Dear friends of Campfire in the Heart,

The world is indeed full of the grandeur of God, with this glorious autumn weather such a sign and encouragement to us all. In Alice Springs the weather is getting cooler and so begins the season of swag camping so enjoyed by locals and by some visitors.

We celebrated World Labyrinth Day on 6 May with an invitation to school groups, as well as a morning tea for the local community, attended by many people of all ages walking the labyrinth or the very first time! We love being with those new to the place and experiencing its quiet charm.

We are looking forward to our retreat season beginning at Campfire in the Heart early July, with local groups and a school visit from the Gold Coast before then. Our July/August retreats are now full, with some availability for non-residential participants. Please see below the flyers for two WCCM affiliated retreats in September and October, we’d love you to join in if you are able.

Desert, Dangers and Divine Disinterest…the Need to Pray Without Ceasing 17-22 September, 2023
Gifts of the Desert 15-20 October, 2023

Before these, we have a retreat with a group of our David’s Place friends from Sydney, people who live precariously and prayerfully. They are full of excitement and joy to be able to visit the heart of the country, thanks to generous fundraising by DP supporters and a significant discount from the Campfire board. (Click here to watch a short film made for their 20th anniversary.) If you’d like to be part of this time (3-10 July), please send an email, as they are keen to meet locals and see the place through their eyes. If you have suggestions of experiences/places you’ve found of particular interest, let us know. We are blessed to be able to hire the Uniting Church van on three of the days they’re at Campfire to spend time on country.

We are so grateful for your loving support. A group gathers online each morning (M-F) for prayer and for meditation (see flyer), and we know that so many hold Campfire in their prayer and in their hearts, a sense of a cloister of prayer surrounding all that is Campfire, a great encouragement to proceed trustfully in this evolving time.

We are grateful too for those who donated to our Christmas appeal, and delighted we’ve been able to add an extra shower to increase the bathroom facilities for our guests. We’ve been blessed to have volunteer assistance for much of this year already, with more on the way. Nicola and Huss with their assistance are taking great care of the place, and as is possible attending to maintenance projects too. Counting our blessings! Joy upon joy!  If you are interested in enquiring about volunteering at Campfire in the Heart, a minimum of 2 weeks seems to work well both ways, please email us campfirewelcome@gmail.com

Here are some recent images of the wonderful variety of happenings around Campfire: eg. a recent mediation workshop, a silent yoga retreat (including a kangaroo joey as guest!) and finally the old trailer is renovated and registered at last. Long may it haul firewood!

The website is being updated to include bio’s of Nicola and Huss, the managers, and of the Campfire Companions board, introducing the heaven-sent team, all happy to hear from you about any aspect of it all.

Much gratitude to you all,
Judi and Paul on behalf of the Campfire Companions Board