp director. 

Can you share your journey from camper to leader to now being director of the camp? 

Dan: After going to Boys’ AG Camp in Tooraweenah, I first attended shearing camp when I was in Year 9, and I’ve been there almost every year since. I came back as a leader because I was keen to teach the campers, most of whom come from towns or cities, about farming and what it means to be a godly Christian. I was asked to become a director about three or four years after starting to lead, and I’ve now been directing for 11 years. 

What’s your vision for the camp? 

Dan: We want to show these young boys about life on the land; that all these blokes out here follow God. You can still be ‘manly’ and follow Jesus.

What do you love about Shearing Camp? 

Dan: I love being able to share our stories with the boys, and seeing them grow over the years. I’m also really thankful for our Chrstian host farmers, who will drop everything to help us. 

How have you seen God at work in a camper’s life? 

Dan: My Co-Director Ben Ford, originally from Sydney, has been coming to Shearing Camp since he was in Year 7. The majority of our leaders are former shearing camp campers. It’s great to see guys like Ben come back keen to help the younger generation learn about God and about farming. At our camp in July we had a boy come up from Victoria for his fourth shearing camp. It is incredible to see how he is still following God and growing year after year.

How can we pray for Shearing Camp? 

Dan: Give thanks for our host farmers and for their generous help. And thank God for the campers and leaders on this year’s camp, and pray that the seeds that were planted would keep growing. 

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