20-year-old Olivia Vouris shares how a CRU Study Camp changed everything.
Growing up, Olivia’s mum was a Christian and they regularly went to church, but it caused division in the family. Then Olivia’s parents divorced when she was in Year 8. Life was uprooted and everything changed. Her family split in two with Olivia caught in the middle. She had to move and change schools, and Olivia stopped going to church regularly. Olivia still believed in Jesus but didn’t know what God was doing.
Her heart began to harden towards all things Christian.
It wasn’t until Year 12, when Olivia signed up for a CRU Study Camp, that everything changed. She shares, “I had the narrative about Christianity so wrong. I had thought Christianity was a bunch of fake people living by a bunch of rules. But, for the first time, my eyes were opened to seeing that being a Christian was about having a personal relationship with Jesus.” She saw for the first time what it looked like to follow Jesus. “I could see the Spirit working in so many of the leaders and I thought “I want what they have!””
Study Camp was the first time Olivia felt challenged to really consider what she believed and if Jesus was really who he claimed to be. After gripping Bible talks and numerous chats with leaders during the week, she decided to hand her entire life into God’s hands. Olivia prayed with a leader at the end of camp, asking Jesus to help her to live for Him. “That was the key moment when I decided to become a Christian.”
“The most important thing
to me is that others know Jesus
and put their trust in Him.”
Now that she follows Jesus, Olivia shares, “It’s good to know what I’m living for. To know what my purpose is and what my identity is as a much-loved child of God.”
Olivia is currently at university studying Psychology with a plan to do a Masters in Primary Teaching next year. She spends a lot of her time striking up conversations where she can share Jesus with others. “I have learnt to be more dependent on God in these conversations, and to be bolder and more unashamed of the gospel. The most important thing to me is that others know Jesus and put their trust in Him.”
Olivia with CRU leadership team on Autumn Study 1, 2024
Olivia is now back on CRU Study Camps as a leader, serving on the same camps she attended as a student — Autumn Study 1 and Winter Study 1.
“Leading on CRU Study Camps is such a valuable ministry. It’s rare for Year 12 students to have so much time to consider what it means to live for Christ while they study. I just don’t think you ever really get as much time to think deeply and ask all your burning questions. Also, I think the most valuable ministry to me was seeing how the leaders lived their life. You could see that because they loved Christ, they were able to love others and that was really refreshing to me.
“I can’t think of a better way to spend my week than to share Jesus with Year 12’ers on camp!”