This year marked a significant milestone for Hebron Community Projects as we celebrated ten years of Holiday Club and partnership. As we looked back over the past decade, we found ourselves reflecting not only on themes, songs, games and activities, but on the lives that have been shaped through this ministry.
For ten years, Holiday Club has been a place where children and young people have encountered God’s love, built meaningful friendships, discovered their gifts, and grown in their faith. It has also become a place where those who were once participants return as leaders, investing in the next generation just as others once invested in them.
As we listened to the stories shared by Jorusha and Gretchen, two of our young leaders, during the week, we were reminded of the lasting impact that faithful ministry can have over time. Jorusha first joined Holiday Club seven years ago. What began as a holiday activity soon became much more. She shared how Holiday Club became a place where she found family, purpose, and a deeper relationship with God. Over the years, we have watched her grow from a young participant into a servant-hearted leader who now uses her gifts to encourage and inspire others.
One of the lessons that stood out most in her reflection was what she learned through serving. Last year, she had the opportunity to serve alongside the leaders who had helped shape her own journey. Through that experience, she discovered that serving God is not about recognition or being in the spotlight. Instead, she found joy in the simple acts of helping others, encouraging people, and showing God’s love through everyday actions.
When she unexpectedly received an award for love and service, she spoke not about the achievement itself but about what it taught her: that God sees every act of kindness and every sacrifice, even when others do not.
Perhaps most importantly, Jorusha reflected on how Holiday Club helped her grow in her relationship with God. She learned that prayer is not about having the right words but about bringing an honest heart before Him. Looking back over her seven years, she sees God’s faithfulness in every season and remains committed to serving Him wherever He leads her.
Gretchen’s story echoed many of the same themes while highlighting another valuable lesson: the power of consistency. She spoke about how easy it is to feel close to God during special events and programmes, but how the real challenge begins once those moments are over. Through her journey in Holiday Club and youth ministry, she has learned that spiritual growth happens through the daily decision to spend time with God, read His Word, pray and remain faithful over time.
For us as a team, hearing this was deeply encouraging. While Holiday Club lasts only a week each year, our hope has always been that the seeds planted during that week continue growing for years afterwards. Gretchen’s story is a beautiful reminder that God continues His work long after the final day of the programme.
She also reflected on the importance of community, sharing how friendships, encouragement and mentorship helped strengthen her faith. Through the people around her, she experienced the value of walking alongside others who encourage you to keep following Jesus. One of the most meaningful parts of her story was seeing how her journey has come full circle. What started as a place where she learned and grew eventually became a place where she could serve and invest in others.
That is a story we have seen repeated time and again over the last ten years. Children become teenagers. Teenagers become leaders. Those who were once encouraged become encouragers. Those who were served begin serving others.
It was fitting, then, that our Friday evening concert became a celebration of exactly that journey. During the concert, Gilead and Naomi took everyone on a walk through ten years of Holiday Club history. Together, they revisited the themes, songs, memories and defining moments that have shaped the ministry over the last decade.
As the evening unfolded, there was a real sense of gratitude in the room. Many could remember the early days of Holiday Club, while others had only recently joined the journey. Yet everyone was connected by the same story of God’s faithfulness.
A particularly special moment came when the farm owners reflected on the past ten years. Having witnessed Holiday Club’s growth and impact over the years, they shared how meaningful it was to reminisce about a decade of ministry. Their reflections reminded us that Holiday Club has become woven into the story of the broader Hebron community and that its impact reaches far beyond a single week each year.
Looking around the room that evening, we saw the evidence of ten years of faithful investment. We saw children, teenagers, young adults, parents, volunteers and community members, each carrying their own memories and stories of what God has done through Holiday Club. As we celebrate this milestone, we are deeply grateful to every volunteer, leader, donor, parent and supporter who has been part of the journey. Thank you for the prayers prayed behind the scenes, the hours spent preparing activities, the encouragement given to young people, and the countless acts of service that have made Holiday Club possible year after year.
Most of all, we thank God.
Because when we look at young people like Jorusha and Gretchen, we see more than individual success stories. We see the fruit of ten years of faithful ministry. We see young people discovering their purpose, growing in their faith, and choosing to serve others with the gifts God has given them.
That is the legacy of Holiday Club. Not simply ten years of events, but ten years of lives changed, relationships built, faith nurtured, and God’s love passed from one generation to the next. And as we look ahead, we do so with excitement and expectation for all that God still has in store for the years to come.
Written by Taryn Noah, Edited by Naomi Engelbrecht
