As NSW ski resorts report the first heavy snowfalls of the season, one young skier says a single holiday in the snow was enough to change her life.
Two seasons ago Jenna Campbell, 16, went on "Ski Paradise', a camp for Year 10 to 12 students at Mount Hotham, Victoria.
Jenna says the highlight was not the snow fight or the skiing, but "becoming a Christian'.
Having grown up in a Christian family, it was at the slopes that it all fell into place and Jenna finally realised what Jesus had really done for her.
"It changed my life," she says.
"We had excellent talks from the book of Matthew every day. And it was really helpful to have young Christian leaders who I could relate to.
"They talked about how they became Christians and what it meant to them. We had really great discussions and they answered all my questions."
After the camp was over, Jenna was keen to join a local church youth group and has found going to her school lunchtime Christian group "really encouraging'.
Stories like Jenna's are the reasons why Sydney Anglicans have become Crusaders leaders and are gearing up to hit the slopes this winter.
One of them is Rebecca Collett, 31, a science teacher at Loreto College who attends Naremburn-Cammeray Anglican Church.
Rebecca will encourage her young charges to consider salvation in Christ as she takes away a school group to Thredbo next month on a Crusaders "snow riders' camp for children from years three to six.
By day the students will learn from ski instructors; by night they will "roast marshmallows round the fireplace and hear about the God of the universe'.
"I'm going because I love skiing and it's a great gospel opportunity," Rebecca says.
"It's a coveted ministry position," she adds. "The kids are really passionate about being there and so are the leaders."
The evening's talks will be on the book of Acts with the theme "how much our Creator loves us'.
Another couple from Naremburn, Martin and Jen Shadwick, both students at Moore College, are among the Sydney Anglicans leading the popular ski camps. Others attend Springwood-Winmalee Anglican Church, St Matthew's, West Pennant Hills and St Paul's, Menai.
Last year 673 school students went on a Crusaders camp during the winter school holidays. So far 693 have booked for this season.
Crusaders says students often invite friends along and the camps can have an impact on their involvement in lunchtime school groups.
Students can also choose from performance and drama, abseiling and go-karting camps as well the popular study camps for Year 12 HSC students.
Crusaders is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and 2,200 school-aged children are expected to go on camps.
Spots at the winter camps are still available. Contact Anna Wood on (02) 9874 8933 or [url=http://www.crusaders.edu.au/holiday]http://www.crusaders.edu.au/holiday[/url]
